Get help after a delivery truck accident.Delivery drivers have demanding jobs. They may have many, many packages to deliver, and they may be expected to do so on a very tight timeline. They have to navigate through traffic while looking for addresses and keeping an eye out for the unexpected—a bicyclist or jogger in their path, a child or dog running into the street, other motorists who may do something unpredictable, and more. 

It’s a lot to handle. Even after intensive training and with plenty of experience under their belts, a driver can make a mistake that leads to a crash. They may be distracted or fatigued or simply overwhelmed by the multitasking the job often requires. Some drivers—perhaps in an effort to deal with the stresses of the job—may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while out making their rounds.

Additionally, delivery trucks are on the road a lot, racking up miles and suffering wear and tear. In some cases, a driver can do everything right and still end up in an accident due to poor truck maintenance. When this is the situation, the delivery driver’s employer may be the liable party. That could also be true if the company has not provided adequate training or has been pushing drivers to exceed the federally defined hours-of-service restrictions.

A Delivery Truck Crash Can Deliver Serious Injuries

While delivery trucks tend to be significantly smaller than semis and are, as a rule, traveling at slower speeds in town than the big rigs travel on highways and interstates, the fact is that an accident involving a delivery truck can lead to serious injury.

Those injuries could include (but are certainly not limited to):

  • Whiplash
  • Broken bones
  • Cuts and other wounds to the skin
  • Injury to internal organs—including injuries to the brain and/or spine

These and other injuries can have ongoing consequences—and you should be appropriately compensated.

Potential Damages Following a Delivery Truck Accident

While an insurance company may want to settle your claim quickly with a lowball offer, you should not necessarily accept the proposed payout. After all, the insurance company is interested in minimizing the amount they pay. Your interest, on the other hand, involves receiving fair compensation—not only for your immediate expenses but for ongoing costs and losses that are consequences of your injuries. 

For example, a serious accident could make it extremely difficult—or even impossible—for you to return to work. It isn’t sufficient for an insurance company to cover your immediate medical expenses and lost wages. Instead, you should be compensated for ongoing medical costs and for the wages and benefits you have lost due to your inability to go back to work. You may also be eligible for compensation for your pain and suffering and reduced quality of life.

An Attorney Can Help Deliver a Fair Settlement

After getting the immediate medical care you need following an accident involving a delivery truck, your next move should be to hire an attorney. Your lawyer will fully investigate the accident and handle negotiations with the insurance company. If necessary, they will go to court to fight for the best possible result for you.

Again, the insurance company has an interest in paying out as little as possible, and they tend to have the upper hand if you deal with them directly. A skilled and experienced attorney can level the playing field so that you are more likely to get what you truly deserve. 

Contact Our Truck Accident Attorneys Today

If you have been injured in a crash involving a delivery driver, you need an attorney on your side sooner rather than later. The personal injury attorneys of Griffen & Stevens Law Firm have the expertise and experience necessary to ensure you are not taken advantage of. We will vigorously represent your interests so that you are properly compensated. Contact us today for a free consultation—and then let us get to work for you.

 

Ryan J. Stevens, Esq.
Ryan Stevens is an award-winning Arizona trial attorney with success in major felony and civil jury trials.
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