FedEx Truck Accident Lawyer

Highly Competent FedEx Truck Accident Lawyer

Our FedEx Truck Accident Attorney Fights for Compensation

FedEx drivers are a common sight on the road, delivering packages quickly in their familiar brown trucks. FedEx drivers are under pressure to meet time deadlines to get a large number of packages delivered, and so are more apt to speed, make turns too quickly, or try to beat a light to get their work done. When they are in an accident, the results can be catastrophic.

FedEx delivery vehicles are larger and heavier than passenger vehicles, posing substantial risks to motorists and others on the road. Victims of crashes may be left facing long, painful recoveries and need surgery and rehabilitative care, and medical bills mount up at a time when they may be unable to work. Some injuries may lead to death.

If you or a loved one has been injured or someone has died in an accident with a FedEx truck, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses through insurance or a personal injury lawsuit. However, there are roadblocks to getting the compensation you deserve.

Lawsuits involving FedEx trucks are complicated, and FedEx and its insurers have a team of lawyers who aim to deny benefits and fight your claim. At this difficult time, when you are trying to recover from your accident, it helps to have an experienced truck accident lawyer on your side to go up against them.

The Indiana FedEx truck lawyers at Stephenson Rife are fully prepared to deal with the complex laws and multiple parties and insurers involved with FedEx vehicle accidents. We have the skill, knowledge, and resources to build a strong case to win a fair settlement. We can take the burden off you by handling all investigations, negotiations with insurance companies and their attorneys, and legal hurdles to get you the compensation you deserve.

We will work tirelessly for you. We provide a free consultation to discuss the details of your accident and determine the best way to move forward. Call for your free, no-obligation case evaluation today at (317) 680-2350.

Why Choose Stephenson Rife?

When selecting an attorney, you should look for one you feel comfortable with, one who has the experience and resources necessary to research and build your case and fight for optimal compensation. Here are some reasons why we believe that Stephenson Rife is your best choice:

• We are experienced. We have been meeting the needs of people throughout Indiana since 1976. Mike Stephenson has 40 years of experience handling injuries and is a trusted advisor to many individuals and companies.
• We get results and win large settlements, such as the $48.5 million we won in a truck accident case. We have a strong record of success for many personal injury cases.
• We have many satisfied clients. You can read their testimonials and about their cases.
• We are recognized in our field. Attorneys Mike Stephenson and Brady Rife were named Indiana Super Lawyers and have won distinguished legal awards.
• We handle all legal paperwork and court appearances required by Indiana law.
• We negotiate with insurance companies, so you won’t have to.
• We are recognized for our expertise and are the law firm that other law firms consult.
• We offer free initial consultations to get you started.
• We can provide cost-effective legal services to keep fees low, and you pay us nothing unless we win and you get your money.

How Our FedEx Attorney Works to Help You

When you have our FedEx Accident attorneys on your side, we will get to work on your behalf immediately. We will:

• Meet with you to discuss how the accident occurred and who the at-fault parties may be, and determine if you have a valid lawsuit and what type of settlement to go after.
• Conduct investigations to gather evidence, such as photographs and videos from the accident scene and police, ambulance, hospital, and medical records and reports.
• Interview witnesses and first responders.
• Get expert opinions from accident reconstruction professionals as to how the accident occurred and who was at fault, and from medical professionals and therapists as to the care you will need and the costs and effects on your life in the future.
• Build your case, bring it to court, and present it to a judge and jury if necessary.

We strive to give our clients the personalized service they deserve. Let us put our skills and resources to work for you. We want to help because we believe justice matters. Call us today at (317) 680-2350.

What Are the Types of FedEx Truck Accidents?

FedEx truck accidents can occur in various forms, with some of the most prevalent being:

• Blindspot Collisions: Due to their size, commercial vehicles like FedEx trucks have larger blind spots than standard cars. This can lead to collisions, particularly when the FedEx truck changes lanes and the driver fails to spot other vehicles.
• Trailer Sway: FedEx’s fleet often includes tractor-trailers susceptible to trailer sway. This occurs when the trailer veers into another lane, potentially causing accidents.
• Cargo Shift: Proper balance and distribution of cargo is crucial in FedEx ground trucks to avoid cargo shifts. The company and the driver are responsible for ensuring the truck is not overloaded and the cargo is evenly distributed. If cargo shifts during transit, it can lead to a truck crash.

What You Should Do After an Accident With a FedEx Truck

In the event of a collision with a FedEx delivery vehicle, follow these guidelines, similar to those for accidents with other vehicles:

• Check for injuries among all parties involved and provide necessary assistance.
• Get medical attention promptly, regardless of whether you believe you are injured.
• Inform law enforcement and your insurance provider about the incident.
• Take pictures at the scene, capturing the vehicles, road, damages, and any injuries.
• Collect contact details from witnesses, if present.

Due to the complexity of accidents involving commercial vehicles like FedEx trucks, consider hiring a personal injury lawyer to represent your interests.

Should I Talk to the Insurance Company?

No. The less you say to insurance companies, the better, as any statement you make can be used against you. Insurance companies will try to get you to accept the lowest amount possible. If you do, you won’t be able to collect anything additional, even if your injuries worsen and cost more. Tell the insurance adjuster to speak to your lawyer and let Stephenson Rife handle all dealings with insurance companies.

Are There Time Limits for Filing a Lawsuit?

Yes. Indiana has a deadline, called a statute of limitations (Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4), that is generally two (2) years from the date of the accident or death. If you miss the window of time to file a claim, the courts are unlikely to hear your case.

How Much Compensation Can I Receive for My FedEx Truck Accident Case?

The amount of compensation you may be awarded in any accident case varies greatly, depending on the circumstances of the case. In general, if your injuries involve permanent damage and require long-term care, or there was a death, it may result in a higher settlement that could range from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. The settlement may be higher if multiple parties are at fault and have insurance and assets.

Damages Our FedEx Truck Accident Lawyers May Recover

In a successful FedEx truck accident case, you may recover compensation for your injuries and financial losses, called damages. These should cover your economic or monetary losses resulting from the accident and your non-economic damages that do not have a specific dollar value but negatively impact your life.

Depending on the severity of your injuries and other factors, you could potentially recover compensation for:

• Present and future medical expenses, including hospital and rehabilitation costs, prescription medication expenses, and mental health care
• Lost income from being unable to work
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering and other non-financial damages, such as emotional distress, mental anguish, anxiety, depression, loss of quality of life, loss of consortium, and post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the accident.

In rare cases, punitive damages may also be awarded to punish negligent parties for willful negligence or especially egregious behavior. Punitive damages are over and above actual economic and non-economic damages and serve as a deterrent for similar misconduct in the future.

What If a Loved One Dies in the Crash?

If a loved one dies in the crash, our attorneys may be able to win compensation in a wrongful death case. Technically, the personal representative of the deceased’s estate files the wrongful death claim, and close family members become the estate’s beneficiaries and collect from the court. In Indiana, close family members are usually considered parents, legal guardians, spouses, and children, including adopted children.

What If I Did Something to Contribute to the Accident?

Indiana has a modified comparative fault/contributory fault rule (Ind. Code § 34-51-2-6) which allows you to collect damages if you were less at fault than the other parties. However, your damages will be reduced by whatever percent you were at fault. For example, if you were 20% at fault for the accident and the other driver was 80% at fault, then for a jury award of $100,000, you would receive $80,000.

What to Expect When You Sue FedEx

Most victims of FedEx truck accidents opt for legal representation because large trucking companies, including FedEx, often do not admit fault in accidents, even when it seems evident. This refusal to acknowledge responsibility conflicts with the general expectation of accountability and leaves victims struggling to claim the compensation they deserve.

FedEx, a multibillion-dollar corporation, is well aware of the implications of these accidents. They protect themselves with insurance policies of $1,000,000 per truck, not including any additional coverage. They challenge claims, requiring victims to prove their damages, including medical and repair expenses, beyond reasonable doubt. This process involves authenticating and presenting all relevant documents in court, which typically demands legal expertise. Hence, hiring a skilled lawyer experienced in FedEx truck accidents is crucial.

Another strategy employed by companies like FedEx is to prolong and contest claims until the statute of limitations expires. In Indiana, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years. The claim becomes void if FedEx can extend the process for this duration without the victim filing a lawsuit. This means that no further legal action can be taken against FedEx once the filing deadline has passed, regardless of their liability. With a team of lawyers and claims specialists, FedEx is adept at employing such tactics.

Our FedEx Truck Accident Lawyers Can Handle Complex Cases

FedEx truck accidents are especially complicated because of the possibility of deciding whether to sue the company or the driver, as well as the various laws involved, including regulations by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), such as safety standards, training, supervision, and the hours that drivers are allowed to drive without resting.

In cases where a FedEx truck causes a crash, the truck driver and the trucking company may be held responsible for the injuries. Employers are generally held responsible for the negligent conduct of their employees under a legal doctrine of “vicarious liability” as long as those employees are acting within the scope of their job duties.

This means if the employee caused the accident while working, you could hold FedEx liable for damages instead of or in addition to pursuing a claim against the driver. Each FedEx truck carries a $1,000,000 insurance policy, so filing a lawsuit against FedEx can enable you to recover a larger settlement than you would from an individual driver, but FedEx will likely do everything possible to protect its bottom line.

FedEx cases are further complicated because the company has a model where individuals and small companies buy their routes and enter into a contract with FedEx. These individuals and owners set pay rates, buy their own trucks and equipment, and are responsible for keeping them maintained; therefore, they, not FedEx, may be liable for a crash.

However, there are cases where FedEx and the company it contracts with and the driver could be held liable. FedEx is responsible for ensuring that all their trucks and employees meet commercial vehicles’ requirements and that their drivers adhere to them. If they do not meet these regulations and an accident occurs as a result, FedEx may be found liable. FedEx or the contracting company could be liable in situations such as when FedEx is negligent in its hiring practices, fails to conduct a background check on drivers, fails to provide proper training and supervision, fails to do proper maintenance, or is negligent in some other manner that contributed to the crash. The unsafe driver who hit you could be liable if driving recklessly or while distracted, fatigued, or intoxicated.

Depending on the circumstances, there may be additional parties who can be held liable for the accident, such as:

• Other negligent drivers involved in the crash
• Supervisors who failed to train and supervise drivers properly
• The manufacturer of the truck or its equipment or parts, if these failed and caused the accident
• The mechanic responsible for maintaining the truck
• The government entity or road repair company is responsible for maintaining the road if poor road conditions caused the crash.

To win your FedEx truck accident case, our attorneys would have to prove the defendants to be negligent and at fault for the crash and the damages you received by showing the existence of the following elements:

• Duty — The defendant owed you a duty of care not to cause harm.
• Breach — The defendant breached that duty by acting or failing to act.
• Cause – This breach caused a crash and your injuries.
• Damages — You suffered damages, monetary or otherwise, as a result.

Our attorneys would look to identify all potentially negligent parties and hold them as defendants, as they all may have insurance and assets that can go toward a settlement.

Call Our FedEx Truck Accident Lawyers for Help

FedEx truck accidents, along with other truck and delivery truck accidents, require extensive investigation and experience. At Stephenson Rife, we pursue positive results, no matter what legal challenge your case involves. We provide caring, confident, and cost-effective service you can count on, which is why we are the law firm that other law firms consult.

Find out what we can do for you by calling (317) 680-2350 for your free consultation. We work on a contingency basis, which means there are no fees to you unless and until we win your case, so call us today.

Attorney Mike Stephenson

Attorney Mike Stephenson has 40 years of experience and is a trusted advisor to many individuals and companies. His current practice is dominated by civil litigation in state and federal courts. He focuses much of his time on handling catastrophic injuries caused by all types of accidents, including motor vehicle, trucking, workplace injuries, product liability, just to name a few. Mike is a proven advocate and trial attorney. He has served as lead trial counsel in more than 100 civil jury trials, and has handled litigation in 18 states. [ Attorney Bio ]