What to Do If a UPS Truck Hits Your Car in Georgia
How To Protect Your Rights, Your Health, and Your Financial Future
The sight of a big brown UPS truck is a familiar one across Georgia, whether you are driving through downtown Atlanta or traveling rural highways. But these delivery trucks are more than just an everyday part of modern life. Given their size, weight, and tight schedules, they can also pose real risks on the road. When a UPS driver makes a mistake and causes a crash, the consequences can be life changing.
After an accident involving a delivery truck, it is common to feel overwhelmed. You might be sitting on the roadside trying to process what just happened, wondering how you will pay medical bills or if the UPS driver’s insurance will take care of your car repairs. The truth is, accidents with commercial vehicles like UPS trucks are very different from ordinary fender benders. They require careful handling from the very start to protect your health and secure the compensation you deserve.
At the Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C., our highly skilled legal team has decades of experience helping Georgians injured by negligent drivers, including cases involving major commercial carriers. Here’s what you should do if a UPS truck hits your car and how our attorneys can help you pursue a fair settlement.
Why UPS Truck Accidents Are So Serious
Before diving into the steps to take after a collision, it helps to understand why accidents involving UPS trucks often become complicated. UPS operates one of the largest delivery fleets in the world. Their trucks are heavier and more challenging to maneuver than standard passenger vehicles. When a fully loaded delivery truck collides with a smaller car, the resulting damage and injuries can be severe.
Additionally, UPS is a huge corporation with dedicated insurance adjusters and legal teams who are trained to minimize payouts. They may quickly look for reasons to reduce or deny your claim. This makes it critical to treat your case with the seriousness it deserves right from the start.
Immediate Steps to Take at the Crash Scene
1. Call 911 and Get Medical Help
After any collision, safety comes first. If anyone is hurt, call 911 immediately and request an ambulance. Even if you feel okay, you should still get checked by paramedics or visit an emergency room soon after the crash. Many serious injuries, including traumatic brain injuries or internal bleeding, are not obvious right away.
2. Notify Law Enforcement
Always wait for the police to arrive and make an official accident report. This report will be a key piece of evidence in your UPS truck accident claim. Be honest and cooperative, but avoid admitting fault or speculating about what caused the crash. Stick to the facts.
3. Document The Scene
If it is safe to do so, take pictures and videos of everything: vehicle damage, the UPS truck’s license plate and USDOT number, debris on the road, skid marks, and traffic signals or signs nearby. Also get photos of your injuries. If there are witnesses, try to collect their contact information. This evidence may become crucial if the trucking company later disputes what happened.
4. Exchange Information
Get the UPS driver’s name, employee ID (if available), and insurance details. Commercial trucks often have multiple parties involved, such as the driver, the company, and possibly maintenance contractors. Collect as much information as possible at the scene.
5. Seek Medical Attention And Follow Up On All Care
Even if you left the scene in an ambulance, you still need to keep up with follow-up appointments, therapy, and specialist visits. Your health is the top priority. Additionally, medical records that clearly link your injuries to the accident are essential to proving your claim. Insurance companies often look for gaps in treatment to argue that you were not seriously hurt.
If you start to feel new pain in the days after the accident, do not ignore it. Many injury symptoms appear gradually. Always report new or worsening issues to your doctor.
6. Notify Your Insurance Company…But Be Cautious
You will need to report the accident to your own auto insurer. Stick to the basic facts and avoid going into unnecessary detail. You do not need to give a recorded statement without first talking to a lawyer. If the UPS insurance adjuster contacts you, politely decline to discuss the incident until you have legal representation. Large companies often train adjusters to look for ways to shift blame or minimize payouts.
How a UPS Truck Accident Claim Works in Georgia
Understanding Liability in Commercial Vehicle Crashes
UPS drivers are held to higher safety standards because they operate large commercial vehicles. If the driver was speeding, distracted, failed to yield, or violated trucking regulations, the company can typically be held responsible. Georgia law also recognizes a concept called vicarious liability, which means employers can be financially liable for the negligence of their employees while on the job.
In some cases, the trucking company itself may have contributed to the crash through negligent hiring, inadequate training, or poor maintenance. An experienced truck accident lawyer will investigate every angle to identify all potential sources of compensation.
Claims Against UPS Are Different From Typical Car Wreck Cases
Unlike standard car accidents, commercial truck claims often involve multiple insurance policies, complex corporate structures, and aggressive defense strategies. The UPS driver’s personal insurance is usually not on the hook; rather, you will deal with commercial liability carriers that are highly skilled at protecting company profits.
This means you may face tactics designed to limit your recovery, such as:
- Offering a quick settlement that does not cover long-term costs
- Downplaying your injuries or arguing they were pre-existing
- Delaying the claims process in hopes you will give up
Having an experienced UPS truck accident lawyer levels the playing field and shows the company you are serious about your rights.
How Our Attorneys Use Evidence to Maximize Your Settlement
When you hire Gary Martin Hays & Associates, our team gets to work immediately. We gather critical evidence to build the strongest case possible, including:
- Driver Logs And Employment Records: To see if the UPS driver was overworked or improperly trained.
- Truck Maintenance Records: To check if mechanical failures contributed to the crash.
- Onboard Electronic Data: Many commercial trucks have “black boxes” that record speed, braking, and steering data.
- Witness Statements And Surveillance Footage: Independent accounts often contradict what a company says happened.
- Detailed Medical Documentation: Showing exactly how the accident changed your health and ability to work.
All of this helps us calculate the true value of your claim, including future medical needs, lost earning capacity, and the impact on your quality of life.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a UPS Truck Accident?
Every case is different, but damages often include:
- Medical Expenses: Both current bills and future treatments like surgeries or therapy.
- Lost Wages: Paychecks missed while you recover, plus reduced earning potential if you cannot return to your previous job.
- Pain and Suffering: The physical discomfort and emotional distress caused by your injuries.
- Property Damage: Repair or replacement of your vehicle and any personal property damaged in the crash.
- Out-of-Pocket Costs: Expenses like transportation to doctor visits or home medical equipment.
In cases involving extreme negligence, additional punitive damages may also be available under Georgia law to deter reckless behavior by large companies.
Why It’s Critical to Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer Quickly
Commercial vehicle cases often move fast. Trucking companies and insurers send their own investigators to the scene within hours to start building a defense. Key evidence such as maintenance logs or driver records can disappear if you do not take legal action to preserve it.
At the Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C., we move quickly to protect your rights. Our team sends legal notices to preserve evidence, hires accident reconstruction experts, and handles every communication with insurance companies so you can focus on healing.
We also know how to calculate the full value of your case and push back against lowball offers. If the insurance company refuses to pay what you deserve, we are fully prepared to take your case to court.
Get Help From a UPS Truck Accident Lawyer Who Knows How to Win
Dealing with a serious accident is hard enough without worrying whether the insurance company will treat you fairly. At our law firm, we have spent decades fighting for injury victims across Georgia, recovering over $1 billion for people just like you. We understand the nuances of truck accident claims and will not back down until we secure the maximum compensation you deserve.
If a UPS truck hit your car anywhere in Georgia, do not wait to protect your rights. Contact the Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates today for a free consultation. Let us take on the fight for you so you can focus on what matters most: your health and your future.
Click here for a printable PDF of this article, “What to Do If a UPS Truck Hits Your Car in Georgia.”
