Mail Truck Accident Lawyer
Being involved in a collision with a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail truck leads to a completely different process to recover compensation than if you were in an accident with a personal vehicle or even a commercial postal delivery truck. A crash with a USPS mail truck, either a large semi or the trucks you see around town, means you are in an accident with a vehicle owned by the United States. Mail carriers do not have auto insurance for these trucks like personal drivers do for their cars or private delivery services have for their trucks. This does not mean you are not entitled to recover compensation. However, it does means you will need to work with an experienced accident lawyer to recover damages from the federal government.
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Postal Delivery Accident Causes
- Frequent Stops and Slow Speed - Mail delivery trucks can be part of accidents because they are not entirely like other vehicles. Mail carriers may drive below the speed limit and make irregular stops along their routes, which could be on roads where other vehicles travel 55 mph. Many of these roads do not have shoulders, so the mail truck stops on the road and blocks traffic. This slow stop-and-start process can confuse other motorists and lead to accidents.
- Improperly Loaded or Secured Cargo – This is a common cause of mail truck accidents. If the loader, driver, or mail carrier in charge of the truck did not properly secure the letters and packages as well as the truck’s doors, then it is possible for cargo to fall out of the truck and cause accidents.
- Wrong-Side of Vehicle Driving- Is another common issue that can lead to collisions and is often more prevalent in rural areas than in the city. In some rural areas, postal carriers are not provided with an official truck with the pedals and wheels on the right side of the vehicle. Instead, they have an older vehicle or use a personal car. To make their lives a little easier, some mail carriers will drive from the passenger seat rather than sit in the driver’s seat. This means they are reaching over to control the steering wheel and hit the gas and brake pedals. Being too far away significantly delays reaction times and prohibits full control of the vehicle, which could cause accidents.
- Wrong Side of Road Driving - Also, some mail carriers attempt to save time by driving on the wrong side of the road. This is often an issue on rural or quiet suburban roads where mail carriers may feel like there is no need to go past homes only to turn around and drive down the right side correctly. However, carriers never know when there will be another car on the road and driving on the left can easily lead to accidents.
Filing a Claim with the USPS
Time is Important When Filing an Injury Claim against USPS
- Following your initial claim, you will receive a response from the government regarding your case and the amount of compensation— if any— it has agreed to provide for your injuries.
- If the initial response is not in your favor, you have the option to file a lawsuit within six months to contest the ruling and claim additional damages.
- It is during this time that you need to build your case and establish both the fault of the government employee and the financial value of your injuries.
Filing a Lawsuit Under the Federal Tort Claims Act
- Your property damage or personal injuries were caused by a federal government employee
- The government employee was working at the time
- The government employee acted negligently or wrongfully
- That negligent or wrongful act is what led to your injuries or damage
Contact a Houston Mail Truck Accident Lawyer for Help
Attorney, John D. Pascoe and the Pascoe Law Firm, is responsible for the content on this website, principal office and only office located in Friendswood, Texas. Servicing: Alvin, Angleton, Atascocita, Austin, Bay City, Bacliff, Baytown, Beaumont, Bellaire, Brazoria County, Brookside Village, Brownsville, Clute, Conroe, Clear Lake, Clear Lake Shores, Chambers County, Corpus Christi, Channelview, Cypress, Dallas, Danbury Dickinson, Deer Park, East Houston, El Largo, Freeport, Friendswood, Fresno, Fort Bend County, Fort Worth, Galveston, Galveston County, Greenspoint, Gulfgate, Harris County, Hitchcock, Houston, Houston Heights, Huffman, Humble, Huntsville, Harlingen, Jefferson County, Katy, Kemah, Lake Jackson, La Marque, La Porte, League City, Laredo, Liberty County, Manvel, Memorial City Houston, Midtown Houston, Missouri City, Montgomery County, Montrose Houston, McAllen, Nassau Bay, North Houston, Orange, Pasadena, Port Bolivar, Port Arthur, Pearland, Richmond, Rice Village, River Oaks, Rosenberg, Rosharon, Rio Grande Valley, Santa Fe, San Antonio, San Leon, Seabrook, Shoreacres, Sienna Plantation, South Houston, Sugar Land, Southbelt Ellington, Spring, South Padre Island, Texas City, Taylor Lake Village, The Woodlands, Tiki Island, Tomball, Victoria, Uptown Houston Galleria, Webster, West Columbia, West University Place, Weihmar, and throughout Texas.
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Pascoe Law Firm
1414 S. Friendswood Dr, STE 120, Friendswood, TX 77546 United States Get Directions |
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