There’s no doubt about it. With the amount of traffic in Boston and the difficulties with street parking, those who want to get around the city are best off taking the T. However, even if you’re riding the subway, trolley, water taxi, or bus, you will still have to interact with vehicles before you get to your destination. Often, these interactions will take place in parking lots and garages, which can be a dangerous place for pedestrians.
Some of the most popular parking garages have seen collisions between vehicles and pedestrians in the past. Accidents have occurred in the Boston Common Garage, Boston Parking Garages in Fenway, and parking garages near North End Attractions, TD Garden, and the theatre district.
Pedestrians should always be aware of the dangers lurking in Boston parking lots and garages. And if you happen to be involved in an accident, you also need to know the proper steps to take afterwards.
Recent Accidents in MA Parking Lots
In March 2018, two women were walking a dog in the parking lot of Westford Academy early in the morning when they were hit by a vehicle. The two women, both in their 60s, were seriously injured, and the dog did not survive the accident.
Later in July, there was a stabbing in the parking lot early in the morning outside of the G&G Quick Bite on Lake View Avenue. The victim of the stabbing was a pedestrian who had to be treated at the hospital for serious injuries.
Perhaps the most horrific parking lot accident occurred in the parking lot of Market Basket in Westford, Massachusetts. After a woman was finished grocery shopping in October 2017, she was loading her groceries into the trunk of her car. That was when another vehicle hit her car from the front, causing it to roll backward and trap her under the wheels. The woman was transported to the hospital minutes later and pronounced dead.
While these are the most recent newsworthy accidents involving pedestrians and vehicles, they make it clear that these types of crashes happen too often. Every year, dozens of pedestrians are killed in Massachusetts after being struck by a vehicle, and hundreds more are injured.
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What to Do After Being Hit in a Parking Zone
The most important things you can do after being hit in a parking zone is to check yourself to make sure you don’t have any serious injuries. After a collision, a victim may experience an adrenaline rush, which may prevent them from feeling pain. Other injuries may not be immediately obvious, such as internal bleeding. That’s why anyone injured in a parking lot or garage should seek medical treatment immediately.
Remember that after a pedestrian accident, information needs to be exchanged. Pedestrians should offer their name, address, and phone number, while the driver should provide this information along with their insurance information and driver’s license number. Take photos with your phone at the scene, if you can.
Next, contact the police. In Boston, pedestrian accidents largely go unreported, but contacting the police can be beneficial. An officer can come out to the scene, investigate, and file a report. This report can be helpful in the future if the driver denies any wrongdoing, or tries to place the pedestrian at fault.
Last, but certainly not least, anyone injured in a pedestrian accident should speak to an attorney as soon as possible after the crash. An attorney can also investigate your accident, determining where fault lies and what kind of insurance coverage the driver has. A Boston personal injury lawyer can then represent you throughout the negotiation process or in court, to get you the full amount of compensation you are entitled to.
If a pedestrian accidents was fatal, the family should contact an attorney that can help them receive compensation for the wrongful death.
If you have been injured in a parking lot collision, speak to a pedestrian accident attorney at DiBella Law Offices, P.C., as soon as possible. After an accident, you should be focused on your recovery and not trying to investigate or claim compensation on your own. We can handle these aspects of your case, so you can concentrate on getting better. There’s no charge to talk to us, and no charge if we represent you unless we get you just compensation. Call (617) 870-0907 to schedule your free consultation at our office in Faneuil Hall.
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