You may be able to make a car park accident claim if you were injured because another driver, car park operator, business, local authority, landowner or employer failed to take reasonable care. Claims can involve being hit by a vehicle, slips, trips, falls, potholes, poor lighting, unsafe surfaces, defective barriers or poorly maintained pedestrian areas. Legal Expert’s personal injury solicitors can assess your claim for free and may be able to help you claim compensation on a No Win No Fee basis.
A car park accident can cause much more than a moment of shock. You may be left with pain, reduced mobility, time off work, travel difficulties, medical appointments and unexpected costs. If you were hit by a vehicle, the accident may also leave you feeling anxious around roads, cars or busy public spaces.
At Legal Expert, we understand how disruptive these injuries can be. Our experienced personal injury solicitors can help you understand whether someone else may have been at fault, what evidence could support your case and how much compensation you may be able to claim.
We offer a free consultation where you can discuss what happened, understand your rights and explore your legal options without obligation. To get started, just tap below.
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To learn more about car park accident claims and when compensation may be possible, please keep scrolling.
Can I Make A Car Park Accident Claim?
In order to claim compensation for an accident at a car park, you will need to demonstrate that you were owed a duty of care and that this duty was breached. A duty of care means a legal responsibility to keep a person or persons safe.
Two different duties of care can apply in car parks:
The party in control of the car park: Known as the “occupier,” parties in control of public places are required by the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 to take steps to ensure the reasonable safety of all visitors to the premises.
Other road users: All road users are required to do everything they reasonably can to avoid causing harm to one another. This means upholding the standards of both the Highway Code and the Road Traffic Act 1988.
The eligibility criteria in car park accident claims can therefore be summarised as follows:
You were owed a duty of care.
This duty was breached in some way.
The breach resulted in an accident in which you were injured.
You can get a free assessment of your eligibility by talking to our advisory team. Reach out today via the contact information provided below.
The Time Limits In Car Park Accident Compensation Claims
If you are making a claim, it will be subject to the time limits set by the Limitation Act 1980. This is typically 3 years from the date of the accident that caused your injuries.
However, certain circumstances suspend the limitation period. In these cases, a litigation friend may be appointed to start legal proceedings on behalf of the injured party. These include:
Children under the age of 18 cannot begin proceedings until they turn 18. Once they turn 18, the time limit is no longer suspended, and they have 3 years to begin proceedings if a claim has not been started on their behalf.
Those who lack the mental capacity to start a claim also cannot begin proceedings. The limitation period is suspended indefinitely. However, if they regain their capacity and a claim was not started on their behalf, they will have 3 years from the date on which it was determined that their mental capacity was regained.
Call our advisors for free advice about making a claim. They can check your eligibility for compensation, as well as value your claim and make sure you are within the time limit.
Fault in car park accident claims depends on how the accident happened and who had control over the vehicle, land, equipment or system that caused the injury. Car parks can be legally complex because they are used by vehicles and pedestrians at the same time. Different parties may also be responsible for different parts of the site.
Where a claim involves a vehicle, driver negligence may be the central issue. Where a claim involves a hazard on the premises, such as a pothole, poor lighting or unsafe surface, liability may rest with the occupier, landowner, car park operator, business, employer or local authority. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Negligent Drivers
A driver may be at fault if they failed to drive with reasonable care in a car park. Even low-speed impacts can cause injuries, particularly where a pedestrian is knocked to the ground or trapped between vehicles.
Examples of negligent driving in a car park may include:
Reversing out of a parking bay without checking behind the vehicle.
Pulling out of a space or side lane without giving way.
Driving too fast for the layout and pedestrian activity in the car park.
Failing to look properly before turning or manoeuvring.
Ignoring pedestrian crossings, walkways or give-way markings.
Hitting a pedestrian while entering or leaving a parking space.
Colliding with another vehicle because of poor observation.
If the driver was at fault, a claim may be made through their motor insurer. Evidence such as CCTV, dashcam footage, photographs, witness details and insurance information can be important.
Car Park Operators And Landowners
Car park operators and landowners may be responsible for keeping the car park reasonably safe for lawful visitors. Their duties may include inspecting the site, repairing hazards, managing risks and providing adequate signage or warnings where appropriate.
A claim against a car park operator or landowner may arise because of:
Poor lighting in parking areas, stairwells or payment zones.
Defective barriers, gates, ticket machines or payment machines.
Missing or unclear warning signs.
Unsafe layouts that place pedestrians at unnecessary risk.
Failure to inspect, maintain or repair known hazards.
Not every accident will lead to compensation. The key issue is whether the operator or landowner knew, or should reasonably have known, about the hazard and failed to take appropriate action.
Supermarkets, Shops And Shopping Centres
Supermarkets, shops and shopping centres may be responsible for customer car parks where they occupy, control or manage the area. These claims often fall under occupiers’ liability because customers are lawful visitors using the premises.
Customer car park accidents may involve:
Trips caused by potholes or damaged surfaces.
Slips caused by spillages, oil, ice or wet pedestrian routes.
Falls caused by defective kerbs, ramps or trolley bays.
Injuries caused by poor lighting near entrances or walkways.
Accidents involving unclear routes between parking spaces and store entrances.
Hazards caused by damaged signs, barriers or fixtures.
These claims can overlap with supermarket accident claims, especially where the accident happened in a car park provided for customers. Accident book entries, CCTV footage and photographs of the defect can be particularly useful.
Local Councils
Local councils may be responsible for council-owned or council-managed car parks. This can include public car parks in town centres, leisure areas, parks, libraries, hospitals or transport hubs, depending on ownership and control.
A local authority claim may involve poor maintenance, defective surfaces, inadequate lighting, unsafe pedestrian routes or a failure to respond to known hazards. However, councils may defend claims by showing that they had a reasonable inspection and maintenance system in place.
If you are injured in a council car park, it can help to gather photographs, report the accident promptly, keep any reference number and record the exact location of the defect. Where possible, take measurements or include an object in photographs to show the size and depth of a pothole or raised edge.
Employers
Employers may be liable for accidents in workplace car parks if they control the area and fail to take reasonable steps to keep employees, visitors or contractors safe. This may apply to staff car parks, loading areas, visitor spaces or pedestrian routes between the car park and the workplace.
Workplace car park claims may involve:
Poor lighting before or after shifts.
Potholes or damaged walking routes.
Ice, snow or untreated surfaces.
Unsafe traffic routes for vehicles and pedestrians.
Inadequate separation between vehicles, staff and delivery areas.
Defective gates, barriers or security equipment.
If you were injured in a workplace car park, you may be able to make an accident at work claim if your employer’s negligence caused your injury.
Common Causes Of Car Park Accident Claims
Car park accident claims could be made in a range of different scenarios. Tight corners, large numbers of parked and moving cars, and people entering and exiting their vehicles all add to the risk factor.
Set out below are a number of ways a car park accident could take place. We’ve tried to show as wide a variety as possible, but we can’t cover every circumstance here. To find out more about your potential claim, talk to one of our advisors today.
Examples can include:
A vehicle was parked next to a roof pillar that obstructed their view. The driver did not consider this and reversed from the space as you were driving along. They hit your vehicle, causing you to sustain a concussion as well as damage to your car.
You were run over when coming back to your car, as another driver was distracted when trying to find their ticket to leave. Multiple fractures to your legs and ribs were caused.
While reversing out of your parking space, a car that was driving too quickly hit you in a rear end collision as they were driving too quickly. You experienced a serious neck injury as well as bruising to your head.
Get a free eligibility assessment today by calling the number below.
Common Injuries Caused By Car Park Accidents
Car park accidents can cause a wide range of injuries. The type and severity of injury will depend on whether the accident involved a vehicle impact, fall, defective equipment or another hazard.
Crush injuries where a person is trapped between vehicles or objects
Psychological injuries, including anxiety, distress or travel-related fear after a collision
Medical evidence is usually needed to value your claim. This can help show the seriousness of your injury, how long recovery may take and whether your symptoms are likely to affect your work, mobility or daily life in the future.
What Steps Should I Take After A Car Park Accident?
It can be a difficult and confusing moment when you suffer an injury in a car park accident. A lot of thoughts and feelings may hit you at once, and that can be overwhelming.
To help, here’s a handy checklist of the steps to take in the aftermath of an accident in a car park.
Get Medical Attention – the first step is to get any injuries treated, especially if serious. This can also help your case, as visiting a doctor or hospital creates a record of your injuries and their cause.
Gather Evidence – If you can, take pictures of the accident scene, damage and hazards. You may be able to get CCTV footage and details of any witnesses.
Try To Identify The Responsible Party – Sometimes it will be clear that another driver was at fault, or in some cases, it could be caused by the car park owner or a local authority
Document Your Financial Losses – If you’ve incurred costs, like car repair bills, or lost money from taking time off work, document it all.
Seek Legal Advice – to give yourself the best chance of successfully claiming compensation, get advice from a personal injury solicitor, such as ourselves.
We’ve also created this handy infographic, which summarises the steps to take:
What To Do If Someone Hits Your Parked Car
If your car was hit while parked in a car park and the driver drove off, it’s important to gather evidence.
For example, consider obtaining the CCTV footage from the car park operators. Additionally, you should take photographs of the damaged vehicle. Such evidence can help prove there has been a hit-and-run on your parked car.
It’s also important to ensure there is no failure to report an accident in a car park to the police. You must report the incident within 24 hours if no details were exchanged at the time of the accident and if damage or injury was caused.
Also, whether or not you wish to make a claim, you should still notify your car insurance of the incident.
Speak to our advisors at any time if you have additional questions about car accident claims. They could connect you to one of our road traffic accident solicitors if your claim is valid and has a chance of success.
We’ve also put together a handy video explainer on what to do if a car hits you in a car park
Compensation Payouts For Car Park Accident Claims
Now we’ve established who is liable for damage in a car park, we need to examine how compensation is calculated. There are two relevant heads of loss in car park accident claims: general and special damages. The physical and psychological harm caused is compensated under general damages, whereas special damages are concerned with the financial impacts.
When calculating a potential damages claim, solicitors can refer to your medical documents alongside the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). Referred to as the JCG, this publication lists guideline brackets for various injuries. You can see a selection of these guidelines in our calculator tool below.
Free estimate tool
Personal Injury Compensation Calculator
Get a free and quick compensation calculation. Simply select an injury and find the estimated payout.
Figures are based on the 18th edition of the Judicial College Guidelines, published on 9 April 2026.
Compensation payouts could be higher as these figures only relate to physical injuries.
These estimates do not include financial losses like loss of earnings, care costs, travel expenses or medical treatment.
Claiming For Vehicle Damage and Financial Losses
As we said above, your financial losses can be compensated under special damages. As well as reimbursing you for the immediate losses, special damages also compensate for the future costs stemming from your injuries.
It is very often the case that payments made under special damages will be higher than those under general damages. We’ve provided some possible examples here:
Mobility aids.
Lost Earnings.
Prescriptions.
Travel.
Childcare.
Help with housekeeping.
To learn more about making a car park accident compensation claim, contact our team of helpful advisors today. They can evaluate your claim for free and offer more insight into the claiming process.
Do The Whiplash Reforms Affect My Claim?
Certain claimants might have to make their claim through the Whiplash Reform Programme. If you are a passenger or driver in a vehicle and 18 or older, the value of your injuries will determine how you claim. The reforms do not apply to pedestrians.
Minor injuries suffered in a road traffic accident, valued at £5,000 or below, will be claimed through the whiplash reforms.
If you suffer whiplash in a car accident, it will be assigned a value from the tariffs in the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021. However, other injuries will be valued in accordance with the compensation brackets set in the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG).
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What Evidence Can Support Car Park Accident Claims?
In car park accident claims, you’ll be required to present evidence that can prove that the defendant acted negligently and that you suffered harm as a result. For example:
A diagnosis from a doctor or medical professional can prove the extent of your injuries. If you went to the hospital after the accident, ask for your hospital records.
Ask for the contact details of anyone who might have witnessed the car parking accident, so that your solicitor can get in touch with them.
Take photographs of your injuries or any damage to your car.
Request CCTV footage if your car was damaged in a car park. The footage can determine exactly what happened and who caused the damage.
Proof of any financial harm or expenses you have incurred because of your injuries, such as a bank statement or invoice. They can be helpful if you seek special damages.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like to discuss what other evidence you could obtain for your car accident claim.
Additionally, we could put you in touch with one of our expert road traffic accident solicitors, and they can help you collect evidence.
How Long Will It Take To Claim Car Park Accident Compensation?
There is no universal timescale for how long it takes to claim car park accident compensation, as every case is unique. Nevertheless, several factors can influence the length of the process, for example, whether or not a defending party accepts liability for your injuries.
Due to the Pre-Action Protocol, both parties need to take certain steps to try to reach a settlement quickly. However, this can be impacted if liability is disputed, as further evidence will likely be required, but our solicitors draw on years of experience to navigate the process efficiently.
There are also instances where negotiations fail over compensation, which may mean that a case has to be heard in court. This can also lengthen the process, but it must be stressed that most car park accident claims are settled before ever reaching this stage.
You can contact our advisors today to learn more about the claims process. Although our car park accident claims guide aims to give you the information you need, speaking directly with our team allows you to access tailored advice.
Get In Touch To Claim With Our No Win No Fee Solicitors
If you sustained injuries in a car park accident and are eligible to claim compensation, you may wish to instruct a solicitor to work on your case. One of our solicitors could help. They are experts in car park accident law and could help you:
Collect evidence.
Send important documents on your behalf.
Present your accident claim in full.
Ensure that all damages are fully valued and accounted for.
One of our solicitors can do all of this and more, helping you through every step of the claims process without you having to pay upfront or ongoing fees for their services. This is because our solicitors offer a No Win No Fee service under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). In addition to paying no upfront or ongoing service fees, you won’t have to pay for your solicitor’s work if your claim is lost.
In fact, you’ll only pay a small success fee for your solicitor’s services if your claim wins. Your solicitor will deduct this fee from the compensation, as a capped percentage that is limited by legislation.
Contact Us
A member of our advisory team can help answer all of your questions about car park accident claims. They can also discuss whether you are liable if you hit a car in a private car park. Additionally, if you are eligible to claim compensation and wish to proceed with our services, they can connect you to one of our solicitors.
To discuss who is liable for damage in a car park, you can:
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Below, you can find answers to some common questions on car park accident claims.
Can I claim if I slipped in a car park?
You may be able to claim if you slipped because the car park was unsafe and the responsible party failed to take reasonable care. Examples may include slips caused by untreated ice, oil spillages, wet floors, poor drainage or missing warning signs.
Can I claim if I was hit by a car in a car park?
You may be able to claim if the driver was negligent. This may include reversing without checking properly, pulling out of a space without looking, speeding or failing to give way to pedestrians.
Who is responsible for a supermarket car park accident?
Responsibility may rest with the supermarket, shopping centre, car park operator, landowner, maintenance contractor or a negligent driver, depending on how the accident happened and who controlled the area or hazard.
Can I claim for a pothole accident in a car park?
You may be able to claim if the pothole created an unsafe hazard and the responsible party knew, or should reasonably have known, about it. Photographs, measurements, witness details and accident reports can help support this type of claim.
What evidence do I need for a car park accident claim?
Useful evidence may include photographs, CCTV footage, dashcam footage, witness details, medical records, accident reports, insurance details, receipts for expenses and proof of lost earnings.
Can I get CCTV footage after a car park accident?
You can ask the car park operator, supermarket, shopping centre, employer or local council whether CCTV footage is available. It is best to ask quickly because footage may be deleted after a short retention period.
Can I claim if the car park was privately owned?
Yes, potentially. Private car park operators and landowners may still owe lawful visitors a duty of care. The key question is whether negligence caused your injury.
Can I make a No Win No Fee car park accident claim?
If your claim has reasonable prospects of success, Legal Expert’s solicitors may be able to help you claim under a No Win No Fee agreement. This means you do not pay your solicitor upfront for their work.
Helpful links
Below, you can find some useful links on personal injury claims.
