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12/13/2021

What Do You Do If You Are Involved In A Holiday Delivery Truck Accident?

Vuk Vujasinovic

Vuk Vujasinovic

12/13/2021

According to estimates, this holiday season 50% of consumers will do most of their shopping online while 99% will do some of their shopping online. This will result in more than a billion packages being delivered by companies like Amazon, UPS, USPS, and FedEx. Due to the stress of meeting deadlines and trying to empty trucks, many delivery drivers will drive over the speed limit or become fatigued and inattentive. 

Experimentation with self-driving commercial trucks as discussed in our recent blog about FedEx testing driverless trucks between Dallas and Houston may also affect road safety conditions. 

The combination of these factors provokes the need to drive defensively to avoid delivery truck accidents, which are very often fatal. If you have suffered a collision with a delivery or commercial truck, there are several things that you can do to protect your safety and rights.

Park In A Safe Location And Attend To Injuries

When involved in a truck accident, the first thing you should do is seek safety and take note of any injuries. You should remain still if you feel injured. Otherwise, park your vehicle in a safe location and check on any passengers. As soon as you are physically able, contact the police and gather as much information about the accident as possible.

Gather Evidence

Document any witnesses' statements in writing or on video. Photograph the vehicles involved in the accident, the accident scene, your injuries, and anything else that may be relevant to your claim. It's important to have physical evidence and not rely on human memory as the details in stories can fade with time or become distorted by bias. 

Obtain Truck Driver Information  

As soon as possible, you should find out the contact information and registration number of the other driver. Gather as much information as you can about the truck, the delivery company, and the driver. Large retailers also rent moving trucks to supplement their delivery fleet during the holiday season. This adds another level of liability in determining who is responsible for damages in an accident. Your passenger or a police officer can collect information on your behalf if you are physically incapable. Do not rely solely on a police report as it may not provide all the information you will need to prove your case. 

Visit A Doctor

The documentation of your injuries is critical when filing an insurance claim. Even if you think you have not been injured or that your injury is only minor, you should still see a medical professional. Often symptoms do not appear until hours or days later. Adrenaline and stress from a collision may also cause you to overlook or underestimate your injuries.

Do Not Accept Settlement Preemptively

Consult an attorney before accepting any offer from the delivery truck company or the insurance company. They will want to pay out as little as possible and the settlement you receive may be insufficient to cover your medical costs, property damage, and lost wages. 

Consult VB Attorneys

The best course of action following an accident with a delivery truck is to speak to an experienced accident attorney who can advocate for you. Our attorneys have compiled a list of our Top 10 Resources for Truck Accident Victims that are crucial for any driver to review- before or after getting into a truck accident.

At VB Attorneys, we have decades of experience representing auto accident victims. We guide clients through this challenging situation and maintain a close relationship throughout the process.

For a free and completely confidential case evaluation, call 713-224-7800 or complete this contact form if you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a truck accident.