UPS is one of the biggest package delivery companies in the world, with over 123,000 of its vans, cars, tractors on the road every day. Unfortunately, accidents involving their trucks are increasingly common on the roads of Florida.
If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident involving a UPS truck, tractor-trailer, or van in Englewood, you may be owed money damages for your losses, including medical bills and lost wages. There are a number of parties who could be considered liable in your accident case, including the UPS driver and UPS themselves.
It is crucial that you consult with an experienced and dedicated truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. At The Law Place, our team of skilled Englewood truck accident attorneys has over seventy-five years of combined experience between them, and together, they can seek justice on your behalf.
So don’t hesitate, call our law firm today at (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation. Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Accidents Involving UPS Trucks in Englewood, FL.
United Parcel Services, otherwise known as UPS, is one of the world’s biggest package delivery companies, serving over 20 countries. In 2018 alone, they delivered 5.2 billion documents and packages worldwide and 20.7 million documents and packages daily.
The company typically uses 18-wheeler trucks, vans, and planes to ship packages, cargo, and freight to homes, businesses, and even government entities.
Because UPS trucks cover thousands of miles every day, accidents involving them frequently happen on the roads and highways of Englewood and Florida in general.
Who Is the Liable Party in a UPS Truck Accident Case
Liability in UPS truck accident cases can be a complex matter. When a collision involving one of these trucks happens, various parties, organizations, and entities could be involved. A skilled truck accident lawyer will investigate the case and determine liability on your behalf.
One or a combination of the following parties may be liable for an accident involving a UPS truck:
The UPS Company
UPS delivery trucks and their truck drivers are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The FMCSA seeks to protect the lives of all road users by putting in place strict guidelines for the trucking and passenger transport industry. Trucking companies like UPS are expected to:
- Carry out regular drug and alcohol testing.
- Abide by laws regarding the maximum weight a fully loaded truck or trailer can legally carry.
- Sufficiently train all of their drivers.
- Ensure that all of their drivers and trucks have the appropriate licenses.
- Meet all of the vehicle maintenance requirements.
- Ensure that all of their drivers meet certain health requirements.
- Ensure that all of their drivers are, overall, physically fit enough to operate a truck.
- Abide by HOS rules that govern the hours a truck driver can drive in a single shift and standard workweek.
If UPS is found to have breached any of these rules and an accident occurs, they could be held liable for any injuries and property damage that results from it. In this case, it would be UPS, and they would be expected to pay compensation to injury victims. However, only experienced truck accident lawyers can take on large corporations like UPS. To find out more, contact us for a free case evaluation.
The UPS Truck Driver
Sometimes truck accidents occur because of the actions of the truck driver themselves. Some examples of cases where the truck driver would be considered liable include:
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI) – Unfortunately, even people who drive for living cause accidents because they are intoxicated.
- Driving whist distracted – For example, using their mobile phone.
- Speeding – This is common for delivery drivers when they are under pressure to meet delivery targets.
- Driving whilst fatigued – some drivers skip breaks and work extra hours to make more money, but this leads to unsafe driving.
In some cases, the driver will have faced criminal charges for their negligent actions. However, this is often not enough for accident victims. When insurance companies don’t pay out, victims often need to file a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver to receive their losses. For more information, call The Law Place for a free consultation.
The Maintenance or Repair Company
Any entity that is made responsible for the UPS vehicle’s repair and/or maintenance can be held accountable for any accidents involving trucks they have worked on. For example, if the truck was recently sent for repairs, but these repairs were not sufficiently carried out, accidents can easily happen. However, it is likely that evidence of poor repair or maintenance can only be found by an experienced truck accident lawyer.
The Road Maintenance Company
It could even be possible that the company that was directly involved in designing and maintaining the roadway where the accident occurred could be liable for your injuries. If the roadway conditions contributed to your UPS truck accident, a skilled lawyer could help you to prove that this was the case.
The Manufacturer of the UPS Vehicle
If a part on the UPS vehicle turned out to be defective, faulty, or negligently designed, the manufacturer could be at fault. If a truck manufacturing company is responsible for your injuries, they should be held accountable. An experienced truck accident lawyer can help you file a personal injury claim against them.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day. UPS Truck Accidents Caused by Impaired and Reckless Driving
The working conditions of UPS drivers can contribute to accidents. However, no matter what the circumstances are, if a driver’s actions have placed you at risk of harm, the driver, or in some cases, their employer, will be considered negligent under Florida law.
Impaired Driving
UPS truck drivers will usually get paid for the number of deliveries they make in one shift. Therefore, they will often drive for many hours at a time and even skip breaks to make as many deliveries as possible. Because of this, some of them are known to use stimulants in an attempt to stay alert and awake. Unfortunately, these stimulants can lead to impaired driving, and this can lead to collisions.
Other UPS drivers take prescription medication such as painkillers for injuries, chronic pain, or an illness. Due to the fact that most UPS truck drivers are not paid when they take time off sick, they rely on medication to continue to earn a living. When medication is not taken correctly, this can also lead to impaired driving.
Reckless Driving
UPS truck drivers are often under a lot of pressure to meet deadlines. When they find themselves running behind schedule because they stopped for a break or because there was heavy traffic on the road, they may resort to running red lights or speeding to make up time.
UPS truck drivers have reported feeling angry and stressed about the pressure that they are put under to make deliveries. These emotions can cause them to make reckless driving maneuvers such as lane switching without signaling, failing to yield, and tailgating.
All drivers on the roads of Englewood, FL., have a legal duty of care to other drivers and pedestrians on the road. There is never a reasonable excuse for negligent driving behavior because it will increase the risk of accidents.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience Making a Claim for Compensation Following a UPS Truck Accident in Englewood, FL.
In the State of Florida, all road users are required by law to have PIP (personal injury protection) coverage as part of their insurance package. This insurance is in place to cover some of the cost of damages in the event of an auto accident.
However, because accidents involving UPS trucks are often serious, accident victims commonly discover that their insurance company will not cover the full extent of their damages. They are often left with just one option – filing a personal injury claim with the help of a truck accident lawyer.
UPS is a very large corporation with comprehensive corporate liability policies. These policies have very high claim limits, which are much higher than those of standard-sized cars and other small vehicles. This is because the trucks that they use are far more likely to cause serious damage. For this reason, if UPS or any other delivery service is in any way liable for your injuries, they have the money to compensate you in full.
Big companies like UPS should not be taken on alone. The dedicated Englewood personal injury attorneys at our law firm have dealt with claims such as this many times before and can use their skills and experience to negotiate a settlement on your behalf. If a fair settlement cannot be reached, the truck accident lawyers at our law firm are ready and willing to take the trucking companies to court.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers. The Types of Compensation You Can Expect
An Englewood truck accident attorney from our law firm can investigate your case to establish the true value of your claim and help you can make a claim for the following types of compensation:
- Medical expenses – Victims of truck accidents are left with expensive medical bills. If someone else was at fault in your accident, you might be eligible to claim compensation for any past, current, and future medical costs that you will be expected to pay. This includes money for medical equipment, prescriptions, physical therapy, and even travel to and from medical appointments.
- Property damage – If your vehicle was damaged or totaled in the UPS truck accident, you should be reimbursed in full for repair costs or the replacement of the totaled vehicle.
- Lost wages – If you have been left unable to work due to serious injuries sustained in the truck accident, any lost wages or future loss of earnings lost should be covered in your personal injury settlement.
- Permanent disfigurement or disability – If the UPS truck accident that you were involved in left you with permanent disfigurement or a disability, then your compensation should take into account the long-term effect that this will have on your life.
- Pain and suffering – compensation for emotional distress and ongoing pain brought on by serious collisions is known as pain and suffering damages. Victims of serious road accidents often experience stress, anxiety, insomnia, and PTSD. They are also likely to be left with chronic pain for many years to come. A dedicated truck accident lawyer will ensure that your settlement is reflective of the short and long-term impact the accident will have on your life.
For more information about damages that you may be eligible to claim following an Englewood UPS truck accident, call The Law Place for a free consultation with one of our friendy truck accident attorneys.
Wrongful Death Damages
Unfortunately, because trucking accidents are often more serious than accidents involving standard-sized cars, they can result in fatalities. If you have sadly lost a loved one in a UPS truck accident, our lawyers can help you and your family make a claim for money damages such as:
- All of the funeral and burial costs
- Property loss and property damage.
- Loss of future income to a family household.
- Loss of future benefits such as retirement and medical benefits.
- The loss of love, affection, companionship, guidance, marital consortium, and more.
- The pain and suffering your loved one experienced before they passed.
- Loss of household services.
- Medical expenses.
For more information about wrongful death lawsuits, call The Law Place today for a free case evaluation.
Speak to the Truck Accident Lawyers at The Law Place Today
When truck accidents happen, the results are often devastating for victims and their families.
Delivery companies like UPS have big insurance policies, and the insurance companies they use employ resourceful and powerful attorneys. These attorneys will attempt to undermine and reduce claims made by innocent victims of UPS truck driver negligence and the negligence of UPS themselves.
To secure the compensation that you and your family deserve and are legally entitled to, it is crucial that you seek advice from an experienced and knowledgable UPS truck accident lawyer from The Law Place as soon as possible.
Contact us today at (941) 444-4444 to schedule your free consultation that is free of obligation. We can give you some much-needed support at a time when you need it the most.
