Philadelphia Slip and Fall Lawyers: Parking Lot Wheel Stops

The American landscape has transformed over the last 50 years to include a great number of parking lots and parking garages. These structures provide easy access for people to shopping malls, apartments, office buildings, airports, and even casinos. Along with the growing number of parking lots and garages, we have seen a growing number of parking lot accidents and injuries.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one out of every five car accidents occurs in parking garages and parking lots. If you are injured in a parking lot or garage, you have legal rights. If someone else’s negligence caused your injury, they may be responsible in compensating you for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Parking lot and garage owners have a legal duty of care to keep their property reasonably safe. Any slip and fall accident occurring on someone else’s property falls under premises liability laws. When one thinks of slip and fall accidents that occur in parking lots, they might suspect a slip or fall caused by ice, snow, or rain. However, there are a number of slip and fall accidents involving wheel stops. Wheel stops are the abutments found in the front of a parking space. Wheel stops are also called curb stops or parking blocks, and are used to indicate the areas between parking spaces.

Safety Standards for Wheel Stops

Wheel stops are considered open and obvious when placed correctly and maintained sufficiently and, therefore, not inherently dangerous. However, there are safety standards and protocols regarding wheel stops that, if not followed correctly, could result in a parking lot owner being responsible for someone’s slip and fall injury.

Wheel stops should be marked or brightly painted so people can take notice of them. Wheel stops should not be cracked or eroding with pieces in one’s walking path. Regarding walking paths, wheel stops must be placed in such a way that at least three feet of walking path is between each wheel stop. Also, wheel stops should be centered in the parking spot and not moved out of position or on angles. If one or more of these conditions is not as it should be, the parking lot owner may be liable for an injury incurred if someone trips, slips or falls over a wheel stop.

Philadelphia Slip and Fall Lawyers at DiTomaso Law Seek Compensation for Those Injured by Wheel Stops

If you or your loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to compensation. The experienced Philadelphia slip and fall lawyers at DiTomaso Law are proven negotiators and litigators who will provide you with aggressive representation in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Our offices are conveniently located in Center City, Philadelphia and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, to serve our clients in Pennsylvania and South Jersey including Philadelphia County, Bucks County, Montgomery County, Chester County, Delaware County, Camden County, Burlington County, Salem County, Gloucester County, Cumberland County, and Atlantic County. Call us today to schedule your free confidential consultation toll free at our Cherry Hill offices at 856-414-0010 or at our Philadelphia offices at 215-426-4493, or submit an online inquiry form.