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Delivery Vehicle Accidents

Motor Vehicle Collision Attorneys for Residents of Los Angeles

People who make deliveries for a living are often under business-related pressures while driving. Although there are numerous federal and state regulations for commercial vehicles, which drivers and trucking companies must follow, many drivers are pushed to work more hours than they should to meet delivery deadlines. The result may be accidents that cause catastrophic injuries. If you are involved in a delivery vehicle accident, you can consult the Los Angeles truck accident lawyers at Sharifi Firm. We can develop the evidence and pursue all of the parties that may be responsible for causing the crash.

Establishing Liability for Delivery Vehicle Accidents

In many truck accident cases, the driver of a delivery vehicle acted negligently. To establish negligence as a victim, your attorney would need to show the truck driver's duty to use reasonable care, the truck driver's breach of duty, causation, and actual damages. If a truck driver has violated a safety law or regulation, it may be possible to hold the truck driver responsible as a matter of law, or secure a rebuttable presumption of negligence.

For example, under FMCSA regulations, an interstate truck driver's hours of service are limited, and he is supposed to keep a logbook of hours worked. In some cases, delivery vehicle drivers falsify records or work too many hours. The resulting fatigue can lead to catastrophic accidents. In such cases, it may be possible to hold the driver negligent as a matter of law. If the court finds the driver negligent as a matter of law, your remaining concerns will be to prove causation and damages.

Not all delivery vehicle drivers carry sufficient insurance to cover the full scope of damages for accident victims who suffer catastrophic injuries. If the driver caused an accident in the course and scope of employment, it may be possible to hold his employer vicariously (indirectly) liable. In most cases, a trucking company has more insurance coverage than an individual driver, which means that an accident victim is more likely to recover the full range of damages incurred.

Trucking companies may also be held directly liable under a theory of negligent hiring, negligent supervision, or negligent entrustment. When hiring a driver, a trucking company is required to conduct a background check to make sure the applicant is qualified to operate a truck. Due to their weight and size, not everyone is well suited to operate a commercial tractor-trailer or big rig. If, for example, a trucking company conducts a background search and finds that an applicant has had multiple DUIs, but hires the driver to deliver goods across state lines anyway, the trucking company may be liable for negligent hiring.

If you successfully establish negligence, you may be able to recover compensatory damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, household services, property damage, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium. In cases involving drunk driving, you may also be able to recover punitive damages, which are designed to punish the defendant and deter future similar conduct.

Discuss Your Truck Crash Case with a Los Angeles Lawyer

If you suffer injuries in a delivery vehicle accident in Los Angeles, you should explore your options with a motor vehicle collision attorney who has experience representing victims. Sharifi Firm also assists injured individuals in Temecula, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Rancho Cucamonga, among other Southern California cities. Contact us at (866) 422-7222 or via our online form for a free consultation.

Client Reviews

★★★★★
Attorney, Jubin Sharifi, and his staff are truly a rare find. He has handled a couple of cases for my family with great results. Him and his staff are courteous, professional and caring. They always keep us informed of the status of our case on a regular basis and they really know how to deal with insurance companies and their attorneys. I highly recommend the Law Office of Jubin Sharifi. Matt N.
★★★★★
Law Offices of Jubin Sharifi was able to obtain exceptional results in a very timely fashion for my car accident case. I highly recommend his law office to anyone with an injury case. A. Pak
★★★★★
Attorney Jubin Sharifi handled an accident case for me, and obtained exceptional results in a timely manner. I was extremely pleased with his work and he was there to answer my questions and concerns. I recommend any one with an injury claim to contact him right away. P. Zare
★★★★★
Mr. Sharifi & Firm; Your special ways and generous heart make a beautiful difference. Thank you so much! p.s. Please pass along my gratitude to all involved. Catherine
★★★★★
I had a car accident case. My car was repaired in 2 weeks and got a great settlement from the insurance company. Highly recommended. A. Aminian