Parking lots at shopping centers in Denver and elsewhere are favorite places for criminals to target unsuspecting shoppers. Most vulnerable are mothers with young children or babies to care for while navigating overloaded shopping carts in dimly lit parking garages. Distracted people are often the victims of assault in parking lots.
Examples of women attacked by predators
The following incidents reported across the country underscore the personal injury risks.
Predators pulled up in a van behind a woman busy loading her shopping bags into the trunk. She was distracted, and in the blink of an eye, three men forced the woman into the van, where they raped her.
A woman left her car unlocked in a low-crime area, only to be kidnapped by a man who climbed into the car and waited for her to return from shopping.
A serial carjacker-rapist in another state targeted distracted mothers busy placing children in their safety seats. The predator was active outside schools, pediatrician offices and day-care centers.
Precautions to avoid being a victim
Safety advisors urge mothers with babies to leave their babies in the shopping carts while loading their purchases. It is an excellent idea to position herself surrounded by the car door behind her and the shopping trolley to the side. Once the unloading is done, she should get into the vehicle, lock the doors and secure the baby in the child seat, before getting out and into the driver seat. Again, make sure to lock all the doors.
A victim’s legal rights to recover damages
No one wants to go through such a traumatic experience. Property owners are responsible for the safety of the public who use their parking lots. If anyone in Denver is assaulted under such circumstances, they might have grounds to file a premises liability lawsuit against the property owner to seek recovery of monetary damages. Furthermore, it’s also possible to file a personal injury claim against the predator for recovery of financial and emotional damages.
