Every day in the city of Portland, passenger vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians must share the road with delivery trucks. However, many delivery truck drivers are often under tight deadlines that can lead to negligent behavior behind the wheel and cause serious or potentially fatal accidents.
If this has happened to you, you may be eligible to pursue compensation for your injuries and other damages. Below, our experienced lawyers discuss the possible legal implications of these accidents and why they often occur. Request a free, no-obligation consultation to see how we may be able to help you.
Delivery Truck Accidents in Portland
Oregon Governor has ordered all restaurants to limit operations to take out and delivery orders as of March 17th. As a result, many Oregon restaurants scrambled to find delivery drivers. However, few if any of these newly minted delivery drivers have training in delivery driving which involves many stops and travel to unfamiliar places and are motivated to deliver quickly to make more deliveries in less time.
Some food delivery drivers are insured by the restaurants under commercial policies, many are not. Most food deliveries go down without a hitch, but the unexpected hiring of drivers with varying levels of driving skills can be a recipe for disaster and injury during the race to deliver.
If you live in Portland or elsewhere in Oregon, you may have seen a delivery truck parked in the middle of the road blocking traffic. This is just one example of how delivery truck drivers violate traffic rules and endanger the lives of other motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.
Since delivery truck drivers need to make a lot of stops to try to meet deadlines, they often cut off pedestrian walkways and bicycle lanes, forcing bicyclists and pedestrians out into traffic where there is greater risk for an accident.
While Portland does have a 30-second rule allowing drivers to stop at any point for less than 30 seconds, delivery truck drivers are often parked for much longer than 30 seconds, even when they know that is not enough time to complete their deliveries. If delivery drivers are parked for longer than 30 seconds, they must follow city code when stopping.
Main Causes of Delivery Truck Accidents
Some of the main causes of delivery truck accidents include:
- Speeding – Delivery truck drivers are under constant pressure to finish their deliveries by a specific time, which can lead to speeding or driving recklessly on busy Portland streets.
- Sudden stops – Drivers searching for their next delivery location often make sudden stops without warning, which can cause a rear-end crash.
- Illegal parking – Blocking roads and bike lanes to make a delivery can force bicyclists to drive around a delivery truck and into the path of an oncoming vehicle.
- Sudden left turns – A delivery truck driver can make a sudden left turn rather than properly turning around in a rush to make deliveries more quickly, causing him or her to hit a pedestrian.
- Inexperience – Driving these trucks requires a certain level of training and experience. When an inexperienced or untrained driver is sent out on deliveries, he or she may be more likely to cause a crash because of his or her lack of experience spotting hazardous situations and getting out of them.
- Poor loading – When goods being delivered are not properly loaded or secured, they can move around in the truck, making it less stable and more difficult for the driver to control. This can result in unsecured items falling off, and bicyclists and pedestrians could get hit by these items or crash while trying to avoid these hazards.
- Distraction – When delivery truck drivers are distracted by eating, texting, talking on the phone or using GPS to find an address, they can fail to see others on the road or obstacles up ahead.
Potential Liable Parties for Delivery Driver Negligence
Aside from the delivery truck driver, there are other parties that could share some blame for the injuries you sustained in a delivery truck accident.
Other potential liable parties may include the delivery truck driver’s employer, the maintenance company of the delivery truck as well as the manufacturer of the delivery truck and its parts.
As these cases can be quite complicated, it is important that you consult with an experienced lawyer who knows how to handle these types of cases.
Injuries Related to Delivery Truck Accidents
Injuries that bicyclists and pedestrians may sustain in a delivery truck accident include the following:
- Brain injuries can cause memory loss, chronic headaches, vision loss, and changes in cognition or mental capacity
- Neck injuries that cause damage to the spinal cord or temporary or permanent paralysis
- Bone fractures that are painful and can worsen if not treated properly by a medical professional
- Amputations or loss of a body part or limbs that require long-term physical therapy, prosthetics and often involve psychological trauma
- Death or the loss of a loved one can cause financial difficulties for those who were dependent on the deceased
Contact Us to Learn More About Your Rights
If you have been involved in a delivery truck accident, we recommend seeking legal representation as soon as possible. You may be eligible to obtain compensation to help cover medical bills and lost wages.
Should we represent you, the licensed Portland truck accident lawyers from our firm are prepared to conduct a detailed investigation and gather supportive evidence to help you build a strong case.
Our initial consultations are completely free, and our services are provided on a contingency fee basis. You will not be asked to pay any legal fees unless we successfully obtain a verdict or settlement on your behalf.
