Over 6,800 transport, logistics, and distribution companies are located in Arkansas, and most have a presence in and around Little Rock. When the pandemic inspired an increase in online shopping, the number of delivery trucks on local streets went up accordingly. While this trend has been great for both the economy and consumers, it also increases your chance of being in a delivery truck accident.
Delivery truck crashes can be more challenging to resolve than accidents involving passenger vehicles. To begin with, larger businesses like Amazon, FedEx, and UPS tend to have more legal and financial resources to challenge a claim. These cases can also involve multiple defendants, such as the driver, their employer, and third-party maintenance companies. The added stress of pursuing compensation can be too much when you’re already coping with serious injuries.
Let an experienced Little Rock delivery truck accident lawyer fight for you during this difficult time. At the Levar Law Injury & Accident Lawyers, we aren’t afraid to hold large retailers and logistics companies accountable for any injuries they cause. Using a combination of extensive legal experience and proven trial ability, we fight hard for the outcome you need to recover. To learn more about what we can do for you and your family, contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
Which Delivery Trucks Are Encountered in Little Rock?
A lot of businesses use delivery trucks for their operations. No matter what time you’re driving through Little Rock, you’re guaranteed to come across vehicles from at least one of the companies below.
- Walmart: Walmart uses delivery vans to transport goods to and from its stores throughout the state. The retail giant currently has eight distribution centers in Arkansas, all of which have a steady flow of incoming and outgoing shipments.
- FedEx: FedEx delivery vans are a familiar sight on the streets of Little Rock as they deliver documents and packages to homes and businesses. These vans, many of which weigh around 13 tons, are involved in approximately 1000 accidents each year.
- Amazon: Amazon Delivery Partner Services, a division of Amazon Logistics, hires independent contractors for its deliveries. They are not employed by the company, so you can’t always sue Amazon directly after an accident involving a delivery truck.
- UPS: Using its familiar brown trucks, United Parcel Service (UPS) delivers packages and documents to millions of customers every day. While most deliveries go smoothly, others end in serious accidents that cause injury or death.
- USPS: Every day, USPS processes and delivers over 400 million pieces of mail, which means hundreds of mail trucks are on the road at any given time. In 2019, USPS delivery trucks were involved in 29,000 accidents, nearly half of which involved newer drivers.
Other retailers and service providers that use delivery trucks to serve customers across Little Rock include:
- Target
- Appliance stores
- Florists
- Furniture companies
- Grocery stores
- Home improvement stores
- Landscaping companies
- Restaurant supply services
Common Causes of Delivery Truck Accidents in Little Rock, AR
Delivery truck accidents can be caused by anything from inexperienced drivers to speeding and improperly loaded vehicles. Most crashes involve at least one of the following elements:
- Speeding: Speeding is the leading cause of car accidents for all drivers. When they speed in a delivery truck that weighs over 10 tons, the chances of serious injury or death in an accident are higher than normal.
- Lack of Experience: Professional drivers can be hard to find. Consequently, retailers and delivery companies may hire employees without the training or experience to safely operate a delivery truck.
- Distracted Driving: To avoid delaying their delivery times, drivers may attempt to multitask behind the wheel. This includes eating, making phone calls, sending texts, and operating the GPS. Any of these activities can take the driver’s attention away from the road long enough to cause a collision.
- Impaired Driving: When drivers do deliveries while impaired by drugs, alcohol, or exhaustion, they risk the lives of everyone around them.
- Reckless Driving: Deliveries have tight deadlines, and drivers can only go home once they are done. To improve their delivery times, drivers may indulge in reckless behavior like speeding through residential areas or changing lanes without looking.
- Poor Vehicle Maintenance: Vehicle maintenance is generally the responsibility of the driver and/or their employer. When a delivery van or truck isn’t properly maintained, mechanical failures like tire blowouts, electrical problems, or failed brakes can create deadly road conditions.
- Improperly Loaded Items or Goods: A lot of delivery trucks transport large items or boxes. If goods are not secured in the trailer, they may shift or tip. This can make the truck unstable during transit and lead to an accident.
Every job comes with stress, but that does not excuse unsafe driving or careless vehicle loading. When making deliveries to homes and businesses, drivers must be extra careful, and the employees who load the trucks need to ensure that all cargo is appropriately secured. If anyone fails to do their job properly, a Little Rock delivery truck accident lawyer will work to hold them accountable.
Accidents Involving Delivery Trucks Can Cause Severe Injuries
The average delivery truck is larger and heavier than a passenger car or a pickup truck. Collisions can result in extensive injuries, especially when a truck is fully loaded. Injuries caused by delivery truck crashes include:
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Cuts and lacerations
- Internal bleeding
- Neck and shoulder injuries
- Organ damage
- Seat belt and airbag injuries
- Soft tissue injuries, which include muscle and tendon damage
- Spinal cord injury
- Traumatic brain injury
Other motorists are not the only ones at risk. Delivery trucks can enter residential areas where children play and residents walk their dogs or ride bicycles. Pedestrians and bicyclists can suffer severe injuries if struck by delivery vehicles.
FAQS
What Compensation is Available After a Little Rock Delivery Truck Accident?
When you have been injured in a delivery truck accident, you must ensure you receive compensation to cover all your losses. Even minor injuries can become costly if complications arise. In Arkansas, you can seek damages for both economic and non-economic damages like the following:
- Current and future medical treatment
- Loss of income
- Loss of earning ability
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Wrongful death expenses like funeral and burial costs
To seek a fair settlement, your attorney will help you estimate your past, current, and future losses. The full extent of your injuries may not become apparent until days or weeks after the accident, so you should always speak with a lawyer before accepting an insurance offer.
How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help My Delivery Truck Accident Claim?
If you are injured in a delivery truck accident, it can be difficult to pursue compensation alone. Lawyers and adjusters employed by insurance companies may try to discredit your claims or place blame on you. For that reason, you might want to consider hiring a lawyer to help you with the following:
- Establishing Fault: Several parties may be responsible for pain and damage resulting from an accident. We can help you establish fault and pursue every form of compensation you are entitled to.
- Building a Case: Our team can help you compile the necessary evidence, such as crash reports, medical records, and witness testimony. We can then build a case with the evidence we uncover.
- Negotiating With Insurers: The insurance company may use tactics to reduce the value of your claim or even deny it altogether. We can communicate with insurers on your behalf and demand a fair settlement. If the insurer is unwilling to settle your case, we will not hesitate to file a lawsuit.
You don’t need to worry about not being able to afford an attorney for your case. We operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning that we will charge you attorney’s fees only if we obtain a financial award for you.
Questions? Get a Free Consultation From a Delivery Truck Accident Lawyer in Little Rock, AR
During the pandemic, online sales skyrocketed, with Americans spending an estimated $1.7 trillion between 2020 and 2022. This unprecedented demand for deliveries has filled the streets, highways, and interstates of Little Rock with delivery trucks of all sizes. Unfortunately, with so many of these vehicles on the road every day, delivery truck accidents are bound to happen.
The Little Rock delivery truck accident lawyers at the Levar Law Injury & Accident Lawyers know that these crashes can be life-changing. Even after you or your loved one recover from the initial injuries, the effects may still be with you for some time. This is why we offer free consultations to help you understand your legal options.
If you hire our Little Rock personal injury attorneys, we will diligently build your case, aggressively negotiate with insurers, and even take your case before a judge or jury to get the outcome you need. For more information or to schedule a free initial consultation, please call (501) 708-4833 or use our contact form.
Levar Law Injury & Accident Lawyers – Little Rock Office Location
204 Executive Ct #208
Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: 501-588-0082
