New York is notably one of the worst cities for traffic congestion in the U.S. As such, motorists face difficulties navigating the roadways and locating street parking. Due to the lack of street parking, many motorists park their vehicles in private or municipal parking garages. Parking garages offer many advantages, including providing motorists with a protected and safe spot to park their vehicles and reducing street traffic. However, despite these advantages, accidents can still occur in these compacted spaces due to negligence. If you’ve been injured in a parking garage due to someone else’s negligence, contact a talented New York City & Westchester County Personal Injury Attorney who can help you fight for the fair compensation you deserve for the damages you’ve endured. Please continue reading to learn about some of the most common causes of parking garage accidents in New York.
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF PARKING GARAGE ACCIDENTS IN NEW YORK?
Unfortunately, parking garage accidents can happen when you’re on foot or while you’re in a vehicle. Motorists and pedestrians are susceptible to accidents when the appropriate parties do not exercise reasonable care in maintaining a safe environment. Some of the most common causes of parking garages include but are not limited to the following:
- Poor lighting: When a parking garage has inadequate lighting, it results in poor visibility for motorists and pedestrians. Poor lighting conditions can cause pedestrians to be unable to see specific hazards, making them more susceptible to trips, slips, and falls. These conditions can also hinder motorists’ ability to see pedestrians, other vehicles, or objects, leading to a collision. Motorists and pedestrians need proper lighting to navigate parking garages safely.
- Poor design or defects: The layout of a parking garage is a significant factor in how safe the facility is for motorists and pedestrians. If it is designed with insufficient spaces for vehicles to park or move about driveways or walkways are poorly placed, there is a lack of walkways for pedestrians to move about safely, or the signage is too confusing to understand, the overly complex design can lead to devastating collisions. Additionally, potholes or defects on the ramps or parking areas can cause motorists to lose control of their vehicles.
- Lack of maintenance: Property owners are responsible for maintaining safe parking garages, meaning they must remedy any unsafe property conditions to prevent accidents and injuries. When parking garages are not well-maintained, hazardous property conditions left unattended can cause pedestrians to sustain serious injuries.
- Distracted driving: When motorists are behind the wheel, they are prohibited from distracted driving as it increases their likelihood of an accident at any location. Texting, using a cell phone, conversing with passengers, eating, and other forms of driver distractions are common causes of parking garage accidents as drivers are not paying attention to the road.
Sadly, there are several reasons why parking garage accidents happen besides the above-listed reasons. As such, motorists and pedestrians must remain alert while navigating these areas. It is critical to note that if you were injured in a parking garage owned by a government entity, you will have a short timeframe to pursue legal action as you will be required to file a Notice of Claim.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a parking garage accident due to negligence, it is in your best interest to retain the legal services of an experienced attorney from The Bàez Legal Group to learn how we can help you navigate the claims process and fight to obtain the just compensation to which you may be entitled to.