Delivery Truck Accident Lawyers

Delivery trucks are among the most common commercial vehicles on the road. As a result, these trucks cause more accidents than any other trucks. Delivery trucks are also much larger than passenger cars, so if you’re involved in a delivery truck accident in New Jersey, get medical attention for your injuries and then find an experienced delivery truck accident attorney like the lawyers at RAM Law. They have knowledge in these crashes and get the highest compensation for victims. Call them today.

What Happens When a Delivery Truck Gets into an Accident?

While delivery trucks are much smaller in size and weight than big rig trucks, they can still do a lot of damage in an accident with an automobile. On average, a delivery truck weighs more than 10,000 pounds and can cause serious injuries in a collision. Studies prove that commercial trucks — including delivery trucks, tow trucks, garbage trucks Garbage Trucks> and semi-trucks — tend to get into three times as many accidents as your average family car.

When you get into a delivery truck accident, enlist the help of an experienced delivery truck accident attorney. RAM Law in New Jersey advocates for your legal rights as an accident victim. Contact our law firm to guide you through the truck accident settlement process to get the highest level of compensation to cover all your losses.

Along with their investigators, your delivery truck accident lawyers determine the accident liability for your case. They collect and preserve important evidence to find the cause of the accident. Once they determine the liability and your losses, they decide how much to file a claim for.

Who Most Often Takes Responsibility for the Delivery Truck Accident?

The boom of online shopping is fueling the growth of trucking companies like UPS, FedEx, US Xpress, Swift Transportation and Ryder Systems. The most common types of trucks on the road are delivering goods to consumers. They include straight trucks and tractor trailers, but of course, also UPS and FedEx vans.

Usually, the drivers of these delivery trucks are rushing, as companies like Amazon publicize same-day deliveries. The pressure to transport more and more packages is one of the main causes of delivery truck accidents. But proving liability for the accident requires extensive investigation from delivery truck accident lawyers. It’s especially difficult in New Jersey since the state allows no-fault insurance in truck accidents.

You need an experienced truck accident attorney like those at RAM Law to consider suing a trucking company.

And an accident involving a truck may have multiple responsible parties that need to be included in your lawsuit, such as:

• Delivery truck driver. The usual culprit is the driver, especially when the truck leaves the scene of the crash. In some cases, you may include the co-drivers, if they were on-duty.
• Trucking companies. These businesses sometimes take shortcuts or run afoul of the rules to save money. Estes Express Lines once amassed 418 safety violations in just 24 months. They’re hardly the only offenders guilty of trucking company negligence.
• Third-party businesses. Others who may be at least partly at fault include the loading company, shipping company or maintenance company. The respondeat superior law holds these companies accountable in New Jersey if they contributed to a crash.
• Governmental entities. Governments are responsible for maintaining the public roads. If poor road conditions  — which includes badly maintained road surfaces or inadequate road signage — contributed to the accident, it may be possible to hold them accountable.
• Truck or parts manufacturers. Design defects like defective underride guards or flawed truck parts like a faulty warning light may play a part in a delivery truck accident.

Is a Delivery Truck Accident Different from a Car Accident?

Unlike car accidents, delivery truck accidents are significantly more complex. With cars, the at-fault parties are usually one or two people. Proving driver negligence in a truck accident isn’t simple, as there may be mitigating circumstances. For example, the trucking company may have hired foreign truck drivers to keep the cost down. These drivers are usually listed as independent contractors in the books to avoid liability claims. In such cases, your compensation may be limited to a personal injury protection (PIP) insurance settlement.

And since multiple parties are involved, you have to deal with multiple insurance companies. Without proper counseling from a delivery truck accident attorney, you can end up with far less compensation than you need to cover your losses.

Your medical bills alone may be substantial for injuries such as:

• Broken bones and fractures
• Back and neck injuries like whiplash
• Head trauma
• Severe spinal cord injuries
• Injuries from burns
• Necessary but life-changing amputations

How Common Are Delivery Truck Accidents?

Delivering packages fast and putting more trucks on the road means that the most popular and successful delivery companies have the most truck accidents. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, FedEx drivers caused 2,766 accidents while UPS drivers caused 1,082 accidents between 2020 and 2022.

The most common causes of delivery truck accidents involve:

• Failing brakes
• Rolling tires from wheel-off events
• Speeding
• Aggressive or reckless driving
• Distracted driving
• Driving while drowsy
• Drunk or drugged driving
• Poorly loaded cargo or overloaded cargo

Some delivery drivers may not have the experience or proper training to handle the truck. The frequent stops, along with juggling the navigation system, requires skills new drivers haven’t always developed. Human error is most often cited as the main cause for accidents and injuries.

How Does Compensation Work?

For delivery truck accidents, there’s no limit on the compensation you get from an insurance company for your losses. Even if your personal injuries aren’t permanent, you’re entitled by law to receive full compensation. Most out-of-court settlements take about six months to settle, while in-court cases may take several more months.

Legally, you have two types of damages you can pursue. Economic damages involve compensation for tangible losses, such as payment for your medical bills, lost wages and property repair or replacement costs.

Non-economic damages compensate you for intangible losses, such as:

• Permanent disability
• Pain and suffering
• Psychological scarring
• Loss of consortium, no longer being able to enjoy a relationship
• Emotional distress
• A diminished quality of life

You may also consider going to trial for punitive damages, where the guilty party or parties in the accident have to pay extra for your pain and suffering. This decision requires a discussion with your delivery truck accident attorney at RAM Law in NJ. If you win the case, you may get up to five times the amount of the compensatory damages or $350,000, whichever amount is higher.

What Do I Do after a Delivery Truck Accident?

Even with the most common types of truck accidents, you need a trusted legal advisor in a delivery truck accident attorney to help you take proactive steps such as after your crash, including:

• Report the accident. Call 911 or the police. Wait for the emergency responders to arrive and don’t refuse any medical treatments or tests.
• Relate your experience. Tell the authorities, in detail, how the accident occurred. Share your thoughts if the driver looked drugged or inebriated.
• Get contact information. Get the truck driver’s name, company name, name of the supervisor, phone number, address and insurance information. Get the same from any witnesses.
• Record the accident scene. Take photos or video of the truck’s license plate, the accident scene and the damages to both vehicles.
• Get medical attention. Go to the hospital, as injuries may only show up later. You need a paper trail for all your medical care.
• Don’t admit guilt. Never talk about the accident with anyone from an insurance company without your RAM Law attorney present. Don’t admit culpability to anyone, especially the other driver.

Delivery truck accident lawyers are trained to investigate the accident scene, talk to eyewitnesses and collect evidence to support your claims. They take care of negotiating with the insurance companies, and if those negotiations fail, they prepare your case and represent you in court.

When You Are Injured, Our Truck Accident Lawyers at Rebenack, Aronow & Mascolo, L.L.P. Will Help

An accident can be life-changing and saddle you with mounting medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. Our seasoned truck accident lawyers at Rebenack, Aronow & Mascolo, L.L.P. can help. Call 732-247-3600 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We are located in New Brunswick, Somerville, and Freehold, New Jersey, and we serve clients in Middlesex County, Monmouth County, and Somerset County.