Delivery fleet accidents in California can involve several injured parties and complex insurance issues. When large trucks from corporate delivery services are involved in crashes, chain-reaction accidents that injure multiple drivers are more likely. When this happens, determining liability in California when a delivery fleet truck causes a multi-vehicle collision may not always be clear.
California law does allow multiple avenues to hold the right parties liable, and understanding these options is essential to protecting your claim.
Delivery Fleet Accidents Are Different From Ordinary Crashes
Delivery fleet truck accidents are more complex than typical two-car collisions for a variety of reasons. Corporate delivery trucks are commercial vehicles that drive under strict schedules and oversight. They travel on multiple types of insurance policies. Plus, delivery trucks are large and heavy, capable of doing great damage if they crash into a row of other vehicles at high speeds. A multi-vehicle pileup may involve fault with multiple drivers, rather than a single person.
Common Causes of Delivery Fleet Truck Multi-Vehicle Collisions
In 2023, California was among the top three states when it came to fatalities in large truck accidents, with 392 deaths. In 2024, there were a total of 11,454 crashes in the state that involved large trucks, resulting in 5,113 injuries.
Delivery fleet trucks are often at the center of multi-car crashes for several reasons. While the fault may not necessarily lie with the delivery truck driver, the following causes are common:
- Driver fatigue due to long routes or time pressures
- Driver distraction by GPS systems, delivery apps, or calls from the dispatch center
- Speeding to meet tight delivery quotas
- Lane changes or wide turns in crowded traffic conditions
- Following too closely and not being able to brake in time, leading to rear-end pileups
- Negligent vehicle maintenance, such as brake failure or worn tires
Busy California traffic routes are especially prone to conditions where one moment of driver inattention can cause a multi-vehicle accident.
Interstate 5, State Route 91, Interstate 405, and other California freeway systems are the most-traveled highways in the state. The express lanes of these highways are where accidents involving delivery fleet trucks are most likely to occur because the freeways are most congested with other commercial and commuter traffic at the same time.
The traffic involved in these collisions has created massive injuries and victims in need of trauma center facilities such as the UC Irvine Medical Center, located at 101 The City Drive South, in Orange, and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center at 1000 West Carson Street, in Torrance.
Disputes about liability for the above-mentioned multi-car pile-ups have led to California Superior Court actions in the Superior Court of California, Orange County, at 700 Civic Center Drive West, in Santa Ana.
Liability in Delivery Fleet Truck Multi-Vehicle Collisions
California’s comparative negligence system allows for multiple parties to be found liable for the same accident. In delivery fleet crashes, the at-fault parties may include one or more of the following:
- The delivery truck driver. If the delivery driver was driving over the speed limit, distracted, over-tired, or otherwise in violation of traffic laws when the collision occurred, they could be directly liable.
- The delivery company. Under California law, the respondeat superior doctrine permits legal actions against employers for their employees’ negligent behavior. In a crash, the delivery company’s insurance policy will cover the driver and passenger’s damages if the driver was performing job-related activities at the time.
- Maintenance providers. Vehicle maintenance failures often result in crashes where no other negligence is found. Drivers can face a deadly surprise when tire blowouts and other mechanical problems transform normal driving into a dangerous situation.
- Outside contractors. Contractors may be driving delivery fleet trucks, providing maintenance services, or carrying out other logistics for larger fleets. If the negligent action of a subcontractor contributed to the crash, then they, too, may be responsible for your damages.
- Other drivers. In some multi-vehicle accidents, not only is the delivery driver potentially negligent. One or more of the other drivers may have been liable as well. California law allows all drivers who are liable to have liability split up among them.
California truck accident laws mean that injured victims can still pursue damages from an at-fault party even if they themselves were partially liable. A person’s final compensation will be reduced by the percentage of the fault that is attributed to them.
Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer
If you were injured in a multi-vehicle collision with a delivery fleet truck in California, the decision to hire a truck accident lawyer may be the most important one you make for the future of your claim. A skilled truck accident attorney can ensure that all of the liable parties are named in your truck accident claim, and crucial evidence is collected before it disappears.
FAQs
Who Can Be Held Legally Responsible When a Delivery Fleet Truck Causes a Multi-Vehicle Collision in California?
Liability may not just rest with the driver who caused the crash. Trucking and delivery companies, as well as the owner of the truck or van, a maintenance contractor, or even those who loaded cargo on the vehicle, may also be liable. California law recognizes joint responsibility by multiple defendants who, through their acts or omissions, may have caused or contributed to a crash, particularly in complex chain-reaction collisions involving commercial fleet vehicles.
How Do California’s Negligence and Vicarious Liability Laws Apply to Delivery Companies After a Major Crash?
California negligence law holds delivery companies accountable when their unsafe practices play a part in the crash. Vicarious liability can often be at play in cases where the driver was acting within the scope of their employment, rendering the employer liable for the driver’s actions, even if the company itself did not directly cause the collision.
What Evidence Is Most Important When Proving Fault in a Multi-Vehicle Accident Involving a Delivery Fleet Truck?
Police assessments, dashcam recordings, black box data, driver logs, vehicle repair data, statements from witnesses, and accident reconstruction assessments are examples of important evidence. Internal company documents, such as delivery schedules or safety policies, may also disclose pressure, exhaustion, or systemic negligence that contributed to the collision in fleet cases.
Can Victims Pursue Claims Against Both the Driver and the Delivery Company in a California Multi-Vehicle Collision Case?
Yes, when it is appropriate, California law permits injured parties to file claims against both the delivery company and the driver. Because it increases the possibility of insurance coverage and accountability for more widespread operational failures, this approach is often used in fleet cases, particularly when the driver was on duty.
About Easton & Easton
Easton & Easton is known throughout California for going after big delivery companies and insurers and getting them to pay after severe truck accidents. Recognized by the country’s top legal organizations, Easton & Easton has trial-tested experience and can fight tirelessly on your behalf. Contact us today for a free consultation.
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