Walking back to the car after a night at the tables should be the easiest part of a casino visit. Instead, parking garages at Atlantic City’s bustling casino properties see countless fender benders, sideswipes, and pedestrian incidents each year. Between distracted drivers rushing to catch shows, dimly lit corners, and tight parking spaces, these lots create a perfect storm for accidents.
When car accidents happen on casino property, determining liability gets tricky because responsibility may fall on drivers, property owners, or both.
What Makes Casino Parking Lots So Risky?
Multi-level garages squeeze thousands of vehicles into tight spots where visibility already suffers from poor design. Dim lighting obscures pedestrians walking between cars, while confusing layouts send drivers down wrong-way aisles that increase collision risks.
Patrons leaving casinos often feel distracted by big wins or losses, which pulls their attention away from driving safely. When alcohol enters the picture, impaired judgment compounds these dangers as drivers attempt to navigate home through sharp turns and blind corners.
Who Pays When Accidents Happen?
Liability depends on what caused the crash, though negligent drivers who speed, text, or fail to yield shoulder primary blame typically. Casinos can face responsibility when poor maintenance creates hazards like broken lights, faded lane markings, or unrepaired potholes that contribute to collisions. Outside contractors handling upkeep may also be liable for neglecting repairs.
How Does New Jersey’s Modified Comparative Negligence Rule Apply to Car Crashes in Parking Lots?
New Jersey follows a “modified comparative negligence” rule, which allows injured parties to recover damages even when partially at fault for an accident. As long as a person bears less than 51% of the blame, they can still collect compensation reduced by their fault percentage. For example, someone 30% responsible for a parking lot crash can recover 70% of their total damages from other liable parties.
How Does Premises Liability Apply?
New Jersey law requires property owners to keep their land reasonably safe for visitors, which means casinos must regularly inspect parking areas and fix problems like broken lighting or crumbling pavement. Failing to address these issues within a reasonable time opens the door to liability claims, although winning a premises case requires proof that the casino knew about the danger. If proper inspections had discovered the hazard, yet the property owner failed to act, injured parties can potentially hold the casino accountable for resulting damages.
What Steps Matter Most After a Parking Lot Crash?
Call 911 right away because officers create official reports that carry weight with insurance companies, even for minor collisions. While waiting for authorities, snap photos of all vehicle damage, the surrounding area, and any visible injuries before conditions change. Casino garages usually have security cameras, so noting their locations helps lawyers obtain footage later. Gather names and phone numbers from witnesses who saw what happened, then visit a doctor soon after, since some injuries take hours or days to surface.
What Are the Deadlines for Filing Claims?
We recommend contacting your auto insurer as soon as possible to report what happened; do not provide extra details or admit fault. New Jersey gives you two years from the accident date to file lawsuits, and the clock starts ticking on the accident date.
Missing the cutoff almost always means losing the right to compensation, although certain situations can change these windows. Courts rarely make exceptions to “statute of limitations” rules, which makes early action critical for protecting your legal rights after any Atlantic City parking lot collision.
Do Not Let Your Casino Parking Lot Crash Go Unresolved: Get a Free Legal Consultation From Our Atlantic City Car Accident Lawyers at D’Amato Law Firm
If you were injured in a casino parking lot crash, contact our Atlantic City car accident lawyers at D’Amato Law Firm. For a free consultation, call us today at 609-926-3300 or complete our online form. Located in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, we proudly serve clients in the surrounding areas.