Queens Delivery Accident Lawyers

Queens Delivery Driver Accident Lawyers

Previously, New Yorkers were restricted to using only Fed-Ex, UPS, or the United States Postal Services for online deliveries. However, now we can opt for Amazon’s 2-day shipping. Similarly, earlier only a limited variety of foods like pizza, Chinese food and a few others could be delivered, but now we have food delivery services like GrubHub, UberEats, Postmates, and more to choose from. Thanks to the rise of delivery services, you can now conveniently order anything from restaurant meals to groceries through your smartphone. However, this increase in delivery services has resulted in a downside: delivery driver accidents.

If you were injured in a collision with a delivery driver, you have the right to fair compensation. Insurance company disputes should not hinder justice. An experienced Queens delivery accident lawyer can help you navigate this process while seeking full compensation for your damages. Contact Rosenberg & Rodriguez today for a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help.

Common Factors In Delivery Accidents

New York City streets can be very crowded, especially during rush hour, and visitors to the city are often aware of this. The situation has been made worse by the large number of delivery orders being made, whether they are from Amazon or DoorDash. Drivers delivering these orders are usually under a lot of pressure to deliver their orders on time and may be punished or even lose their job if they fail to do so. Unfortunately, this pressure has led to some drivers driving recklessly on the roads.

• Speeding to reach a pick-up or drop-off location on time
• Becoming distracted by messages from customers, app notifications, or GPS
• Cruising around for more food delivery orders and glancing at their phones for updates
• Not checking blind spots or making sure a crosswalk is clear before turning
• Failing to use their turn signals or dangerously crossing multiple lanes of traffic to reach an exit

Due to the high demand for drivers, food delivery services and even Amazon are hiring new delivery drivers without proper training and evaluations. Consequently, many inexperienced drivers are finding it challenging to navigate through the streets of New York City and deliver orders on time. Typically, the only requirements to become a food delivery driver are a background check to ensure a clean record regarding traffic collisions and criminal behavior, but such checks do not evaluate driving skills.

Understanding Delivery Driver Insurance Policies

In most cases, personal auto insurance policies don’t cover accidents that occur while using the car for retail delivery. If this happens, you may need to file a claim against the delivery company’s liability policy. However, some delivery companies try to limit their legal responsibility, so there may be multiple insurance policies involved in a collision with a delivery driver, and not all of them may apply depending on the situation.

The Driver’s Personal Auto Insurance

If the driver who caused the accident was making a delivery when it happened and only has personal auto insurance, their coverage may not apply. This means you may need to seek compensation from the delivery company’s insurance, which can have higher policy limits. If the driver was not on delivery at the time of the accident, their personal auto insurance would likely be responsible for covering the collision.

The Delivery Company’s Insurance

If you were injured during a delivery by an employee or contractor of a company, it may be possible to seek compensation from the company’s insurance provider. However, the compensation eligibility will depend on various factors, such as the timing and nature of the accident and whether the delivery company has a liability policy for contractors. These companies are usually required to conduct background checks on potential employees, and if it is found that the driver was unqualified, you may have a claim for negligent hiring.

Third-Party Delivery Companies

When it comes to managing their delivery routes, big wholesale companies like Amazon tend to rely on third-party delivery companies all over the country. This is mainly done to shift liability away from Amazon, and they make sure to include this in their contracts. So, if you happen to get into an accident as a result of an Amazon delivery driver, the third-party employer may be held responsible for the damages, instead of Amazon. Nonetheless, these companies are usually required to have sufficient commercial auto accident insurance coverage in case their driver is found to be at fault, which may cover your claims.

Your Uninsured Motorist Insurance

If the situation arises where it is difficult to hold either the driver’s personal insurance or the company’s insurance responsible, and you have uninsured motorist coverage, it might be wise to file a claim directly with your insurance company.

A Combination

If your damages exceed the coverage provided by the driver’s personal auto insurance policy, we may be able to obtain additional compensation from the delivery company’s insurance to cover the remaining amount.