Pittsburgh Delivery Truck Accident Lawyers
Strong advocacy when large and small delivery trucks cause accidents in Pennsylvania
Delivery trucks drive throughout Pittsburgh, including on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I-376, I-79, and the many city and neighborhood roads. Delivery trucks include large semis and tractor-trailers that deliver consumer and business goods to local warehouses and businesses. They also include smaller trucks, such as box trucks, that deliver goods from warehouses and businesses to local residents.
At Carmody and Ging, Injury & Accident Lawyers, we understand the unique challenges injury victims face when filing truck accident claims involving delivery trucks. There are often issues, including determining which trucking companies and businesses are liable in addition to the driver, and which insurance policy covers your claim. We seek compensation for all your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost income, and property damage. Call us today if a delivery truck caused your injuries or the death of a loved one.
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How can we help?
- What are the different types of delivery trucks in Pittsburgh?
- Why do delivery truck accidents happen?
- What types of injuries do delivery truck accidents cause?
- Who is liable for delivery truck accidents?
- What compensation can victims of delivery truck accidents in Pittsburgh receive?
- Do you have a Pittsburgh delivery truck lawyer near me?
What are the different types of delivery trucks in Pittsburgh?
There are many different companies that use delivery trucks. Some of these trucks deliver a wide range of equipment, machines, and consumer goods from multiple retailers. Some delivery trucks are part of a retail store’s services, such as Walmart or Target. Other delivery trucks deliver products tied to a specific business, such as pizza delivery trucks and local supermarket trucks.
At Carmody and Ging, Injury & Accident Lawyers, we file truck accident claims involving the following types of delivery trucks:
- Amazon vans
- FedEx trucks
- UPS trucks
- USPS trucks
- Walmart, Target, and other commercial trucks
- Local couriers
- Reefers (refrigerated trucks)
- Box trucks
- Flatbeds
- Other trucks
Claims involving USPS vehicles are generally governed by the Federal Tort Claims Act, which requires filing an administrative claim against the United States before any lawsuit may proceed.
Why do delivery truck accidents happen?
Delivery trucks are often much more difficult to drive than cars. Many delivery trucks (particularly those meeting federal or Pennsylvania CDL vehicle-weight or use thresholds) require drivers to hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
Some of the reasons that delivery truck accidents happen include:
- Driver distraction. Many delivery truck drivers over-rely on their GPS devices. Instead of looking at the road, they may look at their GPS map, which can cause a truck driver to lose focus. Other common causes of distraction for delivery truck drivers include texting, using a mobile phone, eating, or drinking while driving.
- Blind spots. Many delivery trucks don’t have rear windows. Many don’t have windows along the sides of the truck, other than where their doors are. Blind spots make visibility dangerous. Drivers need to use extra caution when they change lanes, exit roadways, merge, or pass.
- Lack of proper training. Trucking companies often don’t train their drivers in how to drive delivery trucks. Many delivery truck drivers don’t know the proper safety protocols for anticipating and responding to known truck driving dangers.
- Overloaded trucks and unsecured cargo. If cargo moves during a delivery trip, the driver can lose control of the truck. If a truck is overloaded, the driver may have difficulty steering. Some overloaded cargo can spill out of the truck, causing dangerous conditions for anyone nearby.
- Driver fatigue. Many drivers operate their trucks longer than they should and experience fatigue, in order to make more deliveries and earn more money. The FMCSA regulates how long commercial truck drivers can drive before taking an appropriate rest break.
- Speeding and other traffic violations. For delivery truck drivers, time is money. Drivers who speed, drive through traffic signals, or violate any of Pennsylvania’s traffic laws may be risking an accident. Drivers who drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs also cause many accidents.
- Wide-turn accidents. Longer trucks need more room to complete their turns. Some delivery truck drivers may need to use two lanes of travel to complete their turns.
- Braking accidents. Generally, trucks need more time and distance to come to a complete stop.
- Backing out of accidents. Delivery truck drivers need to use extra caution when backing out of a loading dock, driveway, or other locations.
Other causes of delivery truck accidents include:
- Sudden stops
- Dooring injuries occur when the driver opens a door to the delivery truck
We examine electronic logging devices, black boxes, maintenance records, repair records, phone records, dashcams, warehouse departure logs, and other evidence to help show why delivery truck accidents happen.
What types of injuries do delivery truck accidents cause?
Delivery truck accidents can cause most of the same injuries that car accidents cause. The main difference is that delivery truck injuries tend to be more serious because delivery trucks are heavier and larger than most cars.
Our Pittsburgh personal injury lawyers handle all types of catastrophic, permanent, chronic, and serious injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), concussions, and other types of head trauma
- Paralysis, herniated disks, and other types of spinal cord injuries
- Loss of limb/traumatic amputation
- Broken bones/fractures
- Burn injuries
- Tissue injuries, including muscle, nerve, tendon, and ligament damage
- Neck, shoulder, and back pain
- Lung, kidney, and other types of organ damage
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of hearing or vision
- Emotional suffering
- Death
Who is liable for delivery truck accidents?
Determining who is liable for delivery truck accidents is complicated. Does the truck driver work for themselves, for a trucking company, or for the company that also produces the products/inventory? Is the driver an employee or an independent contractor? Often, the defendants will blame each other. There are many questions we need to answer.
We can file your claim against the appropriate parties, depending on the type of delivery truck, the relationship between the truck driver and the companies involved in the shipment, and other factors.
The defendants may include:
- The truck driver
- The truck driver’s employer
- The owner of the truck
- The companies involved in the shipment
- A manufacturer of defective truck parts
- The companies involved in loading and unloading the delivery truck
- Maintenance and repair companies
- Other defendants
An example – Amazon
- Amazon. Amazon normally enters into independent contracts with local drivers to make deliveries. These drivers include:
- Amazon Flex Drivers. These drivers use their own vehicles to deliver packages from warehouses to consumers. They often have assigned geographical areas and/or routes.
- Delivery Service Partners (DSPs). These companies use their own trucks and hire local drivers. DSPs enter into contracts with Amazon to make deliveries. If a delivery truck driver is liable, a DSP may be liable.
- Amazon Drivers. Amazon may hire its own drivers to make deliveries between warehouses and from suppliers to the warehouses.
Generally, Amazon may be liable if its policies contribute to unsafe driving (such as quota demands) or they control the routes that the delivery drivers take. Amazon Flex provides contingent liability coverage of up to $1 million when a driver is actively logged into the app and making deliveries, subject to specific conditions and exclusions.
DSPs should have their own insurance and may be vicariously liable for the negligence of the drivers they employ.
Some companies, like UPS, use their own trucks and hire their drivers directly.
At Carmody and Ging, Injury & Accident Lawyers, we work to show that a commercial insurance policy, such as Amazon Flex, covers your claim.
Truck drivers in Pennsylvania are required to carry liability insurance, though coverage limits vary, and some delivery drivers may carry only the state minimum, while others are subject to higher federal commercial insurance requirements.
What compensation can victims of delivery truck accidents in Pittsburgh receive?
At Carmody and Ging, Injury & Accident Lawyers, we work with your doctors (and our network of doctors when necessary), employers and other financial experts, vehicle damage experts, and others to maximize your claim.
We seek compensation for all your past, current, and future damages, including:
- Medical bills of every type by every provider
- Lost income and lost benefits, for as long as you can’t work
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Vehicle damage
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of life’s pleasures
- Loss of bodily function
- Loss of consortium (marital enjoyment)
If a delivery truck accident takes the life of your loved one, we file a wrongful death claim for the eligible family members.
Wrongful death damages for these claims include:
- The funeral and burial costs
- The loss of financial support, including income and inheritances
- The loss of personal support (love, companionship, comfort, and guidance)
- The value of household services your loved one would have performed
- Any outstanding medical bills due to the accident
Where Pennsylvania law permits, we may seek punitive/exemplary damages.
Do you have a Pittsburgh delivery truck lawyer near me?
Yes. We meet accident victims at our Pittsburgh office located at: Deutschtown Center - 801 Vinial Street, 3rd Floor
We can also speak with clients by phone or through online video. If your health prevents you from traveling, we’re here to make arrangements to see you at your home or another location.
Our team can guide you calmly and clearly through the claims process.
Get help from our accomplished Pittsburgh delivery truck accident lawyers now
We understand how upset you are. You’re not sure if you will ever feel healthy again. Your bills are mounting. It’s hard to know who is responsible for delivery truck accidents. At Carmody and Ging, Injury & Accident Lawyers, we have the experience and resources to fight for your future. Please call us or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.
