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What Do I Do If a Delivery Truck Hit My Car in Denver?

11/28/2021

Driving is a very natural part of our lives and it’s as common for some as eating and sleeping during the day. What if you get hit while commuting to work or taking the kids to school? 

Getting hit by another vehicle while driving can result in life-altering circumstances like property damage and severe injuries for the accident victims. In 2020, the Colorado Department of Transportation reported 495 fatal car accidents in the state.. Although the number of accidents in the state has been seen going down, it’s still an alarming situation.

On a daily basis, you must see a lot of delivery trucks from different companies making rounds on the roads and the same delivery trucks can hit your car for various reasons. 

For situations like these, you need to know what actions you can and should take so you can claim compensation from the liable parties in question. 

Let’s look at the details of car accident lawsuits in Denver and who you can hold responsible if a delivery truck hits your car. 

What are the Different Types of Car Accidents? 

Delivery driver wearing a mask delivers a package

Motor vehicle accidents can range in severity depending on the type and orientation of collisions. The following are the most commonly recorded types of car accidents: 

  1. Head-on car accidents 
  2. Rear-end car accidents 
  3. Side or T-bone car accidents 
  4. Rollover accidents 

No matter the kind of accident and the way a delivery truck hits your car. There is no doubt that there will be monetary and other kinds of losses involved during the accident. The most serious being the injuries an accident victim sustains during an accident. 

What Can Cause a Delivery Truck Driver to Hit Your Car?

There may be different reasons for a delivery truck driver to hit your car. Very rarely, these accidents are caused by unforeseen and unpredictable circumstances. In the vast majority of these cases, the driver or drivers are at fault. Here are a few reasons why a delivery truck driver may hit your car: 

Distracted Driving

Driver distraction is one of the main reasons for car accidents in the US. A distracted driver has his attention divided, which can result in slow reflexes and reaction times. This can lead to loss of control of the vehicle. The driver can drive into oncoming traffic lanes and cause fatal accidents. 

Drunk Driving 

A drunk driver has slow reaction times and major issues with focusing on the movement of traffic and traffic flow. They can engage in erratic driving behavior like hard braking and overspeeding and these can cause an accident and collision with another vehicle. They can also go against the flow of traffic and hit a car in the opposite lane of traffic. 

Drunk drivers can also enter parking spaces and lose control of the vehicle. As a result, they can hit parked vehicles. 

Bad Weather

Bad weather is a natural cause for a delivery truck or dump truck driver to hit your car and cause bodily harm such as a broken bone or fractures.

What Bodily Injury Can be Caused Due to a Delivery Truck Hitting Your Car? 

Injuries sustained by a victim when a delivery truck or licensed vehicle hits their car can lead to short-term and long-term effects on their life. Some of these injuries can be severe enough to cause wrongful death. Let’s look at possible injuries that could be caused by a car accident in Colorado: 

  • Traumatic brain injury 
  • Paralysis 
  • Broken bones and fractures 
  • Neck injury 
  • Abdominal injuries 
  • Amputations 
  • Permanent disability

These physical injuries are serious enough to keep the victim away from their day-day activities and normal life and it is important that liability is established and the negligent driver is held responsible for the accident. Not only this, but the driver’s employer is also to be held accountable for this negligence.  

Who Can You Hold Accountable If a Delivery Truck Driver Hits Your Car In Denver? 

If your car has been hit by a delivery truck driver with a licensed vehicle in Colorado, it is fortunate for you that the state of Colorado allows victims of a car accident to sue both the driver and the driver’s employer, who is the ultimate vehicle owner, in case of involvement in an accident. 

What is Vicarious Liability? 

Large trucks travel on the highways of Denver

The state of Colorado allows the accident victim to file a personal injury lawsuit against an employer or vehicle owner if the employee was involved in and was responsible for the accident while they were operating the vehicle for their job. This concept is called vicarious liability and holds the delivery truck driver’s employee liable for the actions of their employee while they’re performing their job. 

Let’s look at some examples of vicarious liability: 

  • A motor vehicle accident victim hit by a delivery truck driver while the delivery truck driver was on the way to work.
  • A motor vehicle accident victim hit by a delivery truck being driven by a commercial driver.

Obviously, this rule has some exemptions. For example: 

  • An employer cannot be held liable for an employee’s action if the accident occurred when the driver was driving outside the scope of work.. For example, the employee was using the company car or automobile trailer for personal use. 
  • An employer cannot be sued if the employee intentionally hits another motorist while driving or is intentionally involved in obstruction of traffic.

An experienced accident attorney will help you make your claim according to the evidence and help you decide whether you should sue for vicarious liability or not. 

What is Negligent Supervision? 

You have the option to sue for negligent supervision if you can prove that the employer retained, hired, or failed to supervise an employee that caused the accident. Some examples of this scenario include: 

  • A courier company that hires a delivery person that has a history of distracted driving 
  • A commercial driver hired by a trucking company without making sure they have a commercial driving license

If you are injured in an accident due to a delivery truck driver hitting your car and ignoring driver safety, you need to hire a personal injury lawyer.. The personal injury lawyer will develop a robust claim and get you financial compensation for your losses. 

What Should You Do When a Delivery Truck Driver Hits Your Car? 

How you react after a delivery truck driver hits your car can have an impact on your accident injury claims against the driver and his employer. 

Here are a few things we recommend you do after the accident: 

Call the Police 

If you aren’t immediately carried away in an ambulance. Call 911 and report the accident. As soon as the person in charge is at the accident scene, ask them to report the accident. This accident report and the initial recordings of the accident will help your accident attorney make your case later on.

Gather all the Necessary Information

Use your phone to take pictures of your accident-related injuries and your car if you can. Talk to the delivery truck driver, get their employer’s information, insurance company information, name, address, contact number, driver’s license, and license plate number on the spot. 

If there are any witnesses to the accident, make sure you take their contact information and, if possible, ask them if they will be willing to submit a statement regarding what they saw. 

Seek Medical Attention 

It is important that you seek medical attention immediately. A public health professional or a doctor is the best resource to tell you what kind of injuries you have sustained and develop a treatment plan for you. You need to keep a record of these as these can be essential in getting you financial compensation for your medical bills when you claim them.

While you're at it, also keep note of any additional expenses you incurred as a result of the accident.  

Do not Talk to Insurance Agents 

If you are going to sue a company for an accident or even their employee, it is possible that you will be claiming compensation from their insurance company. Insurance companies have one goal - to pay as little money to you as possible. They train agents to make you say things that will let them get away without a fair settlement. Our advice is to never talk to them without a personal injury attorney present. 

What Damages Can You Recover From a Delivery Truck Driver That Hits Your Car? 

Accident injury victims have every right to claim maximum compensation from the at-fault driver and their employer on a factual basis. Car accidents can lead to mounting medical expenses, physical therapy bills, monetary damage, property damage, and major effects on mental health. 

Some long term effects include: 

  • Lost current and future income 
  • Disability 
  • Embarrassment 
  • Stress 
  • Loss of Sleep
  • Anxiety 
  • Trauma 

All these harms and losses, including medical care and medical bills, need to be considered as part of a fair settlement for the victim. An experienced personal injury lawyer will help you navigate the legal process and negotiate with the insurance company and their insurance policy to get you the compensation you deserve. 

How Can Firouzbakht Law Help You? 

At Firouzbakht law, we understand that a car accident can lead to life-changing circumstances for the victim. We are empaths and we strive to get fair settlements for our clients that have been hit by a delivery truck driver. Our personal injury attorneys can help the client focus on their recovery after an accident instead of having to worry about the legal process and negotiating with the insurance company. 

Delivery truck driver heading to the streets of Denver to get packages deliverd

We investigate your case and develop a robust claim for your financial, physical, and mental suffering. Whether it is economic or non-economic damages incurred as a result of a car accident, our experienced personal injury lawyers will file a notice of claim and get you maximum compensation. 

We are famous for our attorney-client relationship and work tirelessly to win your case.

Remember that, according to Colorado State Law the period of time within which you can file a personal injury claim is 3 years. We urge you to contact us as soon as possible so we can use this authorized time period to build a foolproof case for you.

Has your car been hit by a delivery truck driver in Denver.? Call us now. 

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