If your car was parked, but it was still damaged in an accident you can still pursue a claim to recover compensation for your damages. If you were in the parked car, you might have suffered injuries or other damages in the collision. Pursuing a personal injury claim after such an accident might be challenging, so you should enlist the help of a personal injury attorney.
You will need to maintain documentation, such as repair estimates, medical bills, and so forth to support your claim. Use your smartphone to get photos of the damages to your vehicle and the accident scene. Also, make sure an accident report is completed and that the responding officer is aware of the damages that your vehicle suffered and, also, if you are injured indicate that as well.
How Negligence Comes into Play
As with any other accident and as with any other personal injury claim, you will need to show that negligence played a role in the crash. In this case, your vehicle was parked in a designated parking area, so it is obvious that you did not contribute to the cause of the crash.
Let’s use the scenario where a driver ran a stop sign then crashed into another vehicle. The second vehicle was then catapulted into your parked car. In that case, the responsibility either falls completely on the driver of the first vehicle or it might be divided between the drivers of both those vehicles depending on the actions of the driver of the second car.
Let’s say driver of vehicle two was speeding and the crash could have been avoided if he had adhered to traffic laws. If that is the case, he is also liable. The state laws where the crash occurred should determine liability in this case.
Four Elements of Negligence
When you have proven negligence, you have a successful personal injury claim. There are four elements of negligence. Those elements are duty, breach, cause, and damages. In this case, every driver has a duty to behave in a manner to protect others and their property from harm. When that duty is breached, an accident can occur.
In this case, it is because a driver ran a stop sign. The second vehicle was hit by the first vehicle because of the stop sign being ignored. The breach of duty to obey the stop sign caused a crash that resulted in injuries and damages. Then last, you must show that the damages you suffered were caused by that crash. In this case, your car was fine before the accident resulted in a car being thrown against your vehicle.
Consult With A Personal Injury Attorney
If you were involved in a multiple car accident but your car was parked, you should consult with a personal injury attorney. Complete the Free Case Evaluation Form on this page so your details can be shared with an accident injury attorney. Personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis, so you have nothing to lose!
