Ask a Delivery Truck Accident Lawyer: How Hard is it to Get the Compensation You Need?

There is a higher percentage of delivery trucks and vans on the road than ever. These vehicles are highly convenient when ordering from your home, but it’s a different story if you are involved in an accident withone of them.

Determining liability for accidents with delivery trucks can be a hassle, especially when multiple insurance companies areinvolved. Our skilled New York delivery truck accident lawyers can help you attain fair compensation as you recover.

Why are vehicle accidents with a delivery truck more complicated?

Several factors can make delivery truck accidents more complicated than accidents involving more standard vehicles. A delivery truck accident lawyer can help you navigate these nuances.

Greater impact-related injuries

Even minor accidents with delivery trucks can cause severe injuries. Delivery trucks can be large and cumbersome.Ifthey’re loaded with cargo, the extra weight can putsmaller vehicles at an even greater disadvantage in a collision.

Delivery truck drivers may also be speeding to meet timelines and quotas, which can also affect the force of impact in an accident.

Collisions with larger vehicles or trucks can mean more severe and life-altering injuries for drivers and passengers in smaller vehicles. Even what looks like a mere fender-bender can cause injuries such as:

• Internal bleeding
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spine or joint injuries
• Broken bones
• Psychological harm

Even if you don’t feel pain or see any injuries directly after a delivery truck accident, it’s vital that you get medical attention immediately. Prompt medical treatment can not onlyreduce lasting negative impacts on your health, but also help your delivery truck accident lawyers get you fair compensation. If you delay medical support, your injuries may worsen and it may be more difficult to prove that your injuries were a result of the accident.

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Uncertainty of liability

In a typical car accident, liability is generally attributed to one or both of the drivers. However, when a delivery truck or other delivery vehicle is involved in a crash, other entities such as the employer of the delivery driver or the vehicle manufacturer may be found responsible.

Determining liability gets even trickier with current delivery models. A delivery driver may be an employee of an organization like Amazon, UPS, or a company with their own in-house delivery fleet. The employing company should have their own insurance covering their delivery drivers.However, they may still try to pass liability onto the other driver’s insurance in order not to have to pay out a claim.

Many delivery drivers are not employees of an organization but are contracted via freelance driver apps such as Instacart, Shipt, Amazon Flex, DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grub Hub. The hiring organization will usually have some insurance covering the contracted driver.

However, if the driver is not operating on delivery duty, their personal insurance mayneed to pay out if the driver is determined to be responsible. This can get tricky, because some companies may try to argue thattheir driver was not on duty at the time of an accident, even if they were.

More than one insurance policy may often factor into covering damages for the accident. Most likely, at least some of them will attempt to get out of their responsibility. A delivery truck accident lawyer can fight these entities so that you don’t have to.

How to increase your chances of a fair settlement after a delivery truck accident

The immediate steps to take after a delivery truck accident are the same as with any other type of vehicle collision. First, take care of the safety and wellbeing of yourself and your passengers. Then, collect all the documentation that will help support your claim.

Call 911 and/or first responders

As with any other vehicle accident, always put your health first. Call 911 for any severe or life-threatening injuries. If there appear to be no severe injuries, contact police instead.

Regardless of how you feel after the accident,seek medical attention from your physician or urgent care as soon after the accident as possible,whether you have visible injuries or not. A medical evaluation can help you uncover and address hidden injuries and produce a medical record that can be useful for your insurance claim.

Obtain a police report

Police are required to document the details of the accident.A police report ispublicrecord, so you’ll be able to access itby contacting your local police department or following up on their website. This document will be vital to your insurance claim.

Collect asmuch evidence as you can

Don’t rely only on the police report to support your insurance claim. They’reimportant, but often lacking in details. It’s also not unheard of for police to make mistakes on reports that will require correction with supporting evidence.

Additional evidence that can help support your claim and your attorney’s investigation incudes:

• The delivery truck driver’s name, driver’s license number, and employer
• The license plate number of the delivery truck or vehicle
• The truck driver’s insurance information
• Photos of the accident, including damage to your vehicle, the surrounding scene, and any injuries you sustained
• The names and contact information of any witnesses at the scene of the accident
• Any medical records from your assessment after the accident, as well as any other medical records related to the accident

Don’t try to fight the insurance companies yourself

It’s common for insurance representatives to offer you a settlement as quickly as they canto avoid a lawsuit or having to pay out a larger settlement down the road. And if they know you are trying to take them on by yourself, they will use any lack of knowledge or experience you have to their advantage as well.

Don’t speak with any insurance company until you have the chance to discuss your case with an attorney. Our New York truck accident lawyers are ready to advocate for you and help you receive a settlement that will properly cover the costs of your injuries, damages, ongoing recovery, and any future needs related to the accident.

Contact Feroleto Law

If you or a loved one have been involved in a delivery truck accident in Buffalo or in New York State, our skilled lawyers can help you receive fair compensation. Call our office at (716) 854-0700 or fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation. Our consultations are completely confidential and complimentary.

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.