The popularity of online shopping has led to an increase in delivery trucks on Arizona’s roadways. Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and other companies deliver thousands of packages throughout the state every day. Unlike semi-truck drivers who must obtain special driver’s licenses and receive special training to operate their machines legally, local delivery drivers only need a regular license to operate vehicles that are much bigger and harder to handle than standard passenger cars. Unfortunately, as the number of delivery trucks on the road increases, so does the frequency of delivery truck accidents.
If you were injured in a truck accident, you may be unsure how to recover compensation for your losses. The experienced legal team at Phillips Law Group has successfully handled many delivery truck accident cases. Our truck accident lawyers can answer any questions you have, explain your legal rights, and help you determine whether you have a valid claim for compensation.
Contact us today to schedule a risk-free, no-obligation legal consultation to discuss your claim. Our law firm works on a contingency basis – in other words, we charge no fees unless you are compensated.
These days, many consumers prefer the convenience of online shopping over going into a physical store. The surge in online shopping has led to an increase in the number of delivery trucks on the road. As a result, accidents involving delivery trucks have inevitably become more common – some, in part, due to the following reasons:
Delivery trucks are much larger than a standard passenger vehicle and must be driven by someone with special training and experience. A delivery company may be short-staffed, especially around the holiday season, and quickly hire a person without verifying his or her driving record or completing a thorough background check. They might even have employees making deliveries on their own before they are fully certified and trained.
The delivery company has a responsibility to supervise its employees. This involves ensuring they follow state and federal guidelines, take adequate breaks, and keep a maintenance log. Delivery companies should monitor their employees for signs of drowsiness, impaired driving, and other issues that could affect their ability to drive safely.
Delivery trucks are more difficult to handle due to their size and weight, and drivers need to pay extra attention to the road while behind the wheel. A delivery driver could easily get distracted in an unfamiliar area while trying to follow the GPS to see where to deliver.
Other forms of distracted driving could include:
Even with years of experience and training, a driver may still make a mistake that causes an accident. Delivery trucks, like other large vehicles, have large blind spots. When backing out of a driveway, if they do not properly check their mirrors, truck drivers may hit cars or pedestrians behind them.
Another error some drivers make is forgetting to engage the parking brake before exiting the delivery truck. The vehicle then rolls backward, colliding with people and property in its path. These types of accidents are entirely preventable and can have catastrophic consequences.
Cargo that is not properly loaded or secured in a delivery truck could shift during transport and cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle. In addition, improperly loaded goods could fall out and hit other vehicles, motorcyclists, or pedestrians.
Unfortunately, in an effort to save time and money, some trucking companies do not perform regular inspections and maintenance on their vehicles. This can result in a tire blowout, issues with the brakes or steering, or other mechanical issues.
Drivers have demanding jobs and may be expected to make their deliveries on a strict timeline. Since every second counts, a driver may make sudden stops and turns while on their route. For example, delivery truck drivers often stop suddenly and without warning to look for an address – or drivers may make a sudden turn if they realize they are passing their delivery point.
This abrupt change in speed or direction could be hazardous to motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, or other bystanders nearby.
If you or someone you love have been involved in a delivery truck accident, call the attorneys at Phillips Law Group today to discuss your case.
Delivery truck wrecks in Phoenix, AZ, can occur due to various forms of misconduct. It can be anything from an individual driver breaking a traffic law to lapses in maintenance and supervision, which can be traced back to negligence at the corporate level. In both situations, it may be possible to impose civil liability for a crash of this nature not just against the driver who was operating the delivery vehicle involved, but also the company that owned that truck and employed that driver.
To summarize complex case law and legal precedent in a sentence, employers can often be held vicariously liable for injuries caused by their employees’ negligence if that negligence occurred while the employee was performing regular job duties in service of the employer’s financial interests. However, this vicarious liability does not apply to delivery drivers who work as independent contractors and not as employees, so it is worth discussing legal options with a competent attorney before attempting to pursue a claim on these grounds alone.
Another valid reason for consulting legal counsel as soon as possible following a delivery truck crash in Phoenix, AZ, is the practical assistance they can provide to overcome any potential legal obstacles that might impede a civil lawsuit. To start with, a skilled lawyer can help build and formally file the strongest possible claim within two years of an accident. This is the standard filing deadline set by the statute of limitations for personal injury claims, codified in Arizona Revised Statutes §12-542.
More importantly, a legal representative can help fight accusations made by a delivery company that the person injured in a crash with their driver was partly at fault for causing that accident. Otherwise, in accordance with A.R.S. §12-2505, a civil court hearing the claim could assign a percentage of comparative fault to that injured person and reduce the compensation they are entitled to by that same percentage.
Delivery truck drivers are subject to the same duty of care to act lawfully and responsibly behind the wheel as everyone else using Arizona’s public roads. It means they—and sometimes their employers—can be held civilly liable for injuries resulting from any traffic collision they cause through their negligence.
If you want to optimize your chances of establishing liability for any injuries you sustained in a delivery truck accident in Phoenix, AZ, and recovering comprehensively for your ensuing losses, filing a lawsuit on your own may not be in your best interest. Instead, please call Phillips Law Group today to schedule a consultation with one of our team members and find out how we can help.
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