What To Do If a FedEx Truck Hits Your Car

April 1, 2022 / Truck Accidents

Have you noticed an increase in the number of delivery trucks in your neighborhood or on the road? Have you wondered what would happen if a FedEx truck hits your car?

Home deliveries have certainly increased recently, with everything being delivered, from clothing to groceries. Companies like FedEx and UPS are under deadlines to deliver goods when promised, but that doesn’t mean they always do it responsibly. In situations where an incident occurs, consulting an Indiana delivery truck accident lawyer can provide necessary guidance on how to proceed legally.

Drivers may be pressured to drive faster to meet delivery times, and rushed driving can be disastrous for motorist safety. FedEx drivers who are forced to make deliveries within a certain amount of time can rush through a light or fail to slow for a turn, and cause accidents. What should you do when a FedEx truck hits your car?

When a FedEx truck hits your car, you need to make sure you get to safety, call for help, and are courteous when exchanging information with the driver.

Steps to Take When Hit by a FedEx Truck

If a delivery truck hits your car, it can cause serious damage, especially if it was going at a high rate of speed or if you are in a smaller vehicle. What’s certain is that you will be faced with expenses. You will have to fix the damage to your car, but you might also have hospital bills and lost wages. If your injuries are severe, you might have ongoing need for rehabilitation, causing you to miss even more work and spend more money. What can you do?

There are several immediate actions you should take when a FedEx truck collides with you. There are also some things you should avoid doing.

• Ensure that you and your passengers are okay; turn on your hazard lights; get to a safe place; and stay calm. That can mean moving your car off the road, but it’s important to do so in the safest manner possible. If you have safety cones, you can set them up. Remember that panic will not help your injuries and can actually make things feel worse. You can best help yourself by remaining as calm as possible and assessing your injury so that you can provide a coherent description to EMS.
• Call 911. You need to seek medical attention right away and call the police. The health of anyone involved in the accident is a priority. Even seemingly minor injuries or mild pain needs to be assessed. You might have soft-tissue damage, strains or sprains, or even a head injury that could be difficult to diagnose.
• Ask for police to respond to the scene of the accident. The police will review the scene, interview the drivers, and create a report. The report will be an unbiased third-party review of what happened and will contain important information that will be helpful later on.
• Don’t leave the scene unless the police or EMS say it’s okay. You will want to stay to talk to witnesses and take pictures, anyway. There are more tips about this below.
• Avoid yelling and blaming the driver of the FedEx truck. As you work through any lawsuit against FedEx for the accident, your response and behavior could be scrutinized.
• Avoid making comments about the accident that imply it was somehow your fault. Anything you say after an accident can be used to disprove your case.
• Get license and insurance information from the FedEx driver. The police will get this information for the accident report, but you don’t want to wait for the report to have it yourself. That could delay any lawsuit you might pursue.
• You should also get the names and contact information for any witnesses. This will include other motorists and passengers, the police, and EMS. Contact information will be helpful for your lawyer to interview the witnesses.
• If you can, take pictures, or have someone else take photos, of the scene. This would include pictures of your vehicle and the truck. You can also take photos of the road showing whether the conditions were good or bad. Pictures of the road can include any skid marks, signage, or damaged signs. If you have any cuts or bruises, you can photograph those as well. You can even draw a diagram of the accident while it’s fresh in your mind.
• Call your insurance company to start the claims process. However, the only thing you should report is that the accident happened. Do not make any statements about your injuries or fault. Those statements can be used against you later.

There are other actions you should take, but these don’t need to be done immediately.

• When working with your insurance company on the damage to your vehicle, be sure to document the content of any calls. This will include any calls to a garage. You will want your lawyer to have an accurate representation of any and all conversations regarding the damage.
• Stay on top of the claims process. Your insurance company may ask you to provide more documents or information.
• Make a note of where you went for your medical care. If you file a lawsuit, you will need copies of your records.
• Do all necessary medical follow-up. This is not only important for your health and well-being, but also to show FedEx and a judge or jury that you made every effort to recuperate after your injuries.
• Decline to talk to anyone representing FedEx about the accident, and decline to sign any paperwork presented by FedEx.

Contact Stephenson Rife as soon as possible at (317) 680-2350. There are limits to the amount of time after an accident that you can seek compensation, and you will want us to get involved to collect and preserve evidence for you. Also, FedEx is a huge company that already has in-house legal counsel. Don’t you want to level the playing field with your own experienced FedEx truck accident attorney? Working with our lawyers early on will allow you to focus on healing while we handle your complex claim.

What Money Damages Can I Get If I’m Hit by A FedEx Truck?

The money that you are entitled to should cover all of your expenses and losses caused by a FedEx truck hitting your vehicle. Out-of-pocket medical bills certainly should be covered. However, there are many other money damages that may be available to you, including:

• Future medical expenses, such as rehabilitation and equipment costs
• Loss of past and future wages due to lost work or loss of earning capacity
• Past and future physical impairment
• Property damage to your vehicle and related expenses
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Anguish and emotional distress, such as driving-related anxiety or PTSD
• Disability
• Loss of enjoyment of life.

There might be other monetary damages available, depending on the circumstances.

Should I Really File a Lawsuit If a FedEx Truck Hits My Car?

When we speak to prospective clients, they sometimes seem worried about the impact of filing a suit. Some are worried about the costs or about “making a big deal,” and others are worried about the time or complexity of the matter. Certainly, having to litigate your injuries and property damage is never easy. But you should not have to suffer financially, and the commercial trucking companies should be held responsible for their behavior. Don’t take on FedEx alone.

Ask Our Experienced Lawyers for Help When You’ve Been Hit by a FedEx Truck

When you need a knowledgeable legal representative after being injured or having vehicle damage caused by a commercial truck, reach out to Stephenson Rife. Our skilled and experienced truck accident attorneys are among the best lawyers handling these claims. Our accomplished legal team is fierce and determined when representing our clients, and we secure the awards that our clients deserve.

Shouldn’t you have a competent team of attorneys who knows the law well, advocates for you aggressively, and gets you the best settlement possible? Let us get you the compensation you deserve.

For a free consultation, contact our truck accident accident attorneys at (317) 680-2350.

Attorney Brady Rife

Attorney Brady Rife has developed a diverse civil litigation practice for plaintiffs throughout Indiana. Brady is heavily involved in serious personal injury matters, complex business and commercial disputes, and insurance litigation in state and federal courts. Some of the firm’s most successful cases include winning a $48 million settlement against a large corporation in a fatal vehicle crash in New Mexico and a $14 million dollar settlement against a national trucking company in Illinois. The firm handles cases across the United States. [ Attorney Bio ]