News outlets recently reported that a driver jumped the curb and crashed into the American Girl store at Tysons Corner Center, sending the vehicle through the glass and into the retail space. Early coverage described the driver being taken to the hospital and at least one person in a wheelchair struck during the incident. When a car comes through the front of a store in the D.C. region, anyone hurt inside usually wants to know who may be responsible and how claims work under local personal injury law. In a similar event within the District of Columbia, injured customers would typically look first at the driver’s negligence and then at whether the property owner or tenant failed to take reasonable safety measures.
These cases often involve both auto liability and premises liability. Understanding how D.C. law approaches those issues helps you see what options exist after an impact that no one expected during a normal shopping trip.
How Storefront Crash Claims Work For Injured Customers In The D.C. Area
When a vehicle leaves the roadway and enters a business, several potential at-fault parties come into focus. The driver may have driven too fast, failed to brake, mixed up the gas and brake pedals, used a phone, or experienced another form of inattention. A store or mall operator may have designed parking and walkways in a way that made it easier for a car to jump the curb and reach people inside.
Under D.C. law, an injured shopper generally must show that at least one person or company acted unreasonably under the circumstances and that this conduct caused the injuries. That usually means proving negligent driving for the motorist and, in some situations, negligent security or design for the business that controlled the space.
Driver Liability When a Car Enters A Store
Motorists have a clear duty to operate vehicles with reasonable care at all times. In a storefront collision, evidence often shows some combination of speeding, distraction, pedal error, impairment, or medical issues. Police reports, eyewitness statements, surveillance footage, and vehicle data help clarify what happened in the seconds before impact.
If a driver failed to control the car and struck people inside a store, that driver can face responsibility for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering for everyone hurt. Auto insurance policies usually provide the first layer of coverage. In more serious situations, excess or umbrella coverage may also come into play, especially when multiple families suffer harm in a single event.
What Are the Possible Claims Against The Store or Mall Owner?
Property owners and tenants in the District owe customers a duty to keep premises reasonably safe. That duty includes steps to protect invitees from dangers the business knows about or should anticipate. Claims against the store or mall after a storefront crash often focus on whether management had reason to foresee this kind of incident.
Courts look at factors such as prior similar accidents, parking layout, curb height, and the presence or absence of barriers like bollards or reinforced planters. If the location sits near heavy traffic, tight parking stalls, or a history of errant vehicles, the argument for additional protective measures grows stronger. When a business ignores known risks and a car eventually hits the building, injured shoppers may assert that the failure to design or retrofit the area safely contributed to the harm.
How D.C. Negligence And Shared Fault Rules Affect Storefront Cases
D.C. traditionally follows a contributory negligence rule. Under that doctrine, an injured person who shares even a small amount of fault can lose the claim entirely. Local law softens that rule in some motor-vehicle collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists on public roads, yet customers standing inside a store often still fall under the older standard.
In a typical storefront crash, shoppers usually do nothing that could be considered negligent. They stand in line, walk near displays, or shop with children when a car enters the space. That reality makes contributory negligence less of a barrier for customers compared with some other traffic cases. Insurers may still search for ways to shift blame, which is why careful documentation and early legal guidance matter.
What Injured Shoppers Should Do After A Storefront Collision
Moments after an impact inside a store feel chaotic. Simple steps can help protect health and legal rights at the same time.
- Seek medical evaluation as soon as possible, even if symptoms seem mild at first.
- Get the names and contact information of witnesses, including store employees.
- Ask store management to preserve surveillance footage and incident reports.
- Take photographs of the scene, vehicle position, broken glass, and visible injuries when it is safe to do so.
Following this kind of basic checklist helps preserve information that may later demonstrate how the crash occurred and how severely it affected everyone involved.
How Claims Differ For People Hurt Inside The Vehicle
In a storefront collision, injury victims may include both people inside the building and passengers riding with the driver. Passengers who did nothing to cause the crash often have claims against the driver’s policy, even when the driver is a family member or friend. Medical bills, lost wages, and long-term physical limitations can create tension within families, and insurance carriers sometimes use that discomfort to discourage full claims.
Understanding that passengers stand in a different legal position than drivers helps families separate personal relationships from the question of fault. A claim against a policy does not necessarily reflect anger toward the person behind the wheel. Instead, it represents a request that the insurer honor the coverage purchased for events exactly like this.
Talk With A D.C. Area Injury Lawyer After A Storefront Crash
If a vehicle came through the front of a store in the D.C. region and caused injuries to you or someone in your family, you do not have to sort through driver liability and premises issues by yourself. You can call Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers at (800) 654-1949 for a free consultation. The firm can review police reports, incident records, building design, and insurance coverage to help you understand which parties may bear responsibility and what steps can protect your rights while you focus on healing.