USPS Truck Accident Attorney in Indianapolis
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has an active fleet of over 235,000 vehicles, according to the agency’s data. With these vehicles in operation in neighborhoods all over Indianapolis on most days of the year, you’re likely to encounter them while commuting, running errands, and driving around the city. Unfortunately, that also introduces the possibility of being involved in a collision with a USPS truck.
If a USPS vehicle hit your car and you suffered injuries in the crash, you may have the right to seek compensation from the agency for your injuries and other losses. However, USPS vehicle collisions present a complex scenario for people who are hurt in accidents. Securing experienced legal counsel makes it easier to demand accountability and recover the total compensation you deserve.
Contact Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC for a free case evaluation to discuss your options for putting your life back on track after a collision with a mail truck.
Why You Need Our Lawyers After a Crash with a Postal Vehicle
Pursuing compensation after a crash with a USPS vehicle may involve a complex, time-consuming legal process. The federal government has extensive resources to investigate and fight accident claims. You need a skilled attorney to level the playing field so you can stand up for your legal rights and best interests.
For over 25 years, Indianapolis traffic accident victims have trusted the team at Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC to guide them through their compensation claims because we’re dedicated to helping injured people recover from the life-altering consequences of devastating truck accidents. We prioritize prompt communication and accessibility.
Our firm has a proven track record of handling truck accident claims, having recovered hundreds of millions in numerous settlements and verdicts. Additionally, founding partner and board-certified truck accident attorney David W. Craig authored an e-book to guide truck accident victims during the claims process.
Top Causes of USPS Truck Accidents in Indianapolis
Some of the most common causes of USPS vehicle collisions include:
- Speeding or driving too fast for weather conditions
- Tailgating or following too closely
- Turning, changing lanes, or backing up without checking mirrors or signaling
- Unsafe or illegal turns or lane changes
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Reckless driving, including excessive speeding or swerving through traffic
- Distracted driving
- Drowsy or fatigued driving
- Driver error due to inexperience
- Impaired driving
- Unsafe cargo loads, including excessive or unbalanced cargo weight or unsecured cargo items that shift during travel
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance
Common Injuries Resulting from USPS Truck Accidents
USPS trucks and 18-wheelers weigh more than most passenger vehicles and can inflict more severe injuries due to the greater forces involved in a collision. Injuries that victims of USPS truck accidents can suffer include:
- Severe lacerations and excessive bleeding
- Burns from post-accident vehicle fires
- Dislocated joints
- Broken bones
- Whiplash
- Nerve damage
- Ligament sprains and tears
- Muscle and tendon strains and tears
- Internal organ injuries and internal bleeding
- Facial injuries
- Spinal injuries, including herniated discs and spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Traumatic amputation and limb loss
Proving Liability and Compensation in USPS Truck Accident Cases
Determining the causes of a USPS truck accident and identifying the parties at fault for the crash will require various types of evidence from a thorough investigation, such as:
- Police crash reports
- Accident scene photos and videos
- Surveillance and traffic camera footage
- Dashcam footage
- Eyewitness statements
- Truck event data recorder (black box) logs
- Truck cargo manifests
- Truck driver hours-of-service logs
- Truck repair and maintenance records
- Post-accident vehicle inspections
- Accident reconstruction expert reports and testimony
In a truck accident claim against the Postal Service when a USPS truck driver causes the crash, fair compensation for accident-related expenses may include:
- Medical expenses for treatment and rehabilitation
- Costs of long-term disability care and support services
- Ongoing and future income and benefits loss if you become temporarily or permanently disabled
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life due to disabilities and visible, permanent scarring and disfigurement
- Vehicle repair or replacement expenses
Special Procedures in Car Accident Claims Against USPS
The Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) governs truck accident claims against the USPS since it’s a federal government agency. The FTCA requires injured victims of USPS truck accidents to exhaust administrative remedies before filing a lawsuit against the USPS and the federal government.
The administrative remedies process requires you to file a Form 95, Claim for Damage, Injury, or Death, with the USPS district office where the truck accident occurred. Alternatively, you can file your Form 95 with the USPS National Tort Center.
The FTCA gives you two years after a USPS truck accident to file your Form 95. The USPS has six months after receiving your Form 95 to evaluate your claim and decide whether to accept it and how much compensation to pay.
If the USPS rejects your claim or fails to respond within six months, you may file a lawsuit against the USPS and the government. However, you must also follow Indiana’s statute of limitations on accident claims, which requires you to file your legal action within two years of the USPS truck accident.
What to Do After an Accident with a USPS Truck in Indianapolis
When you’ve gotten into an auto accident with a USPS truck, you can take actions that will help preserve your rights to seek financial recovery for your losses. Steps to take after an accident with a USPS vehicle in Indianapolis include:
- Report the accident to law enforcement and obtain copies of police crash reports.
- Go to the hospital or doctor’s office for medical attention to get examined and treated for any injuries you sustained in the accident.
- Follow your physician’s treatment plan and recovery instructions, and remember to request copies of all related medical records.
- Gather all bills, invoices, and receipts for expenses you incur during your recovery.
- Gather your pay stubs to calculate lost earnings you experience due to missed work or reduced wages in a part-time or light-duty position.
- Contact Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC for legal assistance for mail truck accidents to ensure you follow the regulations and procedures for filing injury claims against the USPS.
How Can an Experienced USPS Truck Accident Lawyer Help Me?
When you turn to the legal team at Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC for help after a crash with a postal vehicle, our experienced lawyers can help you by thoroughly investigating the accident to recover evidence proving the postal worker’s fault. We can document your injuries and ongoing and future losses to ensure we pursue maximum compensation for you.
Our attorneys are prepared to file claims with the USPS and vigorously advocate for your right to financial recovery and justice, even if that means going to trial. After suffering injuries in a truck crash caused by USPS driver negligence, you need an experienced lawyer to help you navigate the claims process against the U.S. Postal Service.
Contact Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a postal truck accident lawyer to discuss your options for seeking financial recovery for your injuries and losses.