Be careful where you park in store parking lots

Most of us don't give much thought to where we park at the grocery store.

You probably want to be as close to the door as possible.

But if storms are in the forecast, you may want to be very careful parking next to those cart corrals.

Recently, cart corrals and shopping carts flew everywhere outside one grocery store, smashing the back window of one car, all thanks to drenching rain, thunder and strong winds.

"In my case the cart ricocheted off my car,” said Jennifer Poore, who had a dent in her new Jeep Grand Cherokee as a result of some strong winds.

So she went inside to complain.

"I told them my vehicle had been hit and they pretty much told me they weren't responsible," Poore said.

This is no surprise: Most stores have signs saying they are not liable for parking lot damage.

But Poore says the cart corrals were left unsecured.

“None of the corrals were bolted down, so when the winds went through, they failed,” Poore said. “So I thought they were negligent because they weren’t bolted into the concrete."

Attorneys say you typically have to show negligence to get a business to pay for repairs or damages.

A store spokesman said the storm was "an act of God," and that drivers should file a comprehensive claim with their auto insurance.

But he did say the store will consider Poore’s claim if she can show that she has to pay a deductible.

"I have a new vehicle, of course I don't want it damaged, and I just want it fixed," Poore said.

If anything ever happens to your car in a parking lot, see the store manager immediately.

Don't leave until you have filed a report with the store and the police if it appears to be serious damage.

That way you protect yourself and you don’t waste your money.

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