If you or a loved one was injured by a delivery truck, Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers can help you obtain justice for your accident. Because delivery trucks are typically insured under large commercial policies, victims of these accidents may be entitled to significant compensation.
A California delivery truck accident lawyer at our firm can help you recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering, wrongful death and more.
Our experienced attorneys don’t charge any lawyer fees until we win your case. Our only fee is a portion of your recovery, so you won’t ever owe us a single penny out-of-pocket.
If you were hurt in a delivery truck crash and can’t afford medical treatment, we can get you to doctors who won’t charge you until your case is over. We strive to coordinate medical treatment without upfront payment whenever possible so our clients can focus on getting better while we pursue their claim.
We have been representing those injured by delivery trucks for over 35 years and have recovered over $750,000,000 for clients. Our vast experience and expertise will allow us to recover fair compensation for you.
Call us today for a FREE consultation at (800) 718-4658 or fill out our quick contact form if you or a loved one was injured or killed after a delivery truck accident.
Table of Contents
- Typical Causes of Delivery Truck Accidents
- Common Delivery Truck Accident Injuries
- Determining Liability in Delivery Truck Accidents
- How to Handle Amazon, UPS, and FedEx Delivery Accident Claims
- What Is the Average Delivery Accident Settlement?
- Examples of Delivery Accident Settlements
- What To Do After Being Hit by a Delivery Truck
- How Can Lawyers Help Me?
- How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Lawyer?
- How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?
- Contact Our Delivery Truck Accident Attorneys
Typical Causes of Delivery Truck Accidents
Delivery truck accidents can be the result of:
- Speeding: Delivery drivers often rush in order to meet deadlines.
- Distracted driving: It is common for delivery drivers to communicate with dispatchers, use GPS or navigate while they drive.
- Driver fatigue: Demanding schedules and long hours can cause fatigue, impairing reaction time and judgment.
- Improper loading of cargo: Improperly secured or overloaded cargo can make trucks unstable.
- Impaired driving: A serious risk factor is drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Poor vehicle maintenance: Safety issues like tire blowouts or brake failure can be the result of not maintaining a vehicle properly.
- Weather: Ice, snow or rain can reduce traction and visibility.
- Roadway conditions: Uneven surfaces or potholes can lead to accidents.
- Inadequate training: Accident risks can be increased by a lack of training regarding proper cargo loading techniques or operating large vehicles.
- Traffic congestion: Heavy traffic can lead to accidents.
- Unfamiliar roads: Mistakes can be made when delivery drivers aren’t familiar with routes.
- Unsafe passing: Other drivers can try to pass trucks too closely or make unsafe lane changes.
Common Delivery Truck Accident Injuries
Common injuries in delivery truck accidents include:
- Whiplash and neck injuries: Truck accidents can lead to whiplash or neck injuries like fractures, sprains and strains.
- Traumatic brain injuries: Head injuries such as concussions may occur.
- Spinal cord injuries: Spinal cord damage such as injuries or fractures to vertebrae can cause nerve damage or paralysis.
- Broken bones: Fractures may happen in arms, ribs, legs or the skull.
- Soft tissue damage: Injuries to tendons, ligaments and muscles may occur.
- Burn injuries: Burn injuries can occur in accidents which involve fires or hazardous materials.
- Internal injuries: Internal organs like kidneys, spleens or livers may be injured.
- Bruising and lacerations: External injuries such as bruises, scrapes or cuts may happen.
- Psychological and emotional injuries: These accidents can lead to PTSD, depression, anxiety or emotional distress.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Delivery Truck Accident?
Delivery Truck Drivers
Delivery truck drivers can be sued for accidents when their recklessness or negligence contributes to the accidents. This includes things like distracted driving, speeding, driving under the influence, violating other rules of the road, or violating regulations regarding hours of service.
- Negligence: Drivers of trucks are duty-bound to operate vehicles responsibly and safely. They can get held liable when they fail to uphold this duty, leading to an accident.
- Negligence examples: These include not maintaining vehicles properly, using cell phones while driving, or driving while fatigued.
- Sued directly: Truck drivers can sometimes be directly sued for damages resulting from accidents. This can occur, for example, when a delivery truck driver is not an employee but rather an independent contractor.
- Vicarious liability: Even when trucking companies are liable for accidents, drivers can also get directly sued.
Delivery Companies
Delivery companies such as FedEx, UPS or Amazon can be held liable for their employees’ actions. When employed drivers commit wrongful or negligent acts while performing employment duties, injury victims can file claims against delivery companies.
“Scope of employment” when it comes to accidents is determined by state laws. In California, employers are vicariously liable for the wrongful or negligent acts of their employees when those acts are done under the scope of employment.
Third Parties
Third parties, such as vehicle manufacturers, municipalities, roadway maintenance crews or other drivers may be liable for some delivery truck crashes. Those injured in these cases can potentially sue third parties as well as delivery truck drivers or companies.
For example, if a brake failure leads to an accident, a contractor, vehicle maintenance provider, vehicle manufacturer or vehicle part manufacturer may be held liable.
If your accident involves a USPS truck, the government may be held liable.
How to Handle Amazon, UPS and FedEx Delivery Accident Claims
If you get into an accident involving an Amazon, UPS or FedEx driver, it means you’ll need to deal with their insurer:
- FedEx carries automobile liability insurance policies with combined single limits of $5 million
- UPS carries automobile liability insurance with $1 million limits
- Liability in an Amazon truck accident can be complex since they often contract third-party delivery drivers
Within days of your accident, you’ll probably receive a call on the phone from an insurance adjuster. The adjuster will ask you questions about the accident as well as your injuries. Often times, they’ll try to convince you to provide a recorded statement.
Regardless of how nice they might seem, how much you’re pressured by them, or if they tell you that you’re obligated to give them a recorded statement, do not provide them with a recorded statement. You don’t have to provide them with one. It’s best for you to speak with a lawyer before talking to an adjuster. Once you’ve hired a lawyer, direct all communications from insurance companies to your lawyer.
If you talk to an adjuster or provide a recorded statement, they’ll use everything you say to pay you less or nothing at all. Their goal is to make money. They won’t profit as much if they fairly compensate you. They will try to twist your word to make it look like you caused the accident, or your injuries aren’t as bad as you claim.
What Is the Average Delivery Truck Accident Settlement Worth?
When it comes to accidents involving delivery trucks, the average settlement may be worth a few thousand dollars for accidents involving minor injuries, to six-to-seven figure settlements for accidents involving severe injuries or death.
The value of your delivery truck accident claim will depend upon numerous factors, including:
- Injury severity: Accidents involving more severe injuries like traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries will likely result in larger settlements.
- Liability and fault: The settlement value will be significantly impacted by how liable the trucking company or truck driver is for your accident and injuries.
- Insurance coverage: The amount of insurance available from insurance companies will greatly impact the value of your claim. In some cases, your damages might exceed the policy limits of the at-fault party’s policy.
- Legal representation: A skilled delivery truck accident law firm can help to maximize your settlement by negotiating effectively and making sure that all damages get covered.
The value of your delivery truck accident case will also depend upon what specific damages you suffered. Damages which we can help recover compensation for include:
- Medical bills: Delivery truck accident victims can recover compensation for all past and future medical expenses related to their accidents. This means you can recover compensation for not just the bills you already owe, but for the costs of any treatments you can be reasonably expected to need in the future.
- Lost wages: When delivery drivers injure others, the injury victims can recover compensation for any wages they lost due to missing time from work. So, if you’ve been hurt too badly to work, or you’ve needed to take time off from work to have your injuries treated, we can help you recover compensation for those lost wages.
- Loss of earning capacity: When we handle your personal injury claim, we’ll make sure you recover fair compensation for any loss or reduction to your earning capacity if you’ve been left disabled by your injuries.
- Property damage: We can help you recover compensation for the cost to repair or replace your vehicle after a car accident involving a delivery truck.
- Pain and suffering: When delivery vehicles cause accidents, victims can end up going through physical pain, mental suffering and emotional distress. We can accurately calculate the value of your pain and suffering and seek compensation for it.
- Wrongful death: Unfortunately, some delivery truck accidents may be fatal. If you’ve lost a loved one in a delivery truck crash, we can help you recover financial compensation which will help make sure your family doesn’t endure financial hardship due to the loss of your loved one.
- Punitive damages: Not every delivery truck case will involve punitive damages. However, if your case involves intentional, reckless or grossly negligent conduct, we will seek punitive damages to punish the wrongdoer and maximize your recovery.
Examples of Delivery Truck Crash Settlements and Verdicts
$30 Million FedEx Accident
In 2021, a Texas jury awarded a $30 million verdict in a case involving a FedEx truck.
The head-on collision occurred in 2018 and was deadly. The plaintiffs alleged the driver was going too fast and left its lane at 1:30 in the morning in the rain. The truck allegedly veered into oncoming traffic, striking a vehicle head-on.
$16 Million Amazon Delivery Accident
In 2024, a Georgia jury awarded a $16.2 million verdict in a case involving an Amazon service partner truck, pinning 85 percent of the liability on Amazon over negligent training and 10 percent of the liability on a delivery driver for Fly Fella Logistics.
The delivery truck allegedly struck and ran over a child crossing the street while pulling away from a stop, fracturing the boy’s pelvis and leading to a degloving injury that necessitated multiple skin grafts.
$2.7 Million UPS Truck Accident Settlement
This case involved a UPS driver attempting to pass the plaintiff. When the UPS driver saw incoming traffic, the UPS driver allegedly swerved the truck back into his own lane, colliding with the plaintiff, causing serious injuries which included herniated discs in the back and neck.
What To Do After Being Hit by a Delivery Truck
If you have been hit by a delivery truck, you should:
- Call 911 and report the crash
- Seek medical attention
- Take photos of the scene, injuries, property damage, etc.
- Get driver and company information from the truck
- Contact a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible – it’s vital to have a lawyer handle negotiations with insurers
How Can Delivery Truck Accident Lawyers Help Me?
The personal injury attorneys at our law firm can help you by:
Performing Thorough Investigations
We will collect evidence, including accident reconstruction reports, witness statements and police reports, to figure out the accident’s cause and identify all potential liable parties.
Providing Negotiation and Litigation
We will negotiate with insurers for you to recover a fair settlement. If necessary, our personal injury lawyers can file a lawsuit on your behalf and represent you in court.
Understanding Trucking Regulations
We are knowledgeable regarding the specific regulations and rules which govern the trucking industry. This can be vital when it comes to proving that negligence occurred.
Calculating Damages
We will help you to calculate your damages’ full extent. This includes lost wages, medical expenses, pain, suffering, and additional economic and non-economic damages.
Identifying Liable Parties
We can identify every party that is possibly liable for your injuries. This includes the trucking company, the delivery truck driver, the vehicle manufacturer, or even whoever owns the goods that were being transported.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Delivery Truck Accident Lawyer?
Most personal injury lawyers, like the attorneys at our firm, offer free consultations and handle cases on a contingency fee basis.
A contingency fee agreement is one in which the law firm only charges you a fee when they win your case. Under such a contingency fee arrangement, you only owe the law firm a percentage of the compensation they recover for you.
Average contingency fee percentages are from 33 to 40 percent of the recovery. A common contingency fee structure is that 33 percent is charged for cases that settle out of court and 40 percent is charged for cases that involve lawsuits being filed or cases going to court.
In summary, we don’t charge clients until we win their case, meaning we don’t charge upfront fees or out-of-pocket fees to handle delivery truck crash cases.
How Long Do I Have to File a Delivery Truck Accident Lawsuit in California?
You will, in most cases, have two years to file a lawsuit after you’ve been injured by a delivery truck in California.
However, exceptions exist. For example, you’ll only have six months to file if your case involves a government entity, such as if you were struck by a USPS truck.
Regardless of the time limit, it’s important to file as soon as possible in order to maximize your chances of success.
Contact Our Delivery Truck Accident Attorneys Today
Our experienced lawyers have been handling truck accident cases for over three and a half decades and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients. We have the expertise and experience to maximize your recovery.
Remember, we won’t charge a fee until we win your case and we can get you to doctors who won’t charge you until your case is over.
Call us today for a FREE consultation at (800) 718-4658 or fill out our contact form if you or a loved one was injured or killed in a delivery truck accident.
