liability-delivery-truck

When a delivery truck collides with you on the road, it’s a little tricky to determine liability. Maybe the delivery driver is blaming you or is refusing to give you the name of their employer. They might not want to admit they’re in the wrong.

And even when the delivery driver is being agreeable, it’s complicated to figure out who owns the truck. It could be part of a nationwide fleet, individually owned and operated, used on a monthly lease, rented out for the day … and on and on.

To clear things up, let’s take a closer look at the issue of delivery truck accident liability. If you need details about your specific situation, please contact us for a free and confidential consultation.

Find the Truck’s Owner ASAP

After an accident with a delivery truck driver, your top priority should always be your health. Assess yourself for injuries and get medical treatment. Don’t decline this care or you could be unable to seek compensation for your damages later.

Next, make it a priority to locate the truck’s owner. The person who happens to be driving the truck at the time of the accident rarely owns it. They probably work for a company of some kind, like FedEx, UPS, Amazon, a media company, a furniture store, or one of a million other businesses.

So, for instance, let’s say it’s a FedEx truck. FedEx has a trust center and liability insurance that helps in covered accidents. When a FedEx employee is driving a delivery truck, the company’s insurance should pay for your injuries and medical bills, among other losses.

Independent Contractors and Delivery Truck Accidents

There are other instances where you may have a more difficult time pinning down who owns the truck. Your accident could involve an independent contractor who’s not an employee of the company that owns the truck, for example.

In this situation, the company owning/using a delivery vehicle is usually ultimately responsible for covering an injured person’s damages even when its drivers are independent contractors. The company may require its independent contractors to arrange their own insurance, but this doesn’t necessarily completely release the company from helping cover your losses.

Other instances involve private drivers, like those who drive for Amazon Flex and Amazon Fresh. These are often people who drive their own vehicles and use an app to work for the company. In an accident with one of these truck drivers, you’d have to go through their personal insurance policy and then through the company.

Establish Liability With Your Lawyer’s Help

Feeling confused about liability in your delivery truck accident? That’s okay! The team at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help.

Liability isn’t always 100% clear at the outset of your case, but we’ll help you clear things up as quickly as possible. A delivery truck accident lawyer can help you launch an investigation into what happened, secure the evidence you need, and demand high-value compensation for your losses.

We Handle Your Accident Claim So You Can Focus on Your Life

After an accident, contact the attorneys at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. We handle many types of personal injury claims, including delivery truck accidents. We believe you should be able to focus on recovering from your accident while we handle the legal details.

We truly care about the people of California. Contact us today for a free online case evaluation.

Accident Client

We're here to help with your Personal Injury claim

Check out our Personal Injury FAQ Page to learn more about how the process works.

We Handle Your Personal Injury Accident Claim So You Can Focus on Your Life

After an accident, contact the attorneys at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. We handle many types of traffic injury claims. We believe you should be able to focus on recovering from your accident while we handle the legal details.

We truly care about the people of California. Contact us today for a
free online case evaluation.

KNOW HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AFTER AN ACCIDENT

It is essential to know your rights after a traffic accident so you can protect yourself and the value of your claim.
This guide will help you:

  • 1Know what to do when dealing with insurance claims, police reports and lawyers.
  • 2Avoid making mistakes that undermine the value of your claim
  • 3Put yourself in a position to get the best settlement possible