Federal Express Corporation (FedEx) is a company that the Orange County community can see in action nearly every day. With over 90,000 motorized vehicles, it is common to see FedEx vans and trucks on highways and neighborhood streets. Like any other vehicle, FedEx vehicles can be involved in car accidents. If you were involved in a collision with a FedEx vehicle, you might not know of your legal options. Do you sue the driver? Or, do you sue the company? The following sections aim to clarify some of the confusion associated with FedEx accidents. The information provided below is broad and might or might not apply to your situation. Contact a lawyer to sue FedEx for accident with a FedEx truck as soon as possible for information specifically about your case. Normandie Law Firm’s FedEx truck accident lawyers can help you begin the legal process against FedEx. You must speak with an attorney experienced in FedEx truck accident lawsuits in order to begin your claim against the company responsible for your injuries.
Who is Liable for the Accident?
After an accident, victims might experience a sense of shock or panic that does not allow them to think clearly. The first response will likely be checking to see if everyone is safe followed by a sense of anger. If someone approaches you with harsh words of blame, you might believe you caused the accident. However, you must think clearly. Try to replay the accident in your mind and recall exactly what happened. Were you distracted while driving? Did the FedEx vehicle run a red light? Was the FedEx vehicle speeding at the time of the collision? The answers to all of these questions are essential in establishing liability in the accident.
Liability simply means that a party is responsible for the accident and the injuries sustained by the victim. How is liability established? A party is liable when negligent actions cause harm to others. In other words, to establish liability one must first establish negligence. All drivers have a duty to practice reasonable care to prevent other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians from being injured. Reasonable care consists of following traffic signals, going at appropriate speeds, granting the right of way, and yielding. Drivers must also drive without distractions and always remain focused on the road. As soon as a driver breaches their duty of taking reasonable care—say, the driver is speeding and texting—he or she can cause an accident and be accused of negligence. Negligence consists of four elements: duty, breach, cause, and harm. If someone is injured because a driver breached his or her duty to drive safely, the driver can be accused of negligence. Does this apply to the FedEx driver that caused your accident and your injuries? Many delivery companies hire drivers as independent contractors, which removes all liability from the company. However, FedEx directly hires their drivers as employees. If a FedEx vehicle crashed into you, you would be able to sue the company for negligence. For more information on liability and negligence, contact a FedEx accident lawyer in Orange County as soon as possible.
Common Injuries Sustained in FedEx Accidents
If you were involved in a FedEx collision, you likely sustained a series of injuries. The injuries sustained in FedEx accidents are no different than injuries sustained in other car accidents. However, the size of the FedEx vehicle involved, as well as other factors like speed and force, can affect the severity of the injuries sustained during the accident. Below is a list of the most common injuries sustained in motorized vehicle accidents:
- Head and traumatic brain injuries
- Shoulder and hip injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Broken bones, fractures, sprains, and strains
- Spinal cord injuries
- Scrapes, cuts, and bruises
Upon going through this list, you might have noticed that some of the injuries appear to be more severe than others. However, if not properly treated, all of the injuries mentioned above can worsen and have long-term effects. A few of these injuries can cause permanent, irreversible damage and can even lead to paralysis. Other injuries can cause lifelong pain and discomfort if not treated properly. Whatever the case, you should seek medical attention and keep track of all the medical expenses you have acquired because of your injuries. You must file a lawsuit against FedEx for your injuries to receive compensation for your medical bills. Contact Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible—you can sue Fedex for your injuries.
Overview of Past FedEx Settlements and Verdicts
If you are considering filing a FedEx truck accident lawsuit, you might be wondering about the average case value of these cases. However, FedEx accident cases tend to have varying results—as injuries and severity of injuries suffered are different in each case. In general, the more severe the injuries and the more effect the injuries have on a victim’s life, the higher the compensation amount. Below are a few examples of past FedEx settlements and compensations:
- $5.4 million—a collision led to the severe injuries and ultimate death of a passenger. The victim’s family brought forth a lawsuit claiming FedEx’s negligence led to the victim’s death.
- $7.5 million—a collision led to the injuries and subsequent death of a female victim. The victim’s mother brought forth a lawsuit and received compensation for both past and future pain and suffering.
- $4,000—a collision led to the victim experiencing bilateral back pain.
- $125,000—a collision led to the victim suffering back, neck, and hip injuries. The injuries required a few months of physical therapy and chiropractic attention.
As you can see, the settlements and verdicts vary throughout the list above. In the first two examples, the victims died—the plaintiffs were compensated largely for the loss of consortium and pain and suffering. In the last example, the victim’s injuries were severe but not permanent; he received compensation for his past medical bills and his pain and suffering. In the third example, the plaintiff was only awarded $4,000; in this case, the injuries did not require any surgical procedure and were not permanent. Contact Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible and have an Orange County attorney evaluate your situation and give you an estimated case value.
Normandie Law Firm
Normandie Law Firm is a personal injury law firm with a focus on helping victims after a collision with a FedEx truck. Our attorneys know how confusing it can be to deal with FedEx incidents; therefore, they offer this advice:
- File a police report after the accident
- Take pictures of the scene of the accident and the damage to vehicles or other property
- Collect witness contact information
- Seek medical attention and keep track of the medical expenses associated with your injuries
- Seek legal help
Even if you are not immediately thinking about filing a lawsuit against FedEx, you should always do what is listed above in case you do decide to proceed legally. With this information, your FedEx truck accident lawyer will be able to thoroughly evaluate your case in your first consultation. Do not wait—your claim might be subject to a time limit. Contact Normandie Law Firm and talk to an Orange County lawyer who has experience with FedEx truck accidents as soon as possible.
Normandie Law Firm aims to facilitate the legal process for victims of FedEx incidents. Many victims might not be certain of the legal possibilities available; therefore, our law firm gives clients the option to talk to our Orange County attorneys without having to worry about expensive consultation fees. Normandie Law Firm offers free consultations and free second opinions. During your free consultation, you can expect an Orange County Fedex accident attorney to answer all of your questions and address all of your concerns. Our attorneys will explain the legal process in its entirety. If you already have an attorney with another law firm, you might be interested in a free second opinion. Were you left with questions even after speaking to your attorney? Did you ever feel that your attorney was rushing through the consultation? If you answered yes to either of these two questions, it might be time for a second opinion. Unfortunately, many attorneys rush through cases and consultations to increase their numbers. In doing so, they decrease the quality of their work—as they are likely to overlook or neglect information vital to the outcome of the case. Do not let your current attorney’s incompetence ruin your chance of receiving compensation for your injuries. Contact Normandie Law Firm today; our Orange County lawyers will get your case back on the right track.
Normandie Law Firm provides free consultations and free second opinions through our Zero-Fee guarantee. You will never have to worry about paying any upfront fees for our legal services. Our law firm is strictly based on contingency, so you will not have to pay anything until our experienced attorneys in Orange County to sue FedEx for FedEx truck accident injuries win your lawsuit. If you are worried about encountering any language barriers, stop worrying. Our Spanish speaking attorneys are available to provide legal services in Spanish. Call Normandie Law Firm today.
