Delivery Truck Accidents Attorneys in Michigan
Table of Contents
A delivery truck crash can leave you with injuries, medical appointments, missed work, and an insurance call before you have had time to sort out what happened. The vehicle may display the name of Amazon, UPS, FedEx, DHL, or USPS, or it may be an unmarked van that gives you little clue about who operated it.
The company name on the vehicle may not answer the biggest questions. A contractor or delivery partner may employ the driver, another company may own the vehicle, and Michigan no-fault benefits may cover part of your losses through a separate insurance claim. At the same time, delivery records, vehicle data, and video may not be kept indefinitely.
At Matz Injury Law, we investigate the driver, the vehicle, the delivery operation, and the insurance coverage while also addressing the Michigan no-fault issues that can affect your recovery. We identify the right claims early and work to preserve evidence held by the delivery operation.
Why Choose Us After a Delivery Truck Accident
Delivery truck accident cases can involve more than one company, more than one insurance policy, and evidence kept in business systems outside your control. We focus on sorting out those layers without making you guess which company may be responsible for the crash.
More Than $300 Million Recovered for Michigan Clients and a 22% Fee
Our Michigan clients have recovered more than $300 million in personal injury cases. We charge a 22% contingency fee at every stage of the case. There is no fee unless your case results in a recovery.
The fee difference can affect what remains after a case resolves. On a $500,000 recovery, a 22% fee is $110,000. A 33⅓% fee is approximately $166,667, leaving approximately $56,667 more with the client at 22%. Past results do not predict the outcome of another case.
We Personally Handle Your Case and Come to You
Steven Matz and Jared Matz personally handle our cases. Steven has represented injured people for more than four decades, and his record includes judgments or settlements of $1 million or more in nine areas of personal injury litigation.
We also travel to clients throughout Michigan, including the Upper Peninsula. Consultations are free.
Meet Our Delivery Truck Accident Lawyers in Michigan
Client Testimonials
“I highly recommend Matz Law. Despite multiple attorneys undervaluing my case, Steve secured a significantly higher result. Moreover, by charging a 22% fee instead of the typical 33%, I retained a substantial portion of my recovery. Steve was knowledgeable, transparent, and always available to answer any questions and explain the process. I appreciated his persistence in handling this complex and frustrating process. Though Steve was always professional, he treated me with the genuineness of a friend. I confidently recommend Steve Matz to anyone seeking strong representation.” — E.T.
“I was involved in a fatal trucking accident. I reached out to Matz Injury Law, and Jared was extremely helpful in explaining how I needed to proceed. I highly recommend giving them a call if you need a personal injury attorney, as they will answer your questions and help you seek appropriate compensation for your losses.” — C.H.
“My parents were involved in a fatal car accident, and we needed guidance dealing with the insurance company. A month after the accident, the insurance agency had stopped responding to our calls and emails. Retaining Steve Matz and his team was the absolute best decision we made for my mom. He was professional from start to finish, and we reached a settlement quickly. Steve answered all of our calls and emails and assured us that he would take care of our family during this time. If you are questioning whether you need legal guidance, do not hesitate to reach out.” — S.M.
What Makes a Delivery Truck Accident Different From Other Michigan Crashes?
A delivery truck accident is different because it can combine Michigan no-fault insurance rules with a business relationship that is harder to identify than the driver and owner in an ordinary two-car crash. The person driving may work for a delivery partner, contractor, local business, or national carrier, and each relationship can affect which companies and insurance policies we need to investigate.
Michigan personal protection insurance, or PIP, can provide first-party benefits without requiring you to prove the delivery driver caused the crash. A separate third-party claim may seek losses the no-fault system does not pay, including pain and suffering when Michigan’s legal threshold is met and certain economic losses that exceed available PIP benefits.
Delivery vehicles also range from passenger-style vans to larger commercial trucks. When the vehicle and operation fall within a broader commercial vehicle accident, additional company records, vehicle records, and insurance issues may become relevant.
Who Is Responsible When a Delivery Truck Hits You?
Responsibility for a delivery truck accident may involve the driver, the driver’s employer or delivery partner, the vehicle owner, or another business involved in the delivery operation. More than one party may share responsibility. The company logo on the vehicle can help identify the delivery operation, but it does not by itself establish who is legally responsible for your injuries.
Amazon uses several delivery models. Its Delivery Service Partners are independent small businesses that hire and manage drivers, while Amazon also uses Amazon Flex contractors and other delivery programs. When an Amazon-branded vehicle causes a crash, we need to determine which driver, business, vehicle owner, and insurance policies were involved.
Michigan law does not decide responsibility based only on whether a company calls a driver an employee or independent contractor. The actual working relationship and the company’s control over how the driver performed the work can affect whether the company is responsible for the driver’s conduct. Similar issues can arise in a broader Michigan truck accident.
If an insurer claims the driver was an independent contractor, we can investigate the contracts, vehicle ownership, route records, delivery records, and other evidence before accepting that position.
What Do Michigan No-Fault Benefits Cover After a Delivery Truck Accident?
Michigan PIP can cover certain accident-related losses regardless of fault, but the responsible insurer and the amount of medical coverage available depend on the facts and the applicable policy. The rules can differ depending on whether you were in a vehicle, walking, cycling, or riding a motorcycle.
PIP benefits may include:
- Medical care: Reasonable charges for reasonably necessary accident-related care, recovery, or rehabilitation, subject to the PIP medical coverage available under the applicable policy.
- Work loss: Eligible lost income during the first three years after the crash, generally reduced by 15% because the benefit is not taxable and subject to the statutory monthly maximum.
- Replacement services: Up to $20 per day for reasonably incurred ordinary and necessary services you would have performed for yourself or a dependent during the first three years.
- Other allowable expenses: Certain reasonable and necessary accident-related expenses can qualify, including transportation connected to covered medical care.
For many Michigan residents, the first place to look is their own no-fault policy or a qualifying household policy. If no such policy applies, the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan may be the source of PIP benefits in some situations. Special priority rules and exclusions can change the answer.
What Are the Deadlines for a Michigan PIP Claim?
Timing deserves careful attention. Under MCL 500.3145, a PIP lawsuit generally cannot begin more than one year after the accident unless the insurer received the required written notice within one year or previously paid PIP benefits. When notice or payment exists, additional timing and one-year-back rules apply, including statutory tolling in some circumstances.
PIP does not pay pain and suffering. That is part of the separate third-party claim. We can review the policy and crash facts to identify which insurer should receive the PIP claim and what coverage applies.
What Injuries Do Delivery Truck Accidents Cause?
Delivery truck crashes can cause head and brain injuries, spinal injuries, herniated discs, fractures, joint injuries, nerve damage, burns, and scarring. Pedestrians and cyclists can face especially serious harm because they do not have a vehicle around them to absorb the impact.
The type of injury also affects whether a person can seek non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. Under MCL 500.3135, the threshold is death, serious impairment of body function, or permanent serious disfigurement. A serious impairment of body function requires an objectively manifested impairment of an important body function that affects the person’s general ability to lead a normal life.
Surgery is not a listed requirement in that statutory test. Medical records and evidence showing how the injury affects day-to-day life can be important when the parties dispute whether the threshold is met.
What Should You Do After a Delivery Truck Accident in Michigan?
The most useful steps after a delivery truck crash are the ones that protect your health, identify the people and businesses involved, and preserve evidence before it becomes harder to obtain. What is possible will depend on your injuries and how much time has passed.
- Report and document the crash. If you are able, make sure the police receive a report and photograph the vehicles, damage, roadway, company markings, license plate, and driver information.
- Get medical care and keep the records. Prompt evaluation creates a medical record of your symptoms and treatment needs while also addressing injuries that may not be obvious at the scene.
- Save delivery-specific information. Keep photos of logos, vehicle numbers, delivery paperwork or messages you receive, witness information, and anything else that could help identify the driver, carrier, or delivery partner.
- Use care with recorded statements. Before giving a recorded statement to the delivery company’s liability insurer, consider getting legal advice about the request. Your own PIP carrier may have separate policy and claim requirements.
- Track the different deadlines. PIP, a third-party Michigan injury claim, and a claim involving a federal vehicle do not follow the same timetable.
Michigan generally gives three years to bring an injury lawsuit under MCL 600.5805. PIP follows the separate one-year notice and filing framework described above. A crash involving a USPS vehicle can fall under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which generally requires a written administrative claim to the appropriate federal agency within two years after the claim accrues. Claimants commonly use Standard Form 95, but federal regulations also recognize other written notice that states a sum certain. A claimant generally must file a lawsuit within six months after the agency mails a final denial.
We can send preservation requests for available dashcam footage, vehicle data, dispatch records, route information, and business records while also handling the insurance and filing requirements tied to the claim.
How Much Does a Delivery Truck Accident Claim Pay in Michigan?
There is no reliable average settlement for a Michigan delivery truck accident. The value depends on the losses the evidence can support, the available insurance, the parties who can be held responsible, and the legal rules that apply to the injuries and fault.
Factors that can affect value include:
- The severity, duration, and long-term effects of the injuries
- Medical costs, lost income, and other economic losses not covered by PIP
- Whether the injury meets Michigan’s threshold for non-economic damages
- Each party’s share of fault
- The identity and insurance coverage of the responsible parties
- The strength of the medical, witness, vehicle, and business records
A careful valuation should use the facts of the individual case rather than a generic calculator or an early prediction. Our 22% contingency fee applies if the case results in a recovery, so you know the fee structure before the case ends.
Contact Us About a Michigan Delivery Truck Accident Before Evidence Is Lost
A free consultation can help you identify the PIP carrier, the businesses to investigate, the filing deadlines, and the records to preserve. We handle delivery truck accident cases throughout Michigan, including the Upper Peninsula, and charge a 22% contingency fee. There is no fee unless your case results in a recovery.
Call 866-226-6833 or reach out through our contact form to start the conversation while delivery and vehicle records may still be available.
Written By Steven Matz
Steven J. Matz is the founder of Matz Injury Law, specializing in personal injury litigation with a focus on car accident victims. With over 40 years of legal experience, Mr. Matz has achieved numerous million-dollar settlements. He holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and has been recognized among Michigan’s Top Attorneys. Steven J. Matz is a frequent lecturer on legal ethics and personal injury law, and serves on the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board.
Recent Resource Articles
Hear What People In a Similar Situation Have Said About Our Attorneys
