What Should I Do If Get Hit by A FedEx Truck?

As online shopping becomes more popular, delivery truck accidents will start to increase. Getting hit by one of these trucks can have a big impact on your life. In some cases, you might need to spend several weeks in the hospital recovering from the accident. Let’s take a closer look at what to do if you get hit by a FedEx truck.

Why Do FedEx Truck Accidents Occur?

There are several reasons why you might be involved in an accident with a FedEx truck. First, many of these drivers are overworked. It’s common for them to be driving long shifts. In these conditions, it’s easy for them to lose concentration, or even slip into a micro-sleep. When this happens, they risk losing control of their vehicle. In other cases, they might turn to substances like drugs or alcohol to help them get through the shift. This can dull their reaction times. To try and prevent this, the Federal government has introduced restrictions limiting shift times to 11 hours. However, not all FedEx truck drivers will comply with these rules.

Another important factor is the pressure to deliver. Most drivers have strict delivery times that they need to meet. If they fall behind in their schedule, some FedEx drivers might be tempted to try to make up lost time. This can mean speeding or failing to stop for traffic. This type of behavior can greatly increase the chances that they will have an accident.

In other cases, the driver might be given improper training. These vehicles tend to be large vans or trucks. As a result, it can often take a lot of practice to be able to safely control them. If they haven’t been trained properly, the drivers will be at a higher risk of losing control of their vehicles. They also might not be aware of all the road rules.

Sometimes, the fault might lie in the way the FedEx truck has been prepared. These vehicles must be maintained frequently. If there is a mechanical fault, it can make it impossible for the driver to stop the vehicle. In other cases, the load might not have been arranged properly. If heavy loads shift in the back, it can throw the vehicle off-balance, making it harder to retain control of the FedEx truck.

It’s because of circumstances like this that FedEx trucks have been involved in 474 accidents over the past two years. This has led to 147 injuries. Sadly, there have also been 17 deaths because of these trucks.

What To Do After Being Involved In An Accident With A FedEx Truck?

If you get hit by a FedEx delivery truck it’s common to sustain serious injuries. These vehicles tend to be heavy, especially if they have a lot of items in the back. If this is the case, you’ll often need to call an emergency vehicle to transport you to the hospital. If you do this, make sure to request a report from the ambulance personnel. If you get released, keep a record of any medication that you needed to purchase. 

If you are able, take some pictures of the scene of the accident. This can help establish the circumstances in which the accident occurred. If there were people around, try to get their contact details. They can act as witnesses, backing up your version of events. It’s also important to note any businesses or homes that might have video footage. These recordings can be indispensable, proving that the FedEx driver is responsible for the injuries. You should also get information from the FedEx truck driver's commercial driver's license.

In the days after the crash, you might be contacted by FedEx lawyers. They will want to ask you a series of questions. Often, these are designed to get you to downplay the extent of the injury. They can later use these recordings to try to lower the amount of compensation that you are entitled to. As a result, you should make sure to refer these claims to your lawyer.

The next thing that you’ll need to do is contact a FedEx truck accident lattorney. They will be able to investigate the FedEx car accident and start building a strong case. This will ensure that you can get the compensation that you are entitled to. To build this case, there are multiple factors that they will need to think about.

Proving Negligence

One of the most important things in your case will be proving that the FedEx delivery truck driver was acting negligently. To prove this, your lawyer will need to thoroughly investigate the circumstances in which the case occurred. First, they will need to prove that the FedEx driver was acting in the course of their normal duties. This ensures that you will be able to sue the FedEx company, rather than the individual. As a result, you will be able to get a larger compensation payment.

The next thing that they’ll need to determine is the reason why the accident occurred. To prove negligence, they need to establish that the FedEx driver owed you a duty of care. This is true for pedestrians and drivers. Next, they will need to show that they breached that duty of care, which caused your injuries. This can often be the most difficult part. To do this, your FedEx accident lawyer will need to rely on the evidence that they have gathered. In this respect, FedEx trucks can be a good source of information. Many of these have a black box that gathers a lot of important information, like the speed the truck was going at the time of the crash, and when the driver started braking. This information could be crucial to proving liability, but you’ll need a skilled FedEx accident lawyer to interpret it.

In some cases, the FecEx company will try to argue comparative negligence. This is where your actions partly caused the accident. For example, the FedEx delivery truck driver might have forgotten to put the brakes on, causing the truck to start rolling downhill. However, if you stepping into the path of the vehicle without looking, it might be argued that you put yourself in a dangerous situation. In this case, the jury will need to determine what percentage of the blame can be attributed to you, and which percentage needs to go to the company. This has the potential to significantly reduce your compensation payment.

What Damages Can You Claim?

Once you’ve established negligence, you’ll need to think about the type of damages that you will be able to claim. There is a range of things that you’ll be able to get compensated for. First, you’ll be entitled to any medical bills that you incurred while trying to deal with the injury. This can include any future medical bills if you require ongoing treatment.

You’ll also be able to claim for any time that you needed to take off work to recover. This can include any lost wages or any expenses associated with losing your job. If you are no longer able to work because of a disability, you might be able to claim for a future loss of earnings.

You’ll be able to claim for any pain and suffering. It’s common for this type of serious injury to cause mental health concerns. For example, permanent disability can often cause depression or anxiety. In other cases, you might be left disfigured. Your lawyer will be able to help you come to an appropriate figure for damages. They will try to get the maximum amount of compensation possible.

Settling A Case With FedEx

One of the benefits of suing a larger company is that you’ll be able to get a larger settlement figure. Most juries will know this organization has a lot of money. So, they’ll be more likely to award a higher payment to victims for their FedEx car accident settlement..

Your lawyer might be able to use this to your advantage for your FedEx accident claim. Many large companies, like FedEx, will want to avoid the negative publicity associated with a courtroom trial. This makes them more likely to settle. If this happens, you will avoid the costs and complexity associated with going to court. However, if the company is being unreasonable, your lawyer will need to be prepared to take the case to court, to make sure that you get the compensation you are entitled to.

Contact The Injury Firm

If you’re planning on taking on a powerful company like FedEx, you’ll need to make sure that you have a good lawyer. These companies tend to try to avoid giving payments to victims, as they don’t want to set a negative precedent, encouraging future lawsuits.

However, if you have been injured by a FedEx delivery truck, you deserve to be compensated. At The Injury Firm, we pride ourselves in fighting for our clients. We’ll make sure that you get the compensation that you deserve. Our team of experienced personal injury lawyers will be able to help you put together a compelling case for your FedEx accident claim, gathering the evidence needed to back-up your version of events. So, give us a call today to book a free consultation and learn how we can help.