Car Park Accident Claims – Who’s At Fault And Can I Claim Compensation?

Last Updated 27th October 2025. If you’re looking to claim compensation for a car park accident, you’re in the right place. Here at Legal Expert, our specialist solicitors understand these unique cases better than most.

To succeed in a car park accident compensation claim, it’s necessary to show that a third party was negligent. We must also show that this negligence caused your injuries, from minor to severe, and any financial losses, like lost earnings or medical costs.

If you would like to speak with a solicitor now to get advice on your case, reach out to us today.

The advice we provide is free and carries no obligation to claim. We can also advise you on the steps to take to strengthen your case, like documenting your financial losses.

To speak with us today, click the buttons below. We’re open 24 hours a day.

To learn more about making a claim for an accident at a car park, please keep scrolling.

Who’s At Fault For Car Park Accident Claims?

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:

1. You were owed a duty of care.
2. This duty was breached in some way.
3. 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.

Examples 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.

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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
4. Document Your Financial Losses – If you’ve incurred costs, like car repair bills, or lost money from taking time off work, document it all.
5. 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, apart from the top entry, in our table here:

Compensation Table

We’d like to emphasise that the rows in this table are for guidance only.

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).

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:

Helpful links

Below, you can find some useful links on personal injury claims.

• Department for Transport publishes official statistics
• See our overview of whiplash compensation
• Learn about motorcycle accident claims
• Find out how much compensation you can claim for a car accident

Thank you for reading our guide on car park accident claims.