Injuries sustained from a UPS truck accident can be devastating. Our firm understands the hardships, as well as the financial strains one faces from medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and even fatal injuries incurred after a UPS truck accident.
We are members of the Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America (APITLA), an organization formed with the intention of making our highways safer and facilitating networking between lawyers who handle major truck injury collisions. Devastating physical injuries, and often wrongful deaths, due to unsafe trucking companies have become an epidemic on our nation’s highways.
A UPS truck accident lawyer at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger can help you rebuild your life following a catastrophic injury. Our injury attorneys are experts in handling cases where negligent and careless UPS truck drivers have caused injuries to pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and vehicle drivers.
UPS Truck Accident Statistics
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in the latest 24 month reporting period, there were 2,792 total accidents involving a UPS truck in the U.S. Of those accidents, 64 were fatal and 994 resulted in injury.
UPS inspects their trucks and marks them for violations before going out on the road. In the latest reporting statistics, they inspected a total of 15,208 and allowed 5,017 trucks with violations to still be used in delivery.
What Unsafe Driving Practices Cause UPS Truck Accidents?
UPS employs an estimated 240,000 drivers and average a collective 12 million driving miles a day. With those kinds of numbers, accidents are bound to occur. There are several different causes of a UPS truck accident. The most common practices to cause a UPS truck accident include:
- Driver fatigue (lack of breaks)
- Speeding (needing to meet deadlines)
- Mechanical or maintenance issues
- Distracted driving
- Driving under the influence
- Weather and road conditions
- Improper loaded truck and improperly securing items
- Inexperience or undertrained drivers
Due to the size and shape of the trucks, a routine accident can have a serious or even fatal impact.
Common Injuries After a UPS Truck Accident?
UPS trucks can weigh up to 20x more than the average sedan, which means there is a much higher injury and fatality rate than normal car accidents. The most common injuries sustained in a UPS truck accident include:
- Broken and fractured bones
- Head injuries
- Brain trauma and damage
- Back and neck injuries
- Whiplash
- Concussions
- Lacerations, burns, and bruises
- Internal organ damages and bleeding
- Mental health issues (anxiety, PTSD)
- Death
Sometimes, a person will not realize their injuries immediately after a collision, which is why it is important to seek medical attention right after the accident, regardless of pain. The most common injury that goes unnoticed after an accident is damage to soft tissue or organs, and whiplash. Getting a proper diagnosis and prompt medical attention will help in filing an insurance claim.
What to Do Immediately Following a Collision
If you or a loved one have been in a collision with a UPS truck, it is important to take the proper safety precautions and steps, including:
- Call the police
- If you have a serious injury, wait for an ambulance to arrive before moving
- Get the driver’s and truck information
- Take pictures
- Talk to any nearby witnesses
- Document everything
- Obtain a copy of the police report
- Seek further medical attention
Your safety and health should be the number one concern after an accident. However, obtaining as much information as you can at the scene will help with any and all claims you might file against the company and insurance.
UPS accidents can occur between an automobile, motorcycle, bicycle, or even a pedestrian. It is important to collect all information at an accident scene and keep track of all medical records and expenses. Keeping record of all injuries and damages sustained will help file a claim and prove fault, which will allow us to get the proper compensation you deserve.
Who Is Held Liable in a UPS Truck Accident?
UPS will never just automatically accept liability in an accident. They never want to pay a large sum out of a claim, so it is the victim’s burden to prove their claim and show fault. Additionally, there could be multiple parties involved in an accident, which means that there could be several avenues to receive compensation for damages.
Under California law, employers are responsible for an employee’s negligent actions. UPS directly employs their drivers (they are not contracted out), which means it is the company’s insurance that will cover an accident and not the driver’s.
Finding the cause and fault in a UPS truck accident is the number one factor in determining who to file a claim against (or even if there is a claim at all). This is why it is important to contact an experienced UPS truck accident lawyer as soon as possible after an accident. A lawyer can help collect the necessary evidence and determine fault.
Contact Our UPS Truck Accident Lawyers for Representation
If you or a loved one has been injured in a UPS truck accident, regardless of whose fault you think it is, you have the right to seek proper compensation for your injuries and damages suffered. We, at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger, have the experience you want on your side to build a case against UPS.
We have secured millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients injured by truckers’ negligence. Our track record in all types of cases speaks for itself. To put our experience to work for your family, contact a California UPS truck accident lawyer at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger for a free consultation. Call us at (415) 981-7210 or contact the Walkup firm online.
