Portland Food Delivery Accident Attorney

Few things are more convenient than having your favorite foods delivered to your door when you do not feel like getting out of your pajamas. As food delivery services gain popularity, the chance of automobile accidents involving them increases too. If you or a loved one has been harmed in an accident with a food delivery driver, contact a Portland food delivery accident attorney as soon as possible. 

Portland Food Delivery Accident Resources

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Why Choose Our Law Firm?
Food Delivery Services Rise in Popularity
Common OFDs
Portland Food Delivery Service Accidents
Common Causes of Food Delivery Accidents
Determining Who is Responsible for Paying for Damages
Possible Injuries Sustained in Food Delivery Accidents
What to Do Following a Food Delivery Accident
Potential Compensation in Your Case
Call an Attorney Today

Why Choose Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC?

• Client-Centered Focus: We take cases we believe in and support our clients throughout the process. By being selective about the cases we are willing to take, we can devote the attention our clients deserve.
• Commitment to excellence: We are committed to pursuing the maximum amount of damages possible available to our clients. Although this is a crucial part of what we do, we are committed to building real relationships with our clients and helping them achieve their goals.
• Negotiation and Litigation: We are strong negotiators and will advocate for our clients to resolve their cases in the most generous way possible. While we are excellent negotiators, we are equally strong litigators who are prepared to go to trial and fight tenaciously for our clients.

Food Delivery Services Rise in Popularity

Smartphone apps have made it easy and convenient to order out. These days, customers can order nearly any food they want through a delivery service. It is not only pizza that can be delivered to your door anymore. 

While companies providing food delivery have been growing quickly for years now, the COVID-19 pandemic saw a lot of restaurant dining rooms close. To adapt and stay in business, many restaurants joined third-party delivery services. People still wanted their favorite foods, and they wanted restaurant-quality meals, so it was a perfect way to give the consumers what they wanted while allowing the businesses to remain open.  

Online food delivery (OFD) services became a necessity if you wanted to avoid cooking during the pandemic. But, since consumer reliance on OFDs increased during the pandemic, the services have continued to grow. 

Common OFDs

While many pizza restaurants still offer delivery, third-party online delivery services have grown in popularity. Some of the more common OFDs are listed below: 

• Grubhub
• Ubereats
• Doordash
• Instacart
• Postmates
• Caviar

Not only can you have restaurant deliveries brought directly to your home, but grocery delivery services have also grown in popularity. 

Portland Food Delivery Service Accidents

There is no denying how convenient food delivery services are. However, with the increased demand, there are more cars on the road and more deliveries to be made. This also leads to an increased possibility of being in a car accident with a food delivery service driver. 

Common Causes of Food Delivery Accidents

Food delivery drivers face the same hazards and obstacles as every other driver on the road, though they have an added level of danger. Some of the hazards faced by food delivery drivers are as follows.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving can be a problem for all drivers, but the distractions faced by food delivery drivers can be even more severe. Some potential distractions capable of causing crashes are listed below: 

• Texting while driving
• Reading GPS and navigating unfamiliar areas
• Distractions from the food delivery service app

If you get into a collision due to an inattentive driver, a Portland distracted driving accident attorney may be able to assist with your case.

Time Pressure

To make money delivering food for a third-party service like Ubereats, drivers must deliver a lot of food. Pressuring themselves to perform as many deliveries as possible can lead to unintentional recklessness. Customers also expect their food to be delivered in a reasonably swift period. 

By rushing to deliver food promptly and juggling multiple deliveries, the pressure of the clock ticking away can lead many drivers to take shortcuts and drive carelessly to catch up. Drivers know they face penalties and bad reviews for late or canceled orders. So, there is automatic time pressure built into the job.

Fatigued Drivers Cause Accidents

Driving while fatigued can equate to similar delayed reaction times as a person who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Drivers often work long hours and do not take adequate breaks to rest, so they are often driving while experiencing fatigue. Fatigued drivers are not safe drivers and are sometimes the cause of accidents. 

Long hours lead to reduced concentration, slow reaction times, and even falling asleep at the wheel. Delivery companies should limit the number of hours drivers are allowed to deliver, and drivers should take frequent breaks and not drive when they are too tired to operate their vehicles safely.

Inexperienced Drivers are a Risk on the Roads of Portland

Drivers who lack experience can pose serious risks to other drivers with whom they share the road. These inexperienced drivers are often unfamiliar with the various routes they are asked to take. This can lead to unsafe lane changes, quick corrections, and looking at the mobile phone for GPS directions rather than watching the road. 

Figuring out the ins and outs of using their work-related app can also cause inexperienced drivers to become distracted and cause accidents. 

Mechanical Failures and Lack of Car Maintenance

Accidents happen on the road every day due to poorly maintained vehicles or automobile defects. When paired with the distractions, pressures, and time limitations of food delivery drivers, the situation could end catastrophically. Some of the car problems that pose risks to food delivery drivers are as follows: 

• Badly worn or bald tires cause the driver to have less traction or grip on the road. This can make it difficult to steer or stop the car, especially when the weather has caused road conditions to be wet or slippery.
• Worn brake pads make it more difficult to slow down or stop on demand. This can lead to danger when trying to make an emergency stop.
• Faulty brakes can cause similar, if not worse, hazards than worn brake pads. If the driver’s car leaks brake fluid or the brake lines malfunction, an accident is bound to happen.
• Burnt-out headlights, taillights, signal lights, or brake lights can all cause an elevated risk for food delivery drivers. Each light is in place to signal other motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. If they are non-functioning, they fail to convey the information the other people on the road need to make safe choices.
• Steering and suspension malfunctions are other problems for food delivery drivers. These malfunctions can make steering challenging, especially when going at increased speeds on bumpy roads.
• Becoming low on the car’s fluids, or if the fluids become dirty, can cause accidents to happen because the vehicle will not function or respond properly.

A Portland car accident lawyer can help you determine who might be liable for your injuries after a crash caused by an unsafe food delivery vehicle.

Who is Responsible for Paying for Damages?

A food truck delivery accident can be somewhat more complicated than an accident involving regular motorists. While making a food delivery, if the food delivery driver has an accident, then their personal insurance is unlikely to pay for the damages. This is because they were not using their vehicle for personal use.

The food delivery company may be in charge of providing some insurance. The driver may also carry commercial car insurance. Commercial car insurance is less appealing to many drivers because it is more expensive. Insurance companies see commercial driving as a bigger risk than the personal use of a vehicle. 

It is important to have a food delivery accident lawyer in Portland by your side so that the correct parties are held liable when an accident occurs.

Possible Injuries Sustained in Portland Food Delivery Accidents

Car accident injuries in Portland can range from mild to life-threatening. While the majority of accidents are fender benders, sometimes accidents with food delivery vehicles end tragically. Here is a list of common injuries sustained in food delivery accidents: 

• Cuts and lacerations: Many accident victims suffer from cuts and lacerations, some requiring medical intervention. 
• Whiplash: Whiplash is an often painful soft tissue injury that occurs when the neck is jolted back and forth. It can hyper-extend and cause stiffness and soreness. 
• Broken bones: Food delivery accident victims can be left struggling with fractures that require medical attention for surgery or a cast to set. These can be painful injuries that take weeks to recover from. 
• Crush injuries: Accident victims who are trapped between objects can sometimes suffer crush injuries. These require medical intervention and can cause permanent disabilities.
• Burn injuries: When car accidents end in fire or explosions, burn injuries may occur. Burn injuries are among the most painful injuries a person can sustain. They can cause severe scarring and disfigurement to the victim.
• Spinal cord injuries: Among the most serious car accident injuries is the spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injuries can cause paralysis and permanently alter the course of the victim’s life. 
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI): When a car accident victim takes a blow to the head or when the brain is forced back and forth inside the skull upon impact, a traumatic brain injury can happen. These can be mild concussions or permanent cognitive issues. 
• Internal injuries: These may not be immediately obvious, so it is important to have a medical professional check out all parties involved in a food delivery accident, even if nothing obvious immediately shows up. 
• Puncture wounds: Depending on the conditions of the accident, puncture wounds can occur. These can be painful and can cause problems for the victim if left untreated.
• Wrongful death: Severe car crashes may cause fatal wounds for anyone involved in the collision. Accidents involving pedestrians or bicyclists are particularly likely to result in catastrophic injuries.

What Should You Do After a Food Delivery Accident in Portland?

Accidents happen without any notice, and sometimes, it is confusing knowing what to do next after you are involved in one. Here are a few best practices that we suggest after being involved in an automobile accident: 

• Call 911 to report the accident to law enforcement. They will dispatch the appropriate aid. 
• Check on others who were involved so you can describe their injuries to emergency services and administer aid if necessary.
• Be polite and answer questions asked by law enforcement, but do not volunteer any information. 
• Fight the urge to apologize or to acknowledge any of the blame. The authorities are qualified to determine that, and an investigation will take place if necessary.
• Exchange contact information and gather tag numbers from others involved in the accident.
• If you are able, video or take photographs of the details of the scene. This could mean road conditions, damage to vehicles, weather conditions, or statements from witnesses.
• Get checked out by a medical professional. Even if you do not feel that you are hurt, you should get assessed by a doctor. You could be in shock, or the spiked adrenaline from the accident could be masking your injuries.
• Alert your insurance company about the food delivery accident. 
• Contact a Portland food delivery accident attorney. 

If you have been injured in a food delivery accident in Portland, you may be eligible for compensation. Speak to a Portland food delivery accident lawyer for help.

Potential Compensation to Pursue After a Food Delivery Accident

If you or someone you love has been harmed in a food delivery accident, you may be eligible for compensation. Listed below are some of the damages that your Portland food delivery accident attorney can determine if are applicable to you: 

• Medical bills mount quickly following a car accident. You may be eligible for reimbursement.
• Pain and suffering due to the physical and emotional injuries experienced in the accident are other forms of damages that you are likely entitled to.
• Home alterations are sometimes necessary, depending on the injuries sustained. This could mean the addition of ramps, grab bars, handrails, accessible bathrooms, and kitchens. 
• Loss of income is economic damage that you will pursue if you have missed time at work due to your injuries. If you are not able to return to work because of the seriousness of the accident, your lost wages will be taken into account when determining a fair settlement package.
• Loss of enjoyment of life happens when the injured victim can no longer participate in things that brought joy to their life before the accident. This could be participating in a sport or taking a walk with a spouse.
• Loss of consortium: Sometimes, the partner or spouse of the injury victim is eligible for this type of compensation. It applies when the spouse or partner cannot depend on their partner any longer for support, security, parenting help, or intimate matters.

These and other possible damages may be pursued following a food delivery accident. Your food delivery accident attorney will be able to analyze the specifics of your case to determine what damages you are entitled to. 

Call a Portland Food Delivery Accident Attorney Today

The experienced legal team at Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC we are ready to aid you in securing the maximum possible damages due to your food delivery accident. Our team will investigate the accident, gather evidence and construct a compelling strategy to negotiate with the liable insurance companies. 

However, if negotiations falter, we are ready to litigate for you before the court, if necessary, aggressively. Contact us today to find out what we can do for you.