UPS has more truck accidents every year than FedEx. One reason that UPS has more accidents is simply that it has nearly six times more vehicles on the road than FedEx, its next largest delivery competitor. UPS has an estimated 3 billion road miles driven in the United States each year and a fleet of more than 120,000 vehicles. Any operation as large as UPS is bound to have accidents eventually. In fact, UPS currently averages about two dozen fatal accidents per year in the U.S. and about 400-500 accidents with serious injuries.

UPS drivers, like any other package delivery driver, are required to meet established deadlines. The constant pressure to do so can lead to drivers being more concerned about staying on schedule than about staying safe. As a result, delivery truck drivers may cause an accident for a number of reasons, such as:

• Driving too fast for road or weather conditions
• Failure to see another vehicle due to the truck’s large blind spot
• Inexperience or unqualified to drive the trucks safely
• Passing other vehicles or changing lanes when it’s unsafe to do so
• Distracted by their navigation systems, texting, or eating while driving
• Failure to yield the right-of-way at an intersection
• Inability to concentrate on driving safely due to exhaustion

The types of collisions that occur most frequently are when drivers attempt to merge into traffic, run a red light, strike another vehicle from the rear, or hit a parked car.

Delivery Truck Injuries

Because of the size and weight of the truck, injuries resulting from an accident with a UPS truck can be severe and life changing. Typical injuries resulting from these collisions include:

• Back and neck injuries
• Broken bones
• Spinal cord damage
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Amputation injuries

UPS Truck Accident Claim

Personal injury claims resulting from accidents with a UPS truck often have a significantly higher value than other traffic injury claims. Two key reasons for this include the severity of the injuries and a large amount of available insurance coverage. Compensation for a personal injury claim is primarily based on the severity of injuries sustained. Because accidents involving trucks such as those operated by UPS are more likely to cause death or major injuries the incidents often cause more serious injuries and death, directly resulting in larger average settlements and verdicts.

Additionally, in a company as large and well-established as UPS, there is little to no risk of not having sufficient insurance coverage

After an Accident with a UPS Truck

Call the Police or Local Law Enforcement

If you are involved in a ‘significant’ vehicular accident in Florida, you are

legally required to report the accident to the police. An accident resulting in financial losses of $500 or more is considered ‘significant’.

The police will complete an official accident report, which identifies the parties involved, the location of the accident, relevant details about the scene, and the vehicle involved. The report will also include any witnesses to the accident as well. Police will collect evidence and look for any impairment from those involved in the accident, such as alcohol or drug consumption, that may prove pivotal in your claim. Police officers will listen to statements and include in the record their conclusion as to how the accident occurred. The official police report can be crucial in any personal injury claim.

Get Medical Attention

Seek medical attention for your injuries as soon as possible. Getting medical care right away is important, not just for your health, but also to support your personal injury claim. Once you start your medical care, it is important that you complete the treatment plan from your doctor and therapists. If you miss appointments and do not complete the recommended treatment plan, it can affect the value of your claim with the insurance company.

Collect Evidence from the Scene

It is always a good idea to collect as much evidence as you can after an accident.

Photographs are relied on heavily by insurance adjusters, judges, and juries to

determine liability. Be sure to take clear pictures of the accident scene,

including the vehicles involved, the surrounding area, crosswalks, and traffic

signals and signs. Take pictures from several locations so that you capture different angles of the collision.

Do Not Make Statements

Refrain from making statements about the accident and your injuries to anyone except the police, your insurance company, and your attorney. UPS or its insurers will promptly start investigators working on interviewing other drivers and witnesses. If there were several other drivers involved, you could be contacted by investigators hired by attorneys representing those other victims. You should speak with your attorney prior to giving any statements.

Evidence to Support Your UPS Truck Accident Claim

If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a UPS driver, it is important to talk with a knowledgeable, personal injury attorney who has the experience to handle claims for major injuries and deaths against trucking companies such as United Parcel Service. You need an attorney that knows where and how to find the evidence you need to support your case. For example, major trucking companies will typically maintain extensive records on their drivers, including driver training, accidents, and driving records, that should be thoroughly reviewed to determine if the driver was properly trained and supervised by the company. Large commercial trucks will typically collect driving and accident data via GPS, onboard sensors, and recording instruments. This data, such as speed, braking, and direction of travel, is invaluable and allows investigators to reconstruct the accident and determine clear liability. Major accident cases against trucking companies like UPS almost always require more extensive investigation, and the discovery process is more in-depth.

Contact Us Today

Having a knowledgeable, trusted personal injury attorney working for you can make the difference in ensuring you get full compensation for your injuries and damages. Your attorney will know where to find the evidence you need to support your claim.

When you contact Battaglia, Ross, Dicus & McQuaid, P.A., we will take the time to get to know you and understand all the ways your life has been affected by your accident. We pride ourselves on being empathetic, compassionate, and caring. This is just one of the reasons we are Florida’s top-rated personal injury attorneys – providing personalized legal advice addressed to meet your individual needs.

Contact us today and we will fight to get the results you deserve.