Store Owners Are Responsible for Their Parking Lots
Have you been hurt in an accident that took place in a retail store or a parking lot? Get help from an experienced lawyer to improve your chances of obtaining a full and fair financial settlement to compensate you for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
At The Law Offices of Michael P. Burakoff, P.A., we exclusively handle personal injury negotiations and lawsuits. For more than 30 years, attorney Michael P. Burakoff and his staff have fought to protect the rights of injured people and their families.
Contact us today for a complimentary initial consultation to discuss your legal options after an accident in a parking lot, shopping mall, supermarket or retail store.
A Family-Centered Approach to Legal Representation
No matter where it occurs, a serious accident affects the whole family. Our law firm takes a family-centered approach to legal representation. We make sure to answer everyone's questions, not just our client's. We thoroughly examine the full impact of the accident on the entire family, making sure we uncover every way in which the accident has hurt the family financially.
Two Types of Legal Responsibility
Under the legal concept known as "premises liability," government and commercial property owners are responsible for safe conditions on their property in two ways.
First, the design and use of their property may not be inherently dangerous. Accidents and assaults are common in parking lots and ramps, for instance. Parking lot owners are required to ensure that sufficient lighting, security and safety measures are in place to safeguard the public.
- If a pedestrian is struck by a car in a parking lot, was the accident caused in part by poor design? Would a well-placed stop sign have prevented the accident?
- If a shopper is hurt by a forklift driven by a store employee who was not certified to operate such machinery, is the store owner responsible for the accident because he or she failed to check the employee's qualifications?
Second, property owners must act reasonably quickly to remove any hazards that arise in the course of normal operations. For example, property owners must quickly clean up spilled liquids and remove ice and snow from an overnight snowstorm.
- Suppose an office building parking lot was plowed after a storm, but then warm weather caused a melt and re-freeze the following day? If a person suffers a slip and fall accident in the parking lot due to the icy conditions, should the property owner and the snow removal contractor be held legally responsible?
Thorough Investigation in Parking Lot Accident Cases
We take a hard look at all accidents involving parking lots or retail premises. An incident may look like a true "accident" at first glance, but investigation by experts may uncover steps the property owner should have taken to prevent the accident from happening.
Schedule a complimentary initial consultation with attorney Michael P. Burakoff. Contact us to set up a private appointment at one of our four New Jersey offices in Morristown, Wayne, West New York and Newton.
