Despite being smaller than big rigs and other large commercial carriers, box trucks and delivery trucks can cause major damage to passenger cars and the people inside them if they collide.
The victims of a box truck accident may sustain severe physical wounds in addition to substantial financial losses. If the injuries keep the individual(s) from their job, either temporarily or permanently, it can leave them frustrated and stressed, especially if there are mounting expenses.
There are options in some cases. If someone else's negligence resulted in your injuries from a delivery or box truck accident, you may be eligible for compensation.
Below are some important bits of information to know if you were in an accident, and plan to file a claim or lawsuit. A New York truck accident lawyer will have a wealth of information if you have questions and need advice about what to do.
Types of Box Trucks
Box trucks are used by organizations like the United States Postal Service (USPS), FedEx, and UPS to deliver packages all over the country. These commercial vehicles, often referred to as delivery trucks, cube trucks, or box vans, typically have roll-up rear doors and massive cargo spaces. Here are a few different types you may encounter:
- Moving and furniture delivery vans
- Food trucks
- Vendor trucks
- Flower delivery vans
- Garbage trucks
- Construction vehicles
Common Causes of Box Truck Accidents
The types of accidents box trucks may be involved in can run the entire spectrum, from a rollover accident to a blind-spot crash, due simply to their size and boxy design. Most box truck accidents are attributed to drowsiness and distracted driving.
When you find yourself in a box truck accident, it may be difficult to determine who should be named in a lawsuit as the defendant. Generally, those who could be held accountable for delivery truck accidents include:
- The driver of the box truck
- The company the driver works for, if it involved a company vehicle
- The manufacturer or retailer of a faulty truck part that caused the accident.
In order to seek compensation for your injuries and other losses, enlist the help of an experienced truck accident lawyer to help you determine who is at fault and what steps to take.
Typical Injuries During Box Truck Accidents
Delivery trucks aren't quite as big as tractor-trailers, but they still have the potential to cause serious injuries. Typical injuries associated with a box truck accident, as with any motor vehicle accident, could include:
- bone fractures
- TBIs (traumatic brain injuries) and concussions
- spinal cord injuries, sometimes leading to varied degrees of paralysis
- loss of a limb or amputation
- contusions
- lacerations
- burns
- internal bleeding
- whiplash
- soft-tissue injuries
Damages You Can Recover in a Box Truck Accident Claim
Understanding the forms of damages you can be eligible for is important before filing a lawsuit. New York law permits victims of delivery truck accidents to seek compensation for both economic and non-economic losses that are a result of the accident.
Economic Damages
These damages refer to a measurable financial loss that is determined to be a result of the accident. This could include medical costs and lost wages, for example.
Non-Economic Damages
The non-economic damages are related to the plaintiffs' intangible losses brought on by the accident, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of companionship, disfigurement, and change in quality of life, among other problems.
In some circumstances, victims may also be qualified to receive punitive damages, which are meant to penalize the guilty party and deter others from repeating the same behavior. If punitive damages would be appropriate in your small truck accident case, it is something an experienced truck accident lawyer would help you determine. There’s several factors that go into determining the value of a claim and what you can get in a typical truck accident settlement. Speak with a lawyer for more about this.
Consult With The Truck Accident Lawyers at Brandon J. Broderick
The protection of your rights is our main priority when you retain our services as your New York truck accident lawyers. The team at Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney At Law has helped many clients get through similar situations involving a box truck or delivery truck accidents.
We urge you to call us today if you were injured in a truck accident. We can help investigate all options for compensation and pursue compensation you are entitled to.
To make an appointment for a free initial case consultation, get in touch with us here.
Brandon J. Broderick serves the entire state of New York. We have offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Albany, Queens, Rochester and more.