Parking lots host a strange legal folklore — ‘it’s private property, no fault applies,’ ‘insurance splits it 50/50 automatically.’ Both wrong. Negligence rules govern lots and driveways fully; the hierarchy is just less painted.
- The lane hierarchy: through-lanes outrank feeder aisles; established traffic outranks pullers-out; and vehicles exiting driveways or lots onto roads yield to everything — the ordering that resolves most lot disputes.
- The backing duel: two reversing vehicles share duties to look; fault splits by comparative percentages on timing and visibility — backup cameras and lot surveillance usually know.
- Pedestrian strikes: lots are where cars and walkers mix most densely — backing and aisle-speed strikes on shoppers, children, and cart-pushers carry full driver duties.
- The low-speed injury myth: parking-speed impacts still produce real neck and back injuries — ‘we were barely moving’ is a damage argument, not a medical one. And lot camera footage cycles fast; request it in days, not months.
Frequently Asked Questions
The other driver says lots are always 50/50. True?
Folklore — fault follows the duties above, and one-sided lot crashes are common. Insurers invoke 50/50 when investigation would cost them; evidence answers it.
Someone hit my parked car and drove off. Now what?
The parked-car and hit-and-run sequence applies — photos, camera canvassing, police report, and your own coverage with subrogation behind it.
What does hiring you cost?
No attorney’s fee unless we recover; the contingency percentage and cost handling are in the written fee agreement. Consultations are free.
Questions about your situation? Call (215) 464-4600 or contact us online — free, confidential consultations, contingency-fee representation.