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Car park accident claims can involve much more than damage to a vehicle, particularly when an injury affects your mobility or makes returning to work difficult. You may be able to claim if another road user or the car park operator failed to take reasonable care and this caused you to suffer an injury. Legal Helpline’s panel of specialist personal injury solicitors can assess what happened and explain whether you have grounds to seek compensation.
Responsibility will depend on how the accident occurred. A driver may be at fault after reversing into you while you are walking between parked cars, while a poorly maintained surface could place responsibility elsewhere. Rather than expecting you to work out who should answer the claim, your solicitor can establish what went wrong and use the available evidence to give your case clear direction.
When you contact Legal Helpline, you can get clarity on your position without having to make sense of the circumstances alone. If your claim is accepted, a solicitor from our panel will take the legal work forward while building your car park accident compensation claim around what the injury has changed for you, including its effect on your ability to work or manage everyday routines. Tell our advisors what happened today and take the first step towards making a car accident claim.
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- Can I Make A Car Park Accident Claim?
- How Do Car Park Accidents Happen?
- Who Could Be Responsible For A Car Park Accident?
- What Injuries Could Lead To Car Park Accident Claims?
- How Much Compensation Could Car Park Accident Claims Pay?
- What Is Needed To Start A Car Park Accident Claim?
- How Legal Helpline Can Support Car Park Accident Claims
- Learn More
Can I Make A Car Park Accident Claim?
Yes, you can make a car park accident claim if you were injured because another party failed to take reasonable care for your safety. This could mean another road user drove carelessly or those responsible for the car park failed to address an unsafe condition that put visitors at risk.
Car park accidents can happen at supermarkets, hospitals and workplaces, as well as in private or local authority car parks. Who may be responsible will depend on how the accident happened. Drivers should account for pedestrians and other road users when manoeuvring, particularly when reversing or moving around parked vehicles. Where an injury instead results from poor maintenance, inadequate lighting or another hazard, responsibility could rest with the car park owner, operator or another organisation responsible for keeping the area reasonably safe.
You do not need to determine who was responsible before contacting Legal Helpline. A solicitor from our panel can assess your circumstances by considering:
- How the accident happened. Your solicitor will discuss the events leading up to your injury, and whether careless driving, an unsafe car park or another issue may have caused it.
- Who may have been responsible. They can establish whether responsibility may rest with another road user, the car park owner or operator, a local authority, an employer or another organisation.
- What evidence can support the claim. CCTV footage, photographs, and witness accounts can help establish what happened. Your solicitor can identify relevant evidence and help obtain further information where appropriate.
- How you were affected. Medical evidence and information about your recovery can help demonstrate the injuries caused by the accident and their impact on your life.
Once your circumstances have been assessed, your solicitor can explain whether you have grounds to seek compensation and guide you through the next steps.
How Do Car Park Accidents Happen?
Car park accidents can happen when drivers manoeuvre without sufficient care, when pedestrians and vehicles cross the same routes, or when hazards within the car park cause someone to slip, trip, or fall. Restricted visibility, confined spaces and frequent reversing can increase the risk of collisions, particularly where parked vehicles make it harder for drivers and pedestrians to see each other.
Even at low speeds, frequent manoeuvring and unexpected movements can lead to collisions or injuries that significantly impact those involved.
Vehicle Collisions While Manoeuvring
Vehicle collisions in car parks frequently occur while drivers are reversing, turning into parking spaces, or pulling out into the path of another vehicle. Drivers need to check their surroundings carefully before beginning these manoeuvres and remain alert to other vehicles and pedestrians as they move.
Driving too quickly for the confined surroundings makes these manoeuvres more dangerous because a driver has less time to stop when someone unexpectedly crosses their path.
One way this type of car park accident happens is:
- You drive along a row of parking spaces when another motorist reverses out without checking behind them and hits the side of your car, leaving you with a serious hip injury after the collision.
Pedestrians Injured In Car Parks
Pedestrians are particularly exposed in car parks because they regularly cross routes used by moving vehicles. Drivers therefore need to look carefully for people crossing their path, particularly where parked vehicles or blind spots make pedestrians harder to see.
This can lead to situations such as:
- A distracted driver turns into your path while you are using a marked crossing at a shopping centre, striking you and leaving you with a leg injury.
Slips, Trips And Falls In Car Parks
Not every car park accident involves a vehicle. Poor maintenance can leave pedestrians facing damaged or uneven surfaces as they walk to and from their cars. These hazards become particularly dangerous where people have to cross areas intended for both parking and pedestrian access.
A surface defect can turn an otherwise routine journey through the car park into a painful fall:
- While returning to your parked car, your foot catches in a deep pothole that has been left unrepaired along the pedestrian route, causing you to fall heavily and fracture your wrist.
Accidents In Workplace And Private Car Parks
Responsibility for a workplace or private car park will depend on who controls and manages the premises. An employer, landlord or private car park operator may therefore need to ensure the area is reasonably safe for the people expected to use it, particularly where pedestrians and vehicles share the same routes.
How the car park is organised can therefore have a direct effect on safety:
- As you walk from your car in the workplace car park towards the staff entrance, a delivery vehicle turns through an area also being used as a pedestrian route and strikes you, leaving you with a shoulder injury.
No matter how your car park accident happened, speak to Legal Helpline today to get clarity on your circumstances and whether you could have grounds to pursue compensation.
Who Could Be Responsible For A Car Park Accident?
Another driver or the party responsible for managing the car park could be responsible for a car park accident. Liability will depend on how the accident occurred and who caused it or should have addressed the danger.
Where careless driving causes a collision or injury to a pedestrian, car park accident claims may be brought against the driver.
Accidents caused by the condition of the premises require a closer look at who controlled that area. This could be a car park owner or operator, a local authority managing public car parks or an employer controlling a workplace car park.
Liability does not always rest entirely with one party. Different parties may have contributed to the accident, and the person making the claim may also be found partially liable for what happened. CCTV footage or existing accident reports can help establish how events unfolded and whether the evidence supports one account of the accident over another.
Where liability is disputed or involves several parties, a solicitor from Legal Helpline’s panel can assess the evidence, identify where responsibility lies and establish who the claim should be pursued against.
Unsure which party your claim should be made against? Speak to our advisors today and find out how our panel could help you pursue compensation from the appropriate party.
What Injuries Could Lead To Car Park Accident Claims?
Soft tissue injuries, broken bones and head injuries are examples of injuries that could lead to car park accident claims. The injuries sustained can range considerably in severity, with some resolving relatively quickly while others require extensive treatment or cause lasting effects.
Common injuries that could result from a car park accident include:
- Head injuries – A blow to the head during a collision or fall can cause concussion, while more serious trauma may require longer-term treatment and support.
- Broken bones – A heavy impact can cause fractures that restrict movement and make everyday activities difficult during recovery.
- Back injuries – Sudden force during a collision can leave you with persistent pain or difficulty bending, lifting and moving comfortably.
- Soft tissue injuries – Sprains and strains can cause pain and stiffness that affect your movement even where no bone has been fractured.
- Leg and knee injuries – Damage to the lower limbs can make walking difficult and leave you with impaired mobility while you recover.
- Multiple serious injuries – A more serious collision can cause several injuries at once, potentially requiring ongoing medical care and a longer period of rehabilitation.
Where your injuries have had lasting consequences for your independence or recovery, their wider impact may form an important part of your car park accident claim.
A solicitor from Legal Helpline’s panel can use medical evidence to show the extent of your injuries and how they are expected to affect you in the future, helping to ensure those consequences are properly considered when your claim is valued.
How Much Compensation Could Car Park Accident Claims Pay?
How much compensation car park accident claims could pay will depend on the injuries you suffered and the financial effect the accident has had. As every claim is different, there is no single amount of car park accident compensation that applies to everyone.
Compensation can consist of general and special damages. General damages compensate for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity caused by your injuries. Special damages address the financial losses resulting from aid injuries, which may include lost earnings or medical expenses.
When valuing general damages, solicitors may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), which provide guideline compensation brackets for different injuries. A solicitor can compare medical evidence about the severity and expected course of your injury with the relevant JCG guidance when valuing this part of your claim.
We have included examples from the JCG in the table below to show the guideline brackets that may apply to different injuries. Please note that the top entry does not come from the JCG and is included to illustrate how compensation could account for multiple injuries alongside related financial losses.
| Injury | Severity | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Various Severe Injuries and Financial Losses | More than 1 very severe injury and financial losses such as lost income, medical expenses or professional care costs | Up to £1 million plus |
| Paralysis | Tetraplegia (also known as Quadriplegia) - where the injured person has suffered an impact on their senses and ability to communicate | £428,850 to £533,720 |
| Head/Brain | Moderately Severe - the injured person will be very severely disabled, with a substantial dependence on others and a need for constant care | £289,420 to £372,570 |
| Leg | Below-Knee Amputation of One Leg | £129,440 to £175,690 |
| Arm | Severe Injuries - injuries which just fall short of amputation but are extremely serious and leave the injured person slightly better off than if the arm had been amputated | £127,050 to £172,970 |
| Back | Severe (ii) - cases including nerve root damage with associated loss of sensation | £97,980 to £116,820 |
| Pelvis | Severe (ii) - examples can include fracture dislocation of the pelvis, or traumatic myostis ossifcans | £81,790 to £103,580 |
| Wrist | a) - injuries resulting in the complete loss of function in the wrist | £62,910 to £79,080 |
| b) - injuries leading to significant permanent disability | £32,370 to £51,750 | |
| Shoulder | Severe - shoulder injuries associated with neck injuries and damage to the brachial plexus | £25,370 to £63,450 |
What Financial Losses Could Be Included In A Car Park Accident Claim?
Lost earnings, rehabilitation costs and additional travel expenses are examples of financial losses that could be included in a car park accident claim as special damages. A solicitor from Legal Helpline’s panel can investigate how your specific car park injuries have affected your finances and calculate the losses attributable to the accident.
As part of this assessment, your solicitor can consider:
- Income lost while recovering from your injuries. A pedestrian struck by a reversing vehicle or someone injured in a car park collision may be unable to work while recovering. Your solicitor can use payslips and employment records to calculate lost income, including future earnings where the injury has a lasting effect on your ability to work.
- Transport costs if your injuries affect your ability to drive. A broken wrist, leg injury or other mobility restriction could prevent you from driving after the accident. If this means paying for taxis or other transport to attend work and medical appointments, your solicitor can use journey records and receipts to calculate the additional expense.
- Help needed getting around or managing everyday activities. An injury caused by a car park collision or fall may make walking, shopping or carrying out household tasks difficult. Your solicitor can assess the practical support you required during your recovery and whether ongoing care needs should also be valued.
- Rehabilitation needed for injuries sustained in the accident. A fracture or serious mobility injury may require physiotherapy or other rehabilitation. Your solicitor can connect invoices and treatment records with medical evidence to establish which costs resulted from the car park accident and whether further treatment is likely.
Accurate evidence allows your solicitor to calculate these losses properly so that the financial impact of your car park accident is not limited to expenses you have already incurred.
What Is Needed To Start A Car Park Accident Claim?
To start a car park accident claim, you will need information that helps show what happened, who was involved and the injuries you suffered. You do not need to have collected everything yourself before seeking legal advice, as a solicitor from our panel can identify what evidence is relevant to your circumstances and obtain further records where appropriate.
For car park accident claims, the evidence needed will depend on whether the incident involved another road user, the condition of the premises or another safety issue within the car park. Acting promptly can be particularly useful where evidence such as CCTV footage may only be retained for a limited period.
How Can I Prove A Car Park Accident Claim?
How Long Do I Have To Make A Car Park Accident Claim?
You generally have 3 years from the date of the accident to make a car park accident claim in England and Wales. This time limit is set by the Limitation Act 1980, although different rules can apply in certain circumstances.
Where the injured person is under 18, the 3-year period does not begin until their 18th birthday. Where someone lacks the mental capacity to manage their own claim, the limitation period may be suspended while that lack of capacity continues.
Because these rules can affect how long you have to take legal action, it is important to establish the applicable deadline. A solicitor from Legal Helpline’s panel can review your circumstances, determine the relevant limitation period and take the necessary steps to protect your potential claim.
How Legal Helpline Can Support Car Park Accident Claims
Legal Helpline can support car park accident claims by connecting you with a specialist personal injury solicitor who can take the legal work off your hands while you focus on your recovery. An injury can already leave you dealing with medical treatment, time away from work and disruption to everyday life, without the added pressure of establishing responsibility or dealing with insurers yourself.
The way your claim is pursued will depend on whether you were injured by another driver, as a pedestrian or because of an unsafe car park. Our panel can identify who the claim should be pursued against, deal with any disputed issues and guide your case from its initial assessment through to settlement.
Why Begin A Car Park Accident Claim With Legal Helpline?
Beginning a car park accident claim with Legal Helpline gives you access to a solicitor who can investigate the specific circumstances of your accident, establish who may be responsible and build your claim around the injuries and losses you have suffered. The way they approach the case will reflect whether you were injured by another vehicle or because of an unsafe car park.
Throughout your claim, your solicitor can:
- Investigate how the car park accident happened. Your solicitor can examine how a vehicle was being manoeuvred or investigate whether the condition of the car park contributed to your injury. They can identify and obtain relevant evidence, such as CCTV or records held by those managing the premises, to establish responsibility.
- Build evidence around your injuries. Your solicitor can obtain medical evidence explaining the injuries caused by the accident and arrange an independent medical assessment where appropriate. This can help establish your prognosis and whether you may require further treatment or rehabilitation.
- Calculate the full impact of your car park injuries. Alongside valuing your pain and suffering, your solicitor can investigate how reduced mobility or time away from work has affected you financially. Evidence of these losses can then be used to ensure both existing and future consequences are considered.
- Handle disputes and settlement negotiations. Whether the claim is pursued against another driver’s insurer or the party responsible for the car park, your solicitor can present the evidence, respond to disputes about responsibility or compensation and advise you on any settlement offers.
Can I Make Car Park Accident Claims On A No Win No Fee Basis?
Yes, you may be able to make car park accident claims on a No Win No Fee basis if your case is accepted by a solicitor from Legal Helpline’s panel. This can be offered through a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), meaning you do not pay an upfront fee for your solicitor to begin working on the claim or ongoing fees for their services while it progresses.
If your car park accident claim is successful, then a success fee will be taken from your compensation. This is a legally capped percentage which is discussed and agreed with you before a solicitor from our panel begins working on your claim. If your claim fails, then you wouldn’t pay your solicitor for the work they have done on your claim.
Contact Legal Helpline
Speak to Legal Helpline today to discuss what happened, find out whether your case could be accepted on a No Win No Fee basis and take the next step towards pursuing your car park accident claim.
- Call us on 0333 000 0729
- Contact us online
- Use our live chat
Learn More
Read some of our other guides about:
- Guidance on how to claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau
- Making a zebra crossing accident claim
- Learn how to make a bus accident claim
External Resources
- Learn about the official statistics released from the Department for Transport
- Find out if you could claim Statutory Sick Pay, from GOV.UK
- How to manage a period of sickness, and a return to work, from the Health and Safety Executive
Thank you for reading our car park accident claims guide.