If there’s one thing that property owners could do to minimize their legal exposure, it would be to spend more time and money focusing on better lighting their parking lots. Poorly lit ones are dangerous on multiple levels. They result in countless individuals unnecessarily suffering injuries here in Harnett County and across the rest of North Carolina every year. Any insurance company or court payouts go against a property owner’s bottom line.
One danger that you have to worry about when navigating a poorly lit parking lot is becoming a crime victim. Would-be robbers, burglars, carjackers, rapists, kidnappers and rapists all appreciate having the cover of darkness to disguise their presence and identity.
Another danger that you have to be on high alert for in a poorly lit parking lot is potential slip-and-fall hazards. A sheet of ice may form on top of the pavement. If you don’t notice it in the poorly lit parking lot, then you’re likely to experience an unexpected slip and fall. The same result can happen if you happen to come across cracked pavement or potholes that you’re unable to see because of how poorly illuminated the parking lot is.
A third danger that you have to worry about in dimly lit parking lots is a moving car striking you. Motorists sometimes neglect to turn on their lights before attempting to pull out of their parking spaces. Even if they turn on their headlights, it may only illuminate the area right in front of them. Drivers may be unable to see objects that aren’t within their immediate field of vision, such as when they make a turn. You, stationary objects and anything else in their path is at risk of being hit. Either one of you can get seriously hurt in such a collision.
There are many different dangers associated with dark parking lots. Property owners could minimize these by merely installing adequate lighting on their premises. Many of them don’t want to spend the extra money to do what’s best for everyone, though.
Fortunately, North Carolina law allows you to recover damages if you suffered injuries resulting from someone else’s negligence. An attorney can review the details surrounding what happened to you here in Harnett County and advise you whether it warrants you filing a lawsuit in your case.
