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It makes sense that healthcare workers would be feeling the majority of the pressure from COVID-19, but what the country did not anticipate was the burden it would place on our supply chain workers. Everything from toilet paper and dog food to soup and ground beef is flying off shelves faster than they can be stocked. Also, more people are ordering things online that cannot be found in the grocery store or from businesses that have temporarily closed their brick-and-mortar stores.
Commercial delivery trucks account for about 58 percent of all miles driven by commercial vehicles, according to the Federal Highway Administration. There are nearly 2 million semi-trucks in operation in the U.S., and around 5.6 million semi-trailers. The majority of these are driven by hard workers with good intentions to keep American pantries and refrigerators full during this uncertain time.
However, with the increased demand for supplies and groceries, more trucks on the road may be putting the lives of Americans at risk from more than COVID-19. If you are injured in a delivery truck crash, consider consulting a California truck accident lawyer.
COVID-19 In California
The presence of COVID-19 in California is palpable. Californians are ordered by the government to stay at home unless they are getting food and essentials, seeing a healthcare provider, or going to an essential job. Those who do go out are mandated to keep a six-foot distance from anyone who does not live in their home. The California National Guard is currently deployed to help food banks. Individuals experiencing homelessness are being housed in supervised travel trailers and hotels.
President Trump issued a Major Disaster Declaration, giving more funding to the state to deal with this unprecedented crisis. Governor Newsom issued an executive order that authorizes local governments to stop evictions for renters and homeowners, slow foreclosures, and protect against utility shutoffs for Californians impacted by COVID-19. California taxpayers have a 90-day extension to file their state taxes.
As of March 24, 2020, there were over 2,500 cases of COVID-19 and a total of 53 deaths in this state. Approximately 66,800 people have been tested for this deadly virus. Of these positive cases, 707 were community-acquired, over 1,800 were person-to-person transmission, travel (including those who have traveled on cruise ships recently), repatriation, or are still under investigation. These include 35 healthcare workers.
Ages of confirmed cases are as follows:
- 0-17: 37 cases
- 18-49: 1,278 cases
- 50-64: 638 cases
- 65+: 562 cases
- Unknown: 20 cases
Gender of all confirmed positive cases is as follows:
- Female: 1,117 cases
- Male: 1,389 cases
- Unknown: 29 cases
How COVID-19 Is Affecting The Trucking Industry
Many Americans have been shocked by the demand for groceries and household essentials that has been brought on by COVID-19. Instacart, Shipt, Amazon, Walmart, and many other similar businesses are facing a steep and sudden increase in the demand for delivery services. Those who previously enjoyed two-hour grocery delivery can add that to the list of luxuries that have ceased to exist in light of the current crisis.
Currently, getting a two or three-day wait time for online grocery delivery is akin to winning a scratch game or even the lottery. For customers who are lucky enough to even find delivery as an option for having groceries delivered, they can expect to wait much longer than ever before. Several days for delivery is the current norm. As such, Amazon intends to hire 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers. Instacart wants to hire 300,000 new shoppers over the next 90 days, which would more than double its current shopper base. Walmart announced plans to add an additional 150,000 employees.
Recent California Truck Accidents Of Note
You may think that these accidents rarely happen or will never happen to you. Truck drivers and victims of the following truck crashes likely thought the same. Unfortunately, these accidents may indicate otherwise:
- March 17, 2020 – A West Sacramento road was entirely shut down for several hours due to a big rig rollover accident.
- March 15, 2020 – The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported an injury collision involving several vehicles, including at least one semi-truck full of cargo. This crash caused significant injuries and involved multiple vehicles entering the Antler Bridge over Lake Shasta, which spun out, likely due to icy road conditions. No life-threatening injuries were sustained, and the crash is still under investigation by the CHP.
- March 5, 2020 – The driver of a milk tanker truck lost control of his vehicle and crashed into seven parked vehicles on a street in Arcadia early in the morning. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
- February 18, 2020 – This big rig crash involved a passenger vehicle and injured two people. The driver of the passenger vehicle required extrication from their vehicle and suffered what police reported to be moderate physical trauma.
Whether your truck accident involved a semi-truck or a delivery truck, a California truck accident lawyer from Arash Law can evaluate your case and discuss the next steps you can take.
What To Do If You Are Hurt In A Delivery Truck Accident?
If you are injured in a truck accident, what you do following the incident and over the next several months could affect your physical and financial capability. Consider the following after sustaining injuries in a truck accident:
Get Medical Care
Getting medical attention should be your immediate priority, whether you are taken via ambulance to your local hospital, go to a nearby urgent care the next day, or schedule an appointment with your own physician. Not only does this impact your physical health going forward, but it also provides medical records about your injuries that can support your claim.
If your doctor or other healthcare team member recommends specific tests, follow-up, or ongoing care or therapies, be sure to obey their instructions. Not doing so not only harms your physical health, but it can also be detrimental to your case. It could imply a lack of willingness to get better on your part and might cause disputes during the claims process.
Consult A California Truck Accident Lawyer
Just as you visit a doctor to help you with your physical healing, you can consult a delivery truck accident attorney to learn about your legal rights and the claims process. If you have a valid claim, your attorney can begin investigating your accident and crafting a demand letter. If needed, your California truck accident attorney can negotiate a settlement or litigate your case on your behalf.
Refrain From Social Media Use
Although social media platforms like Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are ideal ways to stay in touch with friends, family, colleagues, and coworkers near and far (especially in the COVID-19 era), posting to them can make your case more challenging to establish. You will want to discuss your social media use with your California truck accident lawyer to learn how it can harm your case and determine what actions you can take on these platforms.
At the very least, do not post about or discuss your accident or injuries. Your legal counsel may recommend that you deactivate your account for the duration of your case, as it may contain information that could harm your claim. Shortly before an accident, for example, you may have commented that you wish you could take some time off work. This might be used to argue that you intended to get injured.
Keep An Accident/Injury Diary
Recovering from an injury can be overwhelming. Your days may blend together, and you may forget some important details. Grab a notebook or start an online journal to document your life after the accident. You can include things like:
- Your pain and suffering.
- Ways your injury impacts your everyday routine or keeps you from doing things you enjoy.
- The time you miss at work, either because you physically cannot or are getting much-needed medical attention and care.
- Your detailed account of the accident.
This journal could provide you and your California truck accident attorney with a way to measure the intangible losses you incurred in an accident. That could make it easier for you to pursue compensation for them.
Delivery Truck Accidents Can Cause Serious Injuries
Both delivery trucks and semi-trucks are known for causing severe injuries. These vehicles weigh more and are taller than other vehicles on the road. Their center of gravity is higher, making accidents more likely.
The consequences of a truck accident could stay with a person for a lifetime, which is why injured victims can often seek compensation to cover their current and future medical and life care costs. To help them, our skilled California truck accident attorneys often assist with evaluating the severity of their injuries. Common serious injuries that victims sustain in these types of accidents include:
- Back and Neck Injuries — Fragile bones and ligaments in your neck and back are highly susceptible to injury. These injuries may not appear at the scene of the accident.
- Spinal Cord Injuries — An injury of this magnitude could leave you paralyzed permanently or temporarily. Either way, you may require months or years of treatments, physical therapies, surgery, adaptive devices, and medications.
- Head and Brain Injuries — You could have a small bruise or laceration, or a more serious concussion or a traumatic brain injury with far-reaching and long-lasting effects.
- Burns — Large trucks have an increased risk of fuel tank ruptures in the event of an accident, which can result in a higher risk of burns for accident victims. These burns can be painful and oftentimes disfiguring.
- Amputation or Disfigurement — Crushing injuries and severe burns, as well as other types of catastrophic injuries, potentially require limb amputation or cause disfigurement. You may need continued medical treatment and even a prosthetic device in order to function in your day-to-day activities.
- Internal Injuries — The force of a delivery truck crash, such as during the deployment of an airbag, could cause blunt abdominal trauma to your bladder, spleen, liver, pancreas, kidneys, heart, or lungs.
If you sustained these or similar injuries in a delivery truck accident, consider speaking with a California truck accident lawyer. They can help study your injuries and the losses they may have caused you. If you have a valid claim, they can help you pursue the compensation you may need for your recovery or long-term care.
Schedule A Consultation With Our California Truck Accident Lawyer
If you are suffering injuries from a big rig or delivery truck accident, get in touch with our team to schedule a meeting with an experienced California truck accident lawyer. Your time to file a claim is limited under California law.
We have years of experience handling cases for clients in San Francisco, Riverside, San Jose, San Diego, Sacramento, Sherman Oaks, and throughout California. Contact Arash Law at(888) 488-1391 or online to schedule your free initial case consultation.
