Being injured in an accident with a delivery truck can result in serious injuries and substantial financial losses. It is important to understand your legal rights and options so you can maximize your recovery. A Texas lawyer can help you understand how you can get the most out of your case.

Document the Accident and Your Injuries

If you are able, gather as much evidence and documentation as possible at the scene. Take photos of property damage, injuries, skid marks, and the position of vehicles. Get contact information for witnesses. Write down precisely what happened while it is fresh in your mind. Make sure to follow your doctor's instructions to prove you have been doing what you should for the injury. Keep records of all diagnoses, treatment, expenses, lost wages, and impact on your daily activities.

In the fast-paced world of consumer delivery services, accidents involving delivery vehicles are an unfortunate reality. Whether it is a minor fender bender or a more serious collision, documenting these accidents is paramount. If you were injured in an accident involving a delivery vehicle, it is important to understand that your rights must be protected. The only way to ensure these rights are protected is by hiring a lawyer to represent you in your Texas accident claim. With your attorney representing you, you can feel confident knowing that your lawyer’s legal guidance will prove to be your guiding light through the entirety of your case.

Top Four Reasons to Document Your Accident 

1. Determining liability – Documenting a delivery vehicle accident is crucial for the injured party to establish liability. By carefully documenting the incident, including details such as the driver’s information, witness statements, and pictures of the accident scene, injured people can provide compelling evidence to support their injury claim. This documentation becomes the foundation for holding the responsible party accountable for their actions.

2. Ensuring fair compensation – Thorough documentation is vital in ensuring that people receive accurate compensation for their injuries and losses. Of course, medical costs are often amongst the most consequential damages after an accident, as well as property damage and other related expenses. Documenting these various costs can help illustrate the adverse effects the accident and your subsequent injuries had on you financially.

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The trucking industry provides an invaluable service with deliveries. But unreasonable corporate demands on drivers too often elevate dangers. It is unfortunately not uncommon to see profits over safety contribute to catastrophic delivery truck crashes. Oversight and reform addressing these issues are urgently needed to save lives. Here are some ways that companies are negligently handling the way their employees do deliveries and how a Texas attorney can help.

Unrealistic Delivery Schedules

Unworkable drop-off windows set by corporate dispatchers force truckers into dangerously rushed driving. Turnaround times between hauls often leave minimal opportunity for rest between long shifts. Overtired truckers operating under excessive delivery pressure have slowed reaction times and lapses in judgment. This predictable recipe of fatigue and stress imposed by employers yields catastrophic outcomes.

Route Scheduling Flaws

Trucking firms plan trucker routes aiming to maximize efficiency. But computer algorithms cannot account for real-world needs like traffic, construction delays, weather hazards, or finding safe parking. Attempting to meet routes that look good on paper but are unrealistic on the road again rushes drivers beyond safe speed and focus.

The demand for efficient and quick deliveries has risen in our fast-paced society and will only keep rising. As a result, Amazon delivery drivers face unrealistic expectations, including tight delivery windows, large package burdens, and other high-pressure demands. Unfortunately, these demands can have serious consequences, leading to potentially deadly delivery vehicle accidents. Today, we will talk about the dangers of unrealistic delivery expectations, the potential risks they pose, and how a personal injury attorney can help you if you have been injured in such an accident. 

The Pressure of Unrealistic Expectations

The rise of online sales and the growing reliance on delivery drivers have placed immense pressure on drivers to meet harder and harder expectations. Companies like Amazon often have strict timeframes and delivery goals, leaving drivers little room for error or accidents. This pressure can lead to drivers engaging in dangerous behaviors, like speeding, running red lights, and disregarding traffic laws to make deliveries on time. 

Consequences of Unrealistic Delivery Expectations

1. Increased accidents – Rushed and stressed drivers are more likely to make errors, increasing the likelihood of accidents. Distracted driving, driver fatigue, and reduced attention to road safety all contribute to more accidents and injuries.

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Every industry has rules it must carefully follow. Many industries also have certain rules that are not necessarily followed or enforced. In trucking, there are federal Hours of Service laws set out by the Department of Transportation. The Hours of Service laws govern how often truck drivers must take a break from driving, and how long each break must be. These laws are in place for safety purposes. They are meant to protect the public from the dangers of driver fatigue among CDL drivers, including those who drive trucks for shipping companies like FedEx. They are also meant to protect the truck drivers from being forced into driving long hours without being able to get adequate rest. Unfortunately, not all trucking employers respect these rules. There is a problem among the trucking community with employers encouraging their drivers to continue driving rather than stopping to rest. Fatigued truck drivers are more prone to causing accidents. If you were injured in a truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Talking to an attorney should be your next step. 

Truckers May be Encouraged to Work Unsafe Hours

Truck drivers are required to keep a log of the hours they work and the hours they spent on rest breaks. Many modern commercial trucks are also equipped with software that records the hours the vehicle is in operation. However, some truckers report that their employer tampers with these logs in order to falsify a driver’s recorded drive time. Unscrupulous employers may falsify logs to show that drivers took a break when they did not. 

Another method of avoiding complying with Hours of Service regulations some truck drivers have reported is having a truck driver log into a different employee’s account in order to continue driving after they reach the maximum allowable drive time. One driver even reported having been pressured to drive continuously for 30 hours. 

One of the most important duties of a trucking agency is to ensure that each commercial truck in the fleet is kept in a safe and roadworthy condition. This is not just a matter of convenience or logistics. When an important component on a semi-truck fails, the danger is not limited to having a truck driver left stranded with their cargo. Serious accidents can result from a lack of proper maintenance. A truck that is poorly maintained can pose a major risk to everyone on or near the road. When a commercial truck is involved in a collision with other vehicles, there is a very high likelihood that people riding in personal vehicles will suffer grave or catastrophic injuries. A personal vehicle is not equipped to withstand the force of an impact with such a large and heavy vehicle. 

Delivery Driver Accident Attorney, Operated by the Law Office of Jerry D. Andrews, P.C. is experienced in helping people who have been injured in truck accidents recover the compensation they need. You may be entitled to recover medical costs, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more. It is best to work with an attorney while pursuing this type of claim. 

Dangerous Truck Malfunctions in Texas 

There are a few components of a truck that absolutely must be kept well-maintained. Common types of truck component failures that lead to injury include: