What if I was hit in a parking lot?

Parking lot crashes are ordinary claims with two practical complications.

Police frequently won't respond to a private property crash without injury. That leaves no report, no independent account, and no documentation beyond what you gather.

Right of way rules are less clear. Traffic control devices may not apply the same way on private property, and fault turns on general principles — who was in a through lane, who was backing, who had the better opportunity to avoid.

Common patterns: two vehicles backing simultaneously, a vehicle backing into a through lane, and a driver cutting diagonally across empty spaces.

What to do. Photograph everything, including the position of both vehicles and the lot layout. Get witnesses. And identify the businesses with cameras — parking lot footage is often the only objective evidence, and it overwrites within days.

Property owner liability can arise where lot design, lighting, or obstructed sight lines contributed.