Anytime you go out on the road, you open yourself to the risk of being hit by another driver. Not everyone drives with care and attention, and accidents happen every single day. In addition to regular drivers who get into crashes, however, there are also cases where FedEx drivers cause accidents. These accidents can be even more harmful because of the size of the trucks and contents located within. Further, the legal process that accompanies a FedEx crash can be more complex than a regular personal injury claim due to the fact that FedEx drivers are commercial drivers, and you would be involving a company’s insurance policy instead of a personal auto insurance policy. If you have been involved in an accident with a FedEx driver, you should consult with an expert attorney to figure out how much you can receive. Our team of lawyers at Normandie Law Firm is here to help you receive the compensation you deserve from a FedEx accident. Our clients will often call us with questions about how to move forward after an incident with the company; they ask us questions such as:
- What is the average settlement for accident with FedEx truck?
- What is the average case value of a FedEx truck crash case?
- How much is a case worth if I were hit by a FedEx truck?
- How much is a FedEx truck accident case worth?
FedEx Drivers
FedEx is a delivery company that functions differently than the United States postal Service. They deliver packages during times that fall outside of regular USPS hours and have different limits on what can and cannot be shipped. FedEx packages are the most commonly delivered items. The drivers often park their vehicles in the middle of street, or close to it, and deliver the package to the recipient’s home. The drivers seldom park their trucks somewhere safe, which can cause a road hazard.
In fact, the drivers may be a part of numerous unsafe acts that can contribute to accidents, whether directly or indirectly. If you are involved in an accident with a FedEx truck, you should reach out to one of our lawyers for assistance in filing a lawsuit.
Causes of Accidents
FedEx drivers can behave just like any other driver on the road – there is a possibility for outright dangerous and negligent driving, such as by running stop signs, ignoring stop lights, failing to yield, refusing to use turn signals when passing, ignoring right of way laws, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or medication, speeding, and more.
Other more specific causes of accidents include:
- Returning to traffic with no signals
- Not using emergency or hazard lights when parked
- Not deploying the parking brake
- Driver fatigue from lengthy time spent on the road
- Crashes that cause the contents of the truck to spill and create additional road hazards
- Improper stacking of cargo, leading to unbalanced weight distribution which can cause tipping
- Failure to properly attach equipment to truck
- Poor maintenance of vehicle
Parked and empty FedEx trucks can cause drivers to try and swerve around or pass, which can cause head on collisions or accidents with pedestrians. Even the drivers themselves could be struck while returning to the vehicles. There is a possibility that you could blame the FedEx driver for the accident due to him causing a hazard and collect compensation from a lawsuit.
Because FedEx trucks are so much larger than normal cars, accidents involving the vehicles can be deadly. There is a chance that crashes can leave the FedEx driver safe because of the size differences, while the smaller car could be completely totaled and its passengers all severely or fatally wounded. FedEx drivers are held to a high standard by the company, but accidents happen, and you deserve fair compensation if you are injured because of a driver’s negligence.
Filing a Lawsuit against a Driver
In order to file a lawsuit against a FedEx driver, you must be able to prove four points of negligence. These points are present in every negligence-based personal injury case, and an expert attorney can help you show each of them to be true.
You were owed a duty of care. Any driver who is on the road automatically owes a duty of care to all other individuals, whether those individuals are fellow drivers, passengers, pedestrians, or cyclists. The duty is to not inflict any harm on anyone or place anyone in dangerous situations.
The duty of care was breached. This occurs when a driver commits some action that puts others in harm’s way. It may be speeding, driving recklessly, driving while distracted, and more.
The breach led to an accident. By breaking the law in some way or by not driving with attention, an accident must have occurred, whether it’s a rear end, sideswipe, or other type of crash.
The accident resulted in actual physical injuries. If you were not injured, you would not be able to file a personal injury claim. Any physical damages that you suffered because of the accident can be used to show that you were harmed, ensuring that the fourth point is proven.
By filing a claim against FedEx, you would be eligible to earn a few different types of compensation.
What You May Earn
A personal injury claim can net you various damages. If you were harmed in the incident, you could have your medical bills covered, including any costs related to surgery, medication and prescription drugs, hospitalization and extended stays, physical therapy, and more. If you require more medical treatments afterward, those costs can also be covered.
Your property may also have been damaged in the accident. You could have the cost of repairs to your car and replacement costs for any lost or damaged personal items reimbursed.
Any days you missed at work because of your injury can lead to you having your wages reimbursed; further, just like with medical bills, if you were to miss additional days because of medical treatment or recovery time, those future earnings could be covered as well.
There is a chance that you had intense emotional or mental damages after the incident. Pain and suffering compensation covers mental anguish, PTSD, fear, anxiety, psychological trauma, and more. These wounds are often the most difficult to cure, and because of the profound effect they can have on other areas of your life, the compensation amount is usually the highest.
An attorney can help you understand how much your case could be worth.
Average Settlement Amount for a FedEx Accident
The value of your FedEx accident case cannot be entirely accurately determined; there is no settlement calculator that allows you to plug in your damages and a dollar amount is returned to you. Rather, insurance adjusters or jury members will consider your injuries, the effect they have on your life and career, and other things that factor into the amount you are offered. The amount of compensation, then, can only be guessed at by our lawyers, but we can generally give you a good idea. We also have provided some similar cases that can be used as a benchmark to determine the settlement amount of a FedEx accident lawsuit.
- $7,500,000 Verdict: A 22 year old female was killed by a FedEx truck. Her mother issued a wrongful death lawsuit against the company. A third of the verdict was dedicated to the previous pain and suffering of the deceased. The driver and FedEx admitted responsibility in the accident.
- $125,000 Settlement: A FedEx driver cut off another individual on the road, leading to the car crashing as it exited the roadway. The affected driver suffered numerous injuries, including to his neck, back, and hip. After various medical treatments, FedEx agreed to a settlement.
- $650,000 Verdict: After a FedEx truck rear-ended a 33 year old man, the driver suffered herniated discs in his back. Although FedEx’s representatives claimed that the victim did not properly indicate he was turning by using a signal, the jury awarded the man various damages. These damages covered medical costs and pain and suffering costs.
These are not indications of exactly what you may earn, but rather what is possible to receive. Not every case will have such catastrophic injuries and require such large amounts of compensation. In fact, the average median value of a FedEx accident case is not even in the five figure range. In general, the average settlement value for accident cases involving FedEx truck and vehicle is between $750,000 and $4,000,000 dollars. If you are interested in learning more about the value of your FedEx accident claim and what you could recover, do not hesitate to contact the experts at our firm immediately.
Second Opinion
The main reason many individuals call us inquiring about the average value of a FedEx accident case is due to curiosity over what they can earn. Often, these clients have legal representation, but they are unsure if they are being properly treated. Unfortunately, many lawyers will not fairly help their clients, and will try to burn through cases as quickly as possible to get fast settlements. By doing this, they can take on many more claims and will have to expend very little effort to get paid. The insurance company will appreciate the lack of negotiating as well. This, of course, harms clients, and we believe that you should be treated with fairness after an accident, especially by your lawyer.
If you need a second opinion, we will be glad to offer one. We will look over your case and tell you if we believe your current attorney is accurate in what he believes he can earn for you, or if you are better off switching law firms.
How We Can Help
Our law group, Normandie Law Firm, is here to help you receive the maximum amount of compensation possible from an accident with a FedEx truck. We will aggressively work to bring you a settlement you deserve, and we will not stop until you are satisfied. FedEx should be held responsible for its drivers’ actions, and if those actions cause accidents, they should pay out the expenses to the victims.
Call us today for a free consultation with an experienced attorney. You can ask any questions you want about the legal process or how we litigate claims, as well as what you will need to do to get started. Our attorneys are helpful and compassionate, and if you have a question or concern, you can reach us at any time, around the clock. Further, if you choose us for legal representation, you will receive a zero fee guarantee on your case – you will never pay us any of your own money for our services. We will only get paid if we win your case, and our fees are already factored into the settlement we bring you. If we lose, we receive nothing at all.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our lawyers to ask about filing a FedEx accident lawsuit.
