For over 100 years, the United Parcel Service (UPS) has been delivering packages and documents in countries all over the world. They have over 122,000 vehicles on the road to do this job. It’s inevitable that some of these vehicles will get into accidents.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident with a UPS truck in Englewood, NJ, then you may need the help of our UPS truck accident lawyers. You may need far more than your PIP insurance coverage will pay out. Morelli Law can help you get the money you need.
New Jersey’s No-Fault Insurance
New Jersey gives drivers a lot of flexibility in their auto insurance options. The most basic is no-fault PIP coverage. Under this system, you can get paid from your own insurance policy instead of filing a claim, but your legal rights and compensation can be quite limited.
There are two ways to go beyond this. The first is to purchase a standard auto insurance policy with an unlimited right to sue before your crash. This should grant you PIP coverage and let you sue for more if you need to, though you’ll have to pay more per month.
The second way to go beyond basic PIP coverage is to suffer a high degree of injury in your UPS crash. If you were dismembered, suffered significant scarring, received permanent injuries, or lost a fetus in your crash, New Jersey lets you file an at-fault claim.
What Causes UPS Truck Accidents?
Driving a heavy UPS truck isn’t easy and carries some special risks unique to parcel vehicles. Unlike a freight truck, they’re not unloaded all at once. During the day, parcels can shift and unbalance the vehicle. This makes them challenging to drive and can cause an accident. Other factors that can cause a UPS truck accident include:
- Fatigue – The FMCSA requires drivers to take mandatory breaks, but some delivery drivers do more work than they should. This could be from personal pride, desire for more money, or because UPS pressured them to work more than they need.
- Distracted driving – Beyond the normal distractions like checking a phone, eating while driving, or checking a GPS, UPS drivers have a lot of paperwork to maintain and fill out as part of their duties. Driving while distracted is extremely dangerous.
- Maintenance issues – UPS trucks are on the road all the time. There are regulations for delivery vehicle maintenance, but these regulations aren’t always followed. This can cause a catastrophic mechanical breakdown.
- Driver errors – UPS trains their drivers well, but training can be ignored by a driver in a hurry. Inexperience can also cause driver error. These errors can be deadly to accident victims.
Englewood UPS Truck Accident Lawyer Near Me 877-751-9800
What to Do After a UPS Accident in Englewood
The steps to take after a UPS truck accident do not differ from a normal car accident, but you may be too injured to do them. Try to do what you can, because each step you do will increase your chances of a successful result.
- Contact the police to give a report. If you have to give a report to police while you’re hospitalized, inform them if you’re on pain medication and take your time so you don’t say something inaccurate.
- Take photographs of the scene, your injuries, and the vehicles.
- Exchange contact and insurance information with the UPS driver.
- Locate any eyewitnesses and get their contact information.
- Get medical care as soon as you can after your accident, even if you feel fine.
- Speak with a UPS truck accident attorney from Morelli Law for further advice.
Time is of the essence after a UPS accident. UPS and their insurers know they could owe you a lot of money and will try to reduce or eliminate your chances of compensation. Hiring a lawyer is your best defense against their tactics.
What if You Were Partially At-Fault?
New Jersey allows courts to assign a percentage of fault to all parties involved in an accident. If you are under 50% responsible for your accident, then you can get compensation. If you are over, then you cannot collect any compensation from the court.
This is a form of modified comparative negligence law, and it’s crucial to your case when it’s uncertain who is responsible for an accident. Any percentage of fault you have in your case will reduce your compensation by that amount.
Hiring an experienced personal injury attorney can help you fight back against claims of fault. If UPS or their insurer have contacted you and they blame you for the accident, you need immediate legal advice to protect yourself and your compensation.
Contact Morelli Law for Your UPS Truck Accident Case
You have up to two years from your accident to sue, but you seek legal advice far sooner than that. UPS will try to fight your claims and you need someone with the experience to go up against giant corporations. Morelli Law’s UPS truck accident lawyers in Englewood, NJ can help you.
Learn what your options are and what your next steps should be in a free consultation with our team. Call our offices at the number on your screen or click the button or this link to request a free case evaluation. As soon as you know you’ve seen a doctor, your next step is to call us to protect yourself from insurance company tactics.