Can a Food Delivery Driver be Liable for a Car Accident?
July 8, 2022
Many workers use their personal vehicles to deliver food to customers. Pizza delivery and drivers for Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, and other popular food delivery services help put food on your table without you leaving your home. However, food delivery can be dangerous, especially when driving in peak city traffic. Car accidents can cause fatalities and catastrophic injuries that permanently disable accident survivors.
Unfortunately, motorists and pedestrians sometimes suffer injuries due to the negligence of a food delivery driver. When a food delivery driver causes an accident, they may be liable for the damages, depending on the circumstances.
When delivery drivers use their personal vehicles for food runs, those vehicles may suffer from poor maintenance. Brakes in particular can wear out and make a vehicle dangerous to drive. Delivery drivers often go through brake pads faster than other motorists.
Other common factors that contribute to food delivery accidents include:
- Driving while looking at a GPS app or device.
- Navigating unknown roads.
- Drowsy driving due to late-night delivery hours.
- Young drivers with relatively little driving experience.
Many pizza restaurants used to provide drivers with vehicles to deliver, now it is more uncommon due to the high costs of new cars and insuring them for commercial use. Some food delivery companies put the onus of owning, insuring, and maintaining vehicles on the drivers. Many drivers are contractors, which further protects a food delivery service against legal liability for car accidents.
How Car Insurance Might Affect Your Claim?
Many food delivery drivers use their personal vehicles when working. When driving a personal car while making food deliveries, that vehicle must be insured. Some food delivery services provide commercial auto insurance coverage for their drivers. Uber Eats is a good example of this. The driver’s vehicle is protected with an insurance policy with a $1 million policy limit per accident. That coverage only applies after the driver accepts a delivery until completing it.
If the food delivery driver does not have commercial insurance protection, you might have to rely on your auto insurance to cover your costs up to policy limits. Pennsylvania offers personal injury protection (PIP) that covers injury costs regardless of fault. If you opted for a PIP insurance plan for your vehicle, your insurance coverage is automatic. You need to file your claim and provide your medical bills so they get paid.
There may be multiple claims involved in a food delivery accident, which makes matters more complex. Many times, PIP policies will not cover accidents while the driver was working. As a result, their insurance might not cover your injuries or property damage, even if they are at fault. You may have to look at the driver’s employer for coverage. A lawyer will be able to help determine who is liable for the accident and how you can cover your losses.
Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer at Nerenberg Law Associates, P.C. Helps People Who Have Been Injured in Food Delivery Accidents
If you have been injured in an accident caused by a food delivery driver, our Philadelphia car accident lawyer at Nerenberg Law Associates, P.C. can help. Call us at 215-569-9100 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation and to learn more today. Located in Philadelphia, we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.