The rise in popularity of online shopping has led to an increased number of FedEx, Amazon, UPS, and other delivery vehicles on roadways across New Jersey. A fully loaded delivery truck can weigh 16,000 pounds or more, and accidents involving these immense vehicles often result in severe injuries.
Typically, when a motorist causes an accident with another driver, the at-fault party is liable for the resulting damages. However, in accidents involving a delivery truck driver who is on the job, there may be additional options for financial recovery that are not available in standard car accident claims.
If you have been injured in a delivery truck accident, you may be wondering how to pursue compensation for your medical bills, property damage, and other losses. A truck accident lawyer, though, is prepared to review your case, identify all liable parties, and help you recover the money you deserve.
We offer all potential clients a free case evaluation. Call us, start a live chat on this page, or complete the evaluation form to get started today.
Understanding the Causes of On-the-Job Delivery Truck Accidents
There are various types of delivery truck accidents. Recognizing the reasons why these types of crashes occur can help injured parties recover the compensation they need and deserve.
Causes of delivery truck accidents that occur on the job include:
- Sudden stops: Delivery truck drivers can stop without warning when finding an address they were looking for. A sudden stop can cause a rear-end collision with the unsuspecting driver behind them.
- Backing up: A delivery truck has a large blind spot behind it. If a delivery driver backs up after passing the address of the delivery, he or she could injure an unseen pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorist.
- Reading the GPS: Delivery drivers often have to take unfamiliar routes and rely on their GPS to guide them to the delivery location. Looking at the GPS is one form of driver distraction that could increase the likelihood of striking a pedestrian or another vehicle.
- Drowsy driving: Often, drivers have to work for long hours, starting early in the morning and working until late in the evening. Sleep deprivation can have a negative effect on a person’s coordination, judgment, vision, depth perception, and other necessary driving skills.
- Lack of maintenance: Delivery drivers and the companies that employ them have an obligation to inspect and maintain their vehicles. Failure to do so could lead to a brake failure, tire blowout, or malfunction and accident.
- Abrupt left-turns: In a hurry to make a delivery, a driver may make a sudden left turn when he passes an address rather than turning around. This sudden movement could cause the driver to collide with a passing vehicle or pedestrian.
Determining Liability for an On-the-Job Delivery Truck Accident
One of the first steps in recovering compensation after a delivery truck accident is determining who is liable for damages. Several parties may be responsible for your injuries, even if they were not present at the time of the crash.
You may be able to file a lawsuit against one or more of the following parties after a delivery truck accident:
- Truck or parts manufacturer: If the accident was caused by a faulty part, you may be able to sue the manufacturer
- Truck driver: If the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, driving distracted, or disobeying traffic laws at the time of the collision, you could be able to hold him liable for damages
- Delivery company: A delivery company is responsible for the actions of its drivers and is liable in most delivery truck accident cases
- Another motorist: In some situations, multiple vehicles may be involved in the collision and another driver could have caused the accident
- Government entity: If poorly maintained highways, missing traffic signs, or other road conditions contributed to the incident, you may be able to sue the government agency that was negligent in this manner
A Delivery Truck Accident Lawyer Will Help You Sue All Liable Parties
After being involved in a delivery truck accident, your best option for securing maximum compensation is to hire a personal injury attorney. At Phillips Law Group, our team members have experience in successfully handling many types of truck accident cases. Our lawyers are prepared to help you file a claim or sue to recover the compensation you deserve.
After taking on your case, your delivery truck accident lawyer will:
- Investigate your case: As your legal representatives, we will thoroughly investigate the cause of your accident. This may involve speaking to eyewitnesses, obtaining a copy of the police report, consulting with accident reconstructionists, reviewing video surveillance footage, and more.
- File a claim against all liable parties: A full investigation will allow us to identify the parties that are liable for your delivery truck accident. We will take the necessary steps to file a claim against anyone responsible for your injuries.
- Negotiate a settlement: Your lawyer will handle all communication with the insurance company for you and negotiate a fair settlement. Our lawyers are skilled negotiators and are familiar with the tactics insurance adjusters use to try to reduce the value of your claim.
- File a lawsuit: If a fair settlement agreement cannot be reached during negotiations, our law firm will help you sue all parties who contributed to your accident. At Phillips Law Group, we stand trial-ready, prepared to litigate your case in court if needed.
When You Have the Right to Sue for Compensation
A delivery truck accident may leave victims suffering from devastating injuries that require long-term care. You should not have to pay the price for someone else’s negligence. A delivery truck accident lawyer can help you sue the delivery driver, the delivery company, or any other liable parties.
When the other party is liable, damages you can sue for may include:
- Medical bills
- Disability
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning potential
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment
In the tragic event that a delivery truck accident has caused you to lose a loved one in death, you can sue the guilty party for wrongful death damages. While no amount of money can take away the pain of losing a family member, a fair settlement can take away some financial stress during this difficult time.
Contact a Delivery Truck Accident Lawyer Today
If you or a loved one has been harmed in a delivery truck accident, the lawyers of Phillips Law Group are here to help. We can review your case and tell you what your best course of action is for your situation. If you have a valid case, we can help you sue the delivery company and anyone else who contributed to the accident.
Phillips Law Group has been serving the residents of Arizona for 30 years, and we have helped personal injury victims recover over $1 billion in compensation. Our truck accident lawyers are not afraid to take on complex cases and we do not back down until our clients receive the compensation they deserve.
Our law firm takes delivery truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you do not owe us a dime unless your case is successful and we recover compensation for you. Get started today. Call us now at 602-222-2222 or complete our free case evaluation form.
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