Visitor Question

Who is liable for fall in a parking lot at work?

Submitted By: Anonymous (Bozeman, MT, USA)

Last night while walking to my car from work at the hospital I fell and hurt myself quite severely.

I had a similar injury about three or four years ago.

The first time, I reported it to the hospital administration and they said it was a workers comp issue and sent me to occupational health to be treated.

After I had two separate visits, the “administration” came back to say that because I work for a physician who rents office space from the hospital, I had to claim under our business workers comp. Of course by then the 3 days reporting period was over and I ended up paying the bill myself. Now the same thing has happened again and I’m afraid to seek care.

Do I have any options?

Which business is liable, the main hospital who maintains the parking lots and walkways, or my single physician’s office? Thank you very much for any information.

Disclaimer: Our response is not formal legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. It is generic legal information based on the very limited information provided. Do not rely upon the information in our response, or anywhere else on this site, when deciding the proper course of a legal matter. Always get a personalized case review from a local attorney.

Answer

Dear Anonymous,

If your injury is a new and separate injury you may have recourse against the managers and owners of the parking lot. Also, because you were just leaving work at the time of the injury, you still may be able to claim under your employer’s workers compensation policy. Because you file a claim under one doesn’t mean you can’t file under the other. They are not self-exclusive.

When it comes to pursuing a case against the management and owners of the parking garage you have plenty of time. The Statute of Limitations, or “time period” in which you have to file a case is two (2) years. That means unlike a workers compensation claim, you have a “pure” negligence liability claim against the managers and owners of the parking garage.

If you are sure the new injury is separate and apart from the previous injury you will have the basis of a solid civil case. If the new injury is a re-injury, or aggravation of the previous injury your claim won’t be as solid.

The amount and type of medical bills will be the basis of your case as well.

Without medical bills as a basis you really won’t have much of a case.

Learn more here: Injured Outside of Work

The above is general information. Laws change frequently, and across jurisdictions. You should get a personalized case evaluation from a licensed attorney.

Find a local attorney to give you a free case review here, or call 888-972-0892.

We wish you the best with your claim,

Published:

Leave a Comment

Don’t ask a personal injury question here – comments are not reviewed by an attorney. Ask your question on this page. Required fields are marked *