Austin Diagonal Parking Accident Attorneys

The Austin car accident lawyers of Gibson Hill Personal Injury represent clients who’ve been hurt in a wide variety of car accidents, including diagonal parking accidents. Many of these collisions happen on the busy streets in the downtown area, but they can happen anywhere that diagonal parking spaces are provided. If you’ve been hurt in a crash caused by a negligent driver, our team of experienced attorneys will stand up for you and will demand the maximum compensation possible from the at-fault party.

We’ll seek to recover payment for your medical bills, lost wages, repairs or replacement of your vehicle, and other losses. Our goal will be to make you “whole again” so you can put this crash behind you and move on with your life. Our consultations are 100% free, and we represent clients on a contingency-fee-basis, which means we won’t collect a single penny from you until we win your case.

There’s no risk to call us to discuss your case. We can be reached by phone at (737) 249-6300 or online 24/7.

Why Are Some Parking Spaces Diagonal?

It may seem like a random decision to choose whether spaces in a parking lot are straight or diagonal. However, there’s some logic behind the arrangement of those lines. Three factors usually determine the design of a parking lot: total number of spaces, width, and direction of traffic, and ease of entry and exit.

Whether you’re parking at the grocery store or movie theater, cars are driving all around you. Diagonal parking requires different maneuvering than straight parking but creates more space for the flow of traffic through each lane. Additionally, it’s much easier pulling into a parking spot that’s at a 60-degree turn than one at a 90-degree turn. It decreases the driver’s need to move their vehicle back and forth to fit into a space.

Another benefit of diagonal parking is that it requires one-way traffic. In general, it’s safer than two-way traffic in parking lots. Removing the flow of two lanes of cars reduces the chance of fender benders and other accidents. One-way traffic also makes it easier to pull in and out of the spot because you don’t need to worry about vehicles coming at you in both directions.

How Do Diagonal Parking Accidents Occur?

Despite it being safer and more accessible for drivers to navigate, diagonal parking still comes with its risks. Nearly 20% of all car accidents occur in a parking lot. Most happen at a low rate of speed, and usually involve backing up into another vehicle. However, colliding with a bicyclist or pedestrian is common as well.

Although you’re likely not to sustain any life-threatening injuries in this type of collision, you could still get hurt and sustain significant damage to your car. For some reason, parking lots are tough for a lot of people to navigate. There are more people and vehicles condensed into a small space. Unlike being on a roadway, where you only have to worry about other cars, there are shopping carts, pedestrians, and obstacles to pay attention to in lots.

The most common causes of diagonal parking accidents include:

• Failure to check blind spots when backing up
• Failure to pull into the space slowly
• Failure to turn into the parking spot accurately, scraping the side of adjacent cars
• Failure to obey the right of way
• Pulling forward out of the spot and into oncoming traffic
• Two cars colliding when competing for the same parking space

Even if you’re a safe and responsible driver, you could come in contact with someone driving carelessly. If they’re on their phone, speeding, or in a hurry, you could end up suffering the consequences of their poor decisions. Even if you take all the necessary precautions, another driver could crash into you when they’re pulling in or out of a diagonal parking space. Sometimes accidents are unavoidable, no matter what you do.

What Should I Do If I’m Injured in a Parking Accident?

Accidents in parking lots differ from accidents on actual roads. Sometimes it’s unnecessary to call an officer to the scene because injuries are minor, and property damage is minimal. Without a police report stating who caused the accident, it’s more challenging to prove fault in a legal case.

If you suffer any type of injury, as insignificant as it may seem, you should follow these essential steps:

• Call the police to the scene to investigate the crash and write up a police report.
• Get the other driver’s contact and auto insurance information.
• If there are any passengers in the other car or bystanders who witnessed the accident, get their names and phone numbers.
• Take photos of the scene, including any visible damage to both vehicles.
• If there are security personnel monitoring the parking lot, get their name and contact information. Also, take note of any surveillance cameras.
• Take detailed notes about where the crash occurred, how it happened, the time of day it was, and any other relevant information you can remember.
• Undergo a medical evaluation for any injuries you sustained.
• Hire an attorney if you want to pursue a claim or lawsuit.

Obtaining evidence is crucial in any auto accident case. Insurance companies require documentation showing fault before they payout any claims. If there’s no proof that your injury happened because of the crash, you might not be able to collect a financial award.

How Do I File An Insurance Claim?

If you believe the other driver caused the diagonal parking accident, you should file an insurance claim with their insurance carrier. Texas law requires all drivers to carry auto insurance with minimum bodily injury limits. Those limits cover an injured individual’s expenses. On all auto policies, there’s also a limit for property damage. If someone else was at fault for your accident, you could use that limit to pay for any repairs to your vehicle.

If you were able to write down the other person’s auto insurance information, you could file a third-party claim for financial compensation. When you initially call the insurance company, you’ll need to provide various details regarding the accident. The adjuster also might require that you fill out forms, so they’re able to request copies of your medical records, police reports, and other information.

Texas is a fault state, which means you could seek the maximum compensation available for damages if the other person caused the accident. The most common damages victims of diagonal parking accident cases receive include the following:

• Medical costs: Expenses related to necessary treatment for your injuries.
• Lost wages: Time missed from work as a result of the crash.
• Property damage: Repair or total replacement of your car.
• Emotional trauma: Significant mental or psychological distress suffered after the accident.

Besides being a fault state, Texas also follows the modified comparative negligence rule. If the insurance adjuster reviewing your claim finds that you’re partly to blame, that could reduce your total damages. For example, if your expenses add up to $100,000, but you’re 40% responsible for the accident, you’re only allowed up to a $60,000 settlement.

What if the At-Fault Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance?

Although required by law, many drivers don’t carry auto insurance. If you run into that situation, you could request compensation from your insurance policy. UM insurance, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, covers bodily injury and property damage. It’s a requirement for insurance companies to offer UM coverage; however, you don’t have to choose it.

If you opted for UM coverage, you could file a claim with your carrier to receive reimbursement for the costs of treatment and car repairs. You could also use your PIP or Medical Payments coverage, additional options to choose on your policy.

PIP is called Personal Injury Protection. The minimum limit you could choose is $2,500. It covers lost income, medical bills, and loss of services you performed before the accident. When you’re treating with your doctor, PIP covers the bills, much like health insurance. Instead of getting reimbursed later, the coverage pays for your treatment upfront until you reach the limit.

Medpay is similar to PIP in that it covers medical expenses and lost income. The only difference is that you might have to repay any payments made from your Medpay coverage. PIP doesn’t require repayment.

If a faulty parking lot design or hazards like potholes contributed to the accident, you could try to seek compensation from the owner of the lot. In premises liability cases, property owners must ensure safe conditions to prevent injury to others. They must maintain clearly marked lines in the diagonal spaces at all times. If there are obstructions or any kind of damage, they should address it immediately.

An adjacent business or a property management company is the owner of a parking lot. If you believe poor conditions led to your accident and injury, you should find out who owns the lot and their insurance coverage information. You could potentially file a claim or lawsuit for reimbursement of your expenses.

How Can an Austin Diagonal Parking Accident Lawyer Help Me?

If you were hurt in a diagonal parking accident, call the Austin car accident attorneys of Gibson Hill Personal Injury today. We understand the often-complex nature of cases like yours. We’ve represented injured individuals in auto accident claims and recovered full and fair settlements for them. We’re able to use all the resources at our disposal to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.

We understand the financial burden you’re facing. Getting injured and paying for treatment is stressful. Medical bills add up over time and become expensive. We offer free consultations, so there are no additional costs to seek legal advice. We’ll review the details of your accident and advise you on your options.

We always take an individualized approach with each client who hires us. It’s our goal to create a legal plan that works best for you, so we meet your needs. When you hire us, we’ll be by your side through every step of the process. We provide superior customer service and believe in treating our clients as a priority.

Our team of dedicated professionals is available 24/7 to answer your questions when you need us the most. Call Gibson Hill Personal Injury at (737) 249-6300 or fill out our Contact Form to schedule your initial consultation.