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I Got Hit in a Trader Joe's Parking Lot! What Do I Do?*

If you have survived a car crash which was not your fault, but have been seriously injured, consider filing a claim for compensation. You will probably need the cash as there will be bills to pay you never planned for.

Talk to an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as you are able to do so.

How Accidents Happen in a Parking Lot

Parking lots may seem safe places to drive around in, but a busy supermarket parking lot may still have its share of accidents. Car crashes in a parking lot, or the parking lot of any major grocery store could happen when shoppers are not concentrating on what they are doing or in a hurry.

It’s easy to see how a driver backing out of a parking space can hit another car or even a pedestrian because they simply weren’t careful enough. Accidents can happen for all sorts of reasons, but when a driver is distracted or careless, it’s innocent people who get hurt.


The sort of injuries that could happen as a result of a car crash in a parking lot, or in the parking lot of any established business depend on whether the person who is hurt was in their own car at the time or walking to or from the store. Pedestrians are likely to be much more seriously hurt than the occupants of a car, unless the car causing the accident was being driven at high speed.

Typical injuries include bad cuts and bruises, possibly deep gashes, crushed or broken bones and possibly worse injuries such as traumatic brain injury or spinal damage.

Proving Negligence in an Accident

To be properly compensated for the injuries and damages that occurred during the accident, you will have to prove that the other party was negligible. This can be done by gathering evidence immediately after you are hit. If you are not badly injured, take photographs of the scene as well as gather the contact information of the other parties involved.

A parking lot, or the parking lot of any established business could be busy and therefore you should have plenty of witnesses available. Also, there is a good chance that the incident could have been on video. If you are able to gather all of this evidence, you will have a better chance of proving who was at fault.

In a parking lot accident, it is often the case that the injuries are not as severe. This does not mean that you should feel bad about involving the police. If you do not have a police report, there will be no official report of what happened. You may have a witness that saw the whole thing, but that is still one person’s word. Police have been trained to take witness statements and look at the damages to determine what happened. A police report is a strong piece of evidence that you should not hesitate to get.

It’s Always Better to Use Professional Legal Help

If you were injured in an auto accident in a parking lot, you may want to talk to an experienced car accident attorney as soon as you are able to do so.

*The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Trader Joe's, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.