What to Do After a Delivery Accident

Accidents happen. Sometimes it’s no fault of your own, sometimes you could’ve done something differently, but no matter what, they’re always stressful. 

In the event of a delivery accident, you probably have concerns about what to do next. Packages might be damaged or destroyed, and you may be wondering if insurance will cover the damages, who else to turn to for information on what to do next, and how you can handle the situation overall. 

To help you out, we’ve put together a quick guide on what to do after a delivery accident so you can deal with the fallout as smoothly as possible.

1.Assess the damage

Car accidents can be extremely traumatic for everyone involved, but sometimes people can be overly dramatic. Safety and everyone’s well being is the top priority, so the first thing you should do is critically and objectively assess the damage. 

Make sure you or no one else is injured, and if anyone involved was injured, contact emergency medical assistance immediately.

At this time, it may also be a good idea to contact your delivery company and let them know you’ve been in an accident before proceeding to take further action. 

2.Take pictures or videos

After an accident, your adrenaline is probably surging through your veins, making it difficult to accurately recall details later on —which are incredibly important in the case of a potential lawsuit. This is why it’s crucial to record as many details as possible. 

Take pictures of the scene, of both vehicles from multiple angles, of injuries you may have sustained, and of anything else that might serve as pertinent information later on. Don’t rely on your memory —always create a permanent record with a camera. 

3.Get contact information from everyone involved

Not all accidents are serious. Sometimes it’s just a simple fender-bender with minimal damage to both vehicles and persons involved. In these instances, sometimes drivers agree to part ways, and deal with the police reports and insurance claims later. 

Whether this is the case or not, make sure you get the contact information of the other driver, as well as their name, address, and insurance information. 

4.File a police report

Whether it was a serious accident or not, it’s always important to file a police report. Later on, unseen injuries or mechanical problems may arise from either party, and a police report will often serve as the most important record of exactly what happened when filing either a lawsuit or insurance claim. 

Police reports serve as a public record, and prove that the accident actually happened. Without it, the other parties involved may deny the accident occurred, and proving that it actually happened will be much more difficult. 

5.Be careful what you say

While filing a police report is necessary, you need to be mindful of everything you say, to every person you speak to, whether police or civilian bystander. A simple statement such as, “Yeah I’m okay,” can kill any hope for a case even if you sustained serious injuries later, no matter who was at fault in the accident.

Don’t make any recorded statements to anyone about your health, and absolutely do not admit fault to anyone. You have the right to only answer pertinent questions until you’ve received proper legal counsel. 

6.Look for other witnesses to the accident

In many accidents, witnesses provide key testimony in helping to accurately recount the events of your accident as they played out. Do as much as you can to find other witnesses to the accident.  

Gather their contact information, and have them describe what they saw to the police on the scene, or later on if at all possible. The more eyewitness testimony included in the police report, the better. 

7.Contact an attorney

If you’ve been in a delivery accident, there’s a good chance that you’re liable for a number of different things, which can cause financial hardship for you and your family. Make sure that you contact an attorney who specializes in accidents involving delivery trucks —especially if you’ve been injured. 

The last thing you want is to be left unprotected, with a lawsuit on your hands, so contact an attorney —before you speak with anyone else. 

To learn more about how you should deal with a delivery accident, take a look at this article on JT Legal Group. 

Conclusion

Delivery truck accidents are extremely stressful for everyone involved, but if you follow these tips, you’ll be back to making deliveries in no time.