What Happens When A Car Accident Occurs On Private Property?
If you are involved in a car accident and have suffered injuries, whether or not the accident occurred on private property can have an impact on your case. You will want to get in contact with an accident attorney who has handled cases involving accidents on private property.
Liability with Accidents Involving Private Property
When an accident occurs on private property, both the property owner and the negligent driver may share some of the blame. The property owner will be responsible for making sure that the road is properly maintained and that there is adequate signage. For example, there might not have been a stop sign where it would be appropriate.
In most cases, accidents that occur on private property happen in a commercial area such as a parking lot. The parking lot might not be designed properly. There might not be enough visibility due to inadequate lighting.
Construction might also be carried out on the commercial property and might not be adequately marked. Fortunately, an accident attorney will examine the private property where the accident occurred to determine whether the private property owner was negligent.
The Other Driver
Regardless of the circumstances of the accident, the other driver will likely try to avoid being considered at fault. The other driver might have been intoxicated during the accident, engaged in an activity that would be very distracting for a driver, not followed the parking lot rules and regulations, or failed to yield appropriately.
Proving that the other driver was negligent can be difficult without the help of an attorney. You may need to use certain legal powers such as interrogatories and you may need to locate and question witnesses.
The Settlement You Can Expect
You may wonder what kind of settlement you are entitled to for your injuries. Your attorney may be able to help you get a general idea and you will also need to work with expert witnesses such as a medical or financial expert to determine the full extent of your damages. You will never want to underestimate how many damages you have suffered so you will be able to pay your bills.
Once your attorney has gathered all the facts and helped you determine who should be considered liable, you will be able to craft demand letters that will be sent to all of the relevant parties so you can begin the process of negotiating a settlement.
To learn more, contact a law office like Buckley Law Office.
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