How the ‘New Normal’ Means More Delivery Trucks on the Road
The world has changed greatly because of COVID-19. With the United States in lock down for months on end and mask mandates required almost everywhere, many people are staying in their homes even past the end of lockdown to prevent themselves (and protect others) from getting COVID-19.
169 million people in the United States have received at least the first dose of the vaccine, while about 63 million people are fully vaccinated. That’s only 19.2% of the United States population, so it’s fair that many people still want to stay inside to protect themselves.
With many people staying home, more people are ordering products online instead of going to stores, including:
Clothes, shoes, jewelry
Books, video games, and other entertainment sources
And even groceries, in the form of meal kit subscription boxes
Pretty much anything can be ordered online these days, and with more deliveries occurring each day, more delivery trucks are required to keep up with the workload.
How many more delivery trucks are on the road?
Truck Info estimates that there are approximately 15.5 million trucks operating inside of the United States at any given time. However, this includes all kinds of commercial trucks and not just delivery vehicles.
Another company, We Forum, suggests that e-commerce delivery will result in a 36% increase in delivery vehicles in inner cities by 2030, leading to more accidents throughout the country.
Statistics on Delivery Truck Accidents
In 2016, there were approximately 475,000 large truck accidents in the United States.
Accidents most commonly took place during business hours from Monday to Friday.
Crashes involving UPS have increased by 38% since 2012, while crashes involving FedEx vehicles have increased 254.5% since 2012.
Accidents involving DHL, another popular delivery service (often fulfilling international orders) have increased 100% since 2012.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Injuries because of truck accidents are more likely to be severe over injuries from car accidents. Commercial trucks weigh a lot more than passenger vehicles, and the impact that they have can be life-threatening. Common injuries associated with truck accidents include:
Who is liable for injuries caused in a delivery truck accident?
Determining liability is a huge part of your lawsuit, and a big part of what your truck accident attorney will do when they’re first hired. When building a lawsuit, you need to know who’s liable for your injuries—as the liable party (their insurance company) is the one that you sue.
We’ll conduct an in-depth investigation of the accident to determine who was liable and how they were liable for your injuries. Unlike in car accidents where another driver is often liable, liable parties in truck accidents can include:
Truck driver
Trucking company
Truck owner
Manufacturer of truck
Truck loader
It’s also possible for more than one party to be liable for your injuries. For example, if the accident occurred because a driver was exhausted, both the driver and the trucking company could be liable. The trucking company could be liable for over-scheduling the truck driver, and the driver could be liable for agreeing to work past legal limits.
What to do if You’re Injured in a Truck Accident
If you’re injured in a large truck accident, the first thing that you should do is make sure everyone is okay. If anyone needs emergency medical care, you should call 911. After making sure that everyone is alright, you should contact the non-emergency police number to file a police report.
While you’re waiting for the police to arrive, gather some evidence of your own. Exchange information with the delivery truck driver (but don’t admit fault or even apologize), as well as anyone who may have witnessed the accident.
Take pictures of the scene, including your vehicle, the delivery truck, your injuries, and the surrounding area. If you can, record a statement for your own records to help ensure you don’t forget anything.
Once you’ve been cleared to leave the scene by the investigating police officer, head to a hospital or emergency room to receive medical treatment. Even if you don’t believe that you’re injured, it’s still important to receive treatment.
Before speaking to your insurance company, you should hire a delivery truck accident attorney to represent you. Speaking to an insurance company without representation can be dangerous, and they may try to trick you into damaging your case.
You may be Able to Seek Compensation for your Injuries
There are a few different types of damages that you can receive compensation for. The compensation you receive depends on many different factors, including the insurance coverage the defendant has available. If they don’t have enough to cover all of your damages, you won’t receive the full extent.
You can receive economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover any monetary losses you may have experienced like medical bills or lost wages. Non-economic damages include non-monetary losses like pain and suffering, loss of consortium, or loss of earning capacity.
You may also receive punitive damages. Punitive damages are awarded to the plaintiff to further punish the defendant and prevent them from making the same mistake again in the future.
Contact a Florida Truck Accident Attorney Today
If you or someone you love has been injured in a large truck accident, please contact one of our talented attorneys here at Jones Law Group. Our attorneys have years of experience working on commercial truck accident cases. And we are ready to take on yours.
For more information or a free case evaluation, please contact us online or at 727-571-1333.
About the Author
Heath Murphy is a partner at Jones Law Group and focuses on personal injury law. He has been working as a lawyer for 18 years and routinely writes about auto accidents, wrongful death, and personal injury laws.
How the ‘New Normal’ Means More Delivery Trucks on the Road
The world has changed greatly because of COVID-19. With the United States in lock down for months on end and mask mandates required almost everywhere, many people are staying in their homes even past the end of lockdown to prevent themselves (and protect others) from getting COVID-19.
169 million people in the United States have received at least the first dose of the vaccine, while about 63 million people are fully vaccinated. That’s only 19.2% of the United States population, so it’s fair that many people still want to stay inside to protect themselves.
With many people staying home, more people are ordering products online instead of going to stores, including:
Pretty much anything can be ordered online these days, and with more deliveries occurring each day, more delivery trucks are required to keep up with the workload.
How many more delivery trucks are on the road?
Truck Info estimates that there are approximately 15.5 million trucks operating inside of the United States at any given time. However, this includes all kinds of commercial trucks and not just delivery vehicles.
Another company, We Forum, suggests that e-commerce delivery will result in a 36% increase in delivery vehicles in inner cities by 2030, leading to more accidents throughout the country.
Statistics on Delivery Truck Accidents
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Injuries because of truck accidents are more likely to be severe over injuries from car accidents. Commercial trucks weigh a lot more than passenger vehicles, and the impact that they have can be life-threatening. Common injuries associated with truck accidents include:
Who is liable for injuries caused in a delivery truck accident?
Determining liability is a huge part of your lawsuit, and a big part of what your truck accident attorney will do when they’re first hired. When building a lawsuit, you need to know who’s liable for your injuries—as the liable party (their insurance company) is the one that you sue.
We’ll conduct an in-depth investigation of the accident to determine who was liable and how they were liable for your injuries. Unlike in car accidents where another driver is often liable, liable parties in truck accidents can include:
It’s also possible for more than one party to be liable for your injuries. For example, if the accident occurred because a driver was exhausted, both the driver and the trucking company could be liable. The trucking company could be liable for over-scheduling the truck driver, and the driver could be liable for agreeing to work past legal limits.
What to do if You’re Injured in a Truck Accident
If you’re injured in a large truck accident, the first thing that you should do is make sure everyone is okay. If anyone needs emergency medical care, you should call 911. After making sure that everyone is alright, you should contact the non-emergency police number to file a police report.
While you’re waiting for the police to arrive, gather some evidence of your own. Exchange information with the delivery truck driver (but don’t admit fault or even apologize), as well as anyone who may have witnessed the accident.
Take pictures of the scene, including your vehicle, the delivery truck, your injuries, and the surrounding area. If you can, record a statement for your own records to help ensure you don’t forget anything.
Once you’ve been cleared to leave the scene by the investigating police officer, head to a hospital or emergency room to receive medical treatment. Even if you don’t believe that you’re injured, it’s still important to receive treatment.
Before speaking to your insurance company, you should hire a delivery truck accident attorney to represent you. Speaking to an insurance company without representation can be dangerous, and they may try to trick you into damaging your case.
You may be Able to Seek Compensation for your Injuries
There are a few different types of damages that you can receive compensation for. The compensation you receive depends on many different factors, including the insurance coverage the defendant has available. If they don’t have enough to cover all of your damages, you won’t receive the full extent.
You can receive economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover any monetary losses you may have experienced like medical bills or lost wages. Non-economic damages include non-monetary losses like pain and suffering, loss of consortium, or loss of earning capacity.
You may also receive punitive damages. Punitive damages are awarded to the plaintiff to further punish the defendant and prevent them from making the same mistake again in the future.
Contact a Florida Truck Accident Attorney Today
If you or someone you love has been injured in a large truck accident, please contact one of our talented attorneys here at Jones Law Group. Our attorneys have years of experience working on commercial truck accident cases. And we are ready to take on yours.
For more information or a free case evaluation, please contact us online or at 727-571-1333.
About the Author
Heath Murphy is a partner at Jones Law Group and focuses on personal injury law. He has been working as a lawyer for 18 years and routinely writes about auto accidents, wrongful death, and personal injury laws.
Read more: Heath’s Bio
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