What To Do After A Delivery Driver Accident in Las Vegas
By
Madeleine Jones
July 20, 2021
A delivery driver accident can become really complicated very quickly. Does the driver share liability with the driver’s company? Is the fact that the driver was on the clock when he causes your accident able to increase the compensation you get? If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a delivery driver accident, a Henderson attorney can help you get a better idea of what you’re dealing with.
Causes of Delivery Driver Accidents
Delivery drivers spend a lot of time working on the road every day. During these pandemic times, more restaurants and stores started offering delivery options. The roads are filled with delivery drivers more and more and they might have longer shifts and bigger distractions. There are a variety of reasons why delivery drivers may cause accidents, including:
Looking For Delivery Location
A lot of delivery drivers have GPS devices to help them get to their destination on unfamiliar roads. Unfortunately, in order to look for the delivery location, they need to take their attention off the road. What is worse is that even with GPS, drivers still have trouble finding the location and this can cause them to make last-minute turns, drive erratically, or perform other examples of reckless and distracted driving.
Driver Fatigue
Spending long hours on the road can really increase the risk of accidents. Unfortunately, many delivery drivers are pressured to keep working, even when they are tired. This includes working late to try and get through all of their deliveries for that day.
Aggressive Driving
Delivery drivers often have tight deadlines. Either they need to deliver items before a specific time or they need to complete a certain number of deliveries in a limited time. Unfortunately, this leads to aggressive driving such as cutting off drivers and speeding, increasing the risk of an accident.
Liability in a Delivery Driver Accident
If you were involved in an accident with a delivery driver while they were out on a delivery, this means they were on the clock. The driver bears fault for your accident, and most often, their company’s liability insurance policy will provide you with compensation for your damages.
On the other hand, if your accident with the delivery driver was when they were off the clock, if they were still wearing their uniform or driving the company vehicle, their insurance may still cover you.
Determining liability in a delivery driver accident is much the same as in any other accident. In order to have liability for the accident, the delivery driver must have behaved negligently when causing the accident. This includes ignoring traffic signs, distracting, or aggressive driving. A Henderson car accident attorney will help investigate what the circumstances were at the time of the accident and will give you a better idea of how much you can get for your injuries.
What To Do After a Delivery Driver Accident
If you were involved in an accident caused by a delivery driver and it results in severe injury or damage to your car, you need to take the right steps to protect yourself. You should do the following;
Call 911
It is possible that the delivery driver will try to convince you to not call 911. After all, he has deliveries to make. Any accident on their record could result in disciplinary action or termination. However, you should always call 911 and report the accident. Do not feel bad for the delivery driver. If you fail to report the accident it will be hard for you to get compensation.
When you speak to the police give them an accurate description of what happened. Do not take any responsibility or deny the actions of the delivery driver.
Take Photos
You have to take photos of the damage to your vehicle, both vehicles’ positions after the accident, and any injuries you may have. Having photographic evidence will make it much easier to prove liability after a severe accident. And, taking pictures of the accident will be easier for you to show this evidence.
Get Medical Attention
If you suffered a severe injury from the accident, you may need to get ambulance transportation away from the accident scene. However, if your injuries were minor, you may need to get medical attention on your own. Do not put this off. Even if you think your injuries are not severe. A lot of people suffer from traumatic brain injury without immediately realizing it. If you don’t get medical attention you could worsen your injuries and make it harder for you to get compensation.
Get Copies of All Relevant Documents
Get a copy of the delivery driver’s license, insurance information, insurance policy, and their company’s insurance policy. Knowing which company employs the delivery driver will make it easier for you to get compensation.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney in Las Vegas
Pursuing a personal injury claim against the delivery driver that caused your accident can be harder than a regular car accident claim. Especially, if you ended up with severe injuries. A Las Vegas car accident attorney can help you understand your rights, deal with the insurance company, and even go to court for you.
If you suffered from severe injuries in a delivery driver accident Cogburn Law can help. Call us at (702) 747-6000 for a free initial consultation.
I was hesitant about getting a lawyer for many reasons, however the entire staff at Cogburn reassured me that everything would be okay. They were always very attentive and provided detailed answers to any questions I had. I would like to thank the entire staff for all of your hard work, making sure that my daughters and I were compensated for the car accident, and making sure we received all the necessary treatment. You were awesome. If you need an attorney that won’t look at you as just another case, that’ll return your calls/emails I definitely recommend this team.