You get bumped in a parking lot. You think both drivers share the blame, but the other driver loudly insists it was all your fault, and honestly, their face scares you more than the crash did. Should you call the police? Does the car in the main lane have the right of way? Is it your fault, their fault, or shared fault? Can you just exchange information and let the insurance companies sort it out? Do you have to stay put until the police arrive? And is a private lot any different from a public one?
Big or small, a car accident leaves anyone shaken, and parking lot accidents are especially confusing. Whether it happened at your apartment complex or at a Walmart, do this first: take photos. Then call a lawyer's office. Don't stand there arguing about who was wrong. Leave that judgment to a professional. It takes one phone call, and it costs you nothing.
Even if you were pulling out of a space and collided with a car driving straight through the lane, drop the idea that it must automatically be your fault. Depending on the circumstances, fault can be shared. Some drivers will even ask you to text them saying the accident was your fault so everything can be settled quickly. Never do that. And you don't need to call the police either. For most parking lot accidents, they simply don't come out.
After a crash, our instinct is to call the insurance company first. But you can sit on hold with an insurer until your patience runs out. Call us at Parke Injury Law instead, and we will walk you through it. The same goes for something like a dog bite at a park: police can take half a day to show up, and even if you love dogs, it is not an accident to brush off.
The insurance company will handle it. It's no big deal. It was my fault anyway, so what can I do? Don't reach those conclusions on your own.
This article is general information, not legal advice about your specific situation.