Faulty Parking Lot Design Allegedly Causes Pedestrian Accident

Case Overview

This case involves an elderly plaintiff who suffered injuries after being hit by a car that was driving in a supermarket parking lot. The plaintiff was walking through the parking lot owned by the defendant. The parking lot was designed in such a way that the parking lot lanes intersected. As the driver of the car attempted to exit the parking lot, he hit the elderly plaintiff causing her to fall and break her both hips and legs. The plaintiff never fully recovered from her injuries and eventually became wheelchair bound. It was alleged that the improper design of the parking lot caused the accident.

Questions to the Real Estate expert and their responses

Do you have extensive experience managing properties with parking lots?

I have 34+ years of hands-on experience managing all types of commercial and multifamily residential properties with large parking lots, including surface lots and parking structures. I am a certified property manager (CPM) through the Institute of Real Estate Management.

Are you familiar with the necessary signs that should be included in a parking lot to ensure safety?

I am very familiar with industry standard signage, speed bumps, pedestrian walkways, etc. for such lots.

About the expert

This expert has nearly 40 years of experience as a commercial real estate practitioner. He earned his BS in business administration from the University of Southern California and his MBA from Pepperdine University. He is a certified property manager and real estate broker, and he teaches courses for both the Institute of Real Estate Management and the Building Owners and Managers Association International. He has also published multiple peer-reviewed journal articles pertaining to property management. He previously served as a senior property manager at Tishman West Companies, as the director of corporate property management at MetLife, and as a principal at Commercial Property Consulting. Most recently, he was the vice president of property management for Coastal Partners LLC and an adjunct professor for real estate courses at California State University-Sacramento. Currently, he serves as an adjunct professor for a state university in Tennessee, as well as a self-employed consultant, specializing in property management and real estate issues.