What to do after a wreck with a UPS truck in Washington

Getting injured from a UPS Truck accident is scary and disorienting.

Especially while dealing with your injuries, it is difficult to understand what steps you need to take to get proper compensation for your damages. 

We’re here to help.

If you’re wondering what to do if you’ve been injured in a car accident with a UPS driver in the state of Washington, the team at Gilbert Law Firm is here to help answer your questions.

A crash with a UPS truck can happen at any time for many reasons, but here are the most common causes of truck accidents in the state of Washington:

• Speeding
• Reckless driving
• Fatigued drivers
• Faulty equipment
• Poorly loaded freight
• Driving under the influence

Determining the cause of the wreck is an important step toward recovering damages from your accident.

However, it can be difficult to nail down the exact cause, as well as which party was at fault, due to complex federal and state laws. It may require special investigation or accident scene experts to prove who was at fault in a trucking accident.

Additionally, it isn’t always clear whether UPS is liable for the accident, or if it was the individual driver.

Not all UPS drivers are employees of the company. In some cases, the drivers are independent contractors.

In this case, the independently contracted truck driver may be liable for the accident, and you’ll have to file a claim with their personal insurance, rather than against UPS itself.

However, there are situations in which UPS is still liable for an accident with a contracted truck driver. Here are some examples:

• If UPS failed to properly maintain its delivery trucks
• If UPS didn’t provide a thorough background check of the driver prior to hiring
• If the UPS driver was improperly trained

Proving that UPS was at fault for your accident requires strong proof that the company or its driver was negligent. This is not easy to do on your own. For this, we highly recommend getting the help of an experienced Washington truck accident lawyer.

Here are the concrete steps you should take if you were injured in a crash with a UPS truck.

Check yourself and your passengers for serious injury, and, if you are able, call emergency services.

If you are not too injured to move, get out of your vehicle and move to a location that is safe from passing cars. 

When on the phone with 911, be as specific as you can about the location and nature of the accident, and any information you have about the UPS truck at this point.

While waiting for emergency services to arrive, take photos of the accident. 

Get as many angles as you can, of damage to all vehicles involved, injuries, the road conditions, property damage, and the surrounding environment.

If there were witnesses, gather their contact information and ask if they would be comfortable providing a written or oral statement later on.

You should also get information from the UPS driver, including their name, their contact information, whether or not they were on duty, the make and model of their delivery truck, the truck ID, and their insurance information.

All of this is very important to your case.

Call UPS customer service and make an official report of the accident. Give them all the information that you collected from the accident: date and time, truck ID, driver information, etc.

Keep thorough records of all your communication with UPS, as it can be useful to your case.

Even if you don’t feel like you’ve been seriously injured, seek medical attention after your accident.

Many injuries, such as whiplash or minor concussions, can be masked by the adrenaline or shock you feel immediately after the crash. The injuries will worsen if you do not treat them as soon as possible.

Note everything in your medical records, including visits, treatments, and any related expenses to use in your claim later.

To get the most out of your damages claim, it is critical to work with an experienced Washington delivery truck accident attorney.

They will conduct an investigation of the accident with experts and advocate for you in negotiations with UPS and/or insurance adjusters.

UPS is a large company with extensive resources at its disposal to protect itself from liability or paying damages to individuals who have been injured by its drivers. To get compensated for your injuries, you’ll need an experienced attorney in your corner.

With the help of your attorney, file a claim against UPS or their insurer for your injuries and damages that came as a result of the accident.

You’ll need to present evidence that you’ve collected with the help of your attorney that shows:

• The negligence of UPS or of its driver
• The extent of your damages

In some cases, the claims process takes a long time, especially if the lawsuit goes to court.

The difference between a meager settlement and one that properly compensates you for your injuries depends on your attorney.

At The Gilbert Law Firm, we are devoted to you. Contact our team today to talk about the details of your case with a member of our trusted legal team.

Disclaimer: The blog published by the Gilbert Law Firm marketing team for informational purposes only and is not considered legal advice or a substitute for legal advice. There is no attorney-client relationship between the reader and the blog publisher. Readers are urged to consult their own legal counsel on any specific legal questions concerning a specific situation.