The USPS may not be delivering as much ‘snail mail’ as it used to, but it is certainly a very important institution in small towns and cities everywhere in the U.S. There is a huge fleet of USPS trucks that are used to deliver parcels and packets across the country. Like any large trucks these USPS vehicles can be the cause of accidents.
If you have been injured and your vehicle damaged after a collision with a USPS truck and believe that it was the USPS driver who was at fault, you should talk to a personal injury lawyer about filing a claim with the USPS. Because it is a federal agency, it can be slightly more difficult obtaining compensation, but it is certainly possible to offset your financial losses through a claim.
Medical Bills After an Accident With a USPS Truck
Because of the size and weight of USPS trucks, it would be rare for an accident with one of these trucks to happen without substantial injuries. Each crash is of course different to any others, so there are no exact costs that can be determined without knowing the circumstances of the accident. In addition to all the medical costs that have been listed below, you should also include the cost of any time off work that results from needing treatment or home recovery.
The main costs related to treatment of injuries are listed here:
- medication, e.g. painkillers and antibiotics;
- use of an ambulance;
- doctor’s consultation;
- tests, e.g., blood or tissue tests and biopsies;
- special examination techniques such as scans and x-rays;
- consultations with specialists;
- surgery;
- anesthesia;
- use of a hospital bed or room;
- transport to and from the medical facility.
Property Damage Bills After an Accident With a USPS Truck
Your vehicle is likely to have been smaller and lighter than the USPS truck, so it will be more heavily damaged than the truck if it has been hit. Car repairs can be expensive and if your car cannot be driven away from the crash scene you will have to pay for a tow truck as well. If the collision was minor, you may get away with just a few scratches or dents, but this can still amount to several hundred dollars in repair bills. At the other end of the scale, if there was a head on collision with a USPS vehicle your car might be a total loss.
In addition to the damage to the vehicle, you should add anything of value that was damaged inside during the impact.
How a PI Claim Can Help Pay Bills After a USPS Accident
Making a claim against the USPS is slightly different from a claim against a private individual or business. The USPS is a federal agency and theoretically has ‘sovereign immunity’ from civil lawsuits against it. In practice, this is waived as long as there is documented evidence that a federal employee, the driver in this case, behaved in a negligent manner.
You will need to fill in Form 95 under the Federal Tort Claims Act and wait for an acknowledgement. Basically, this is a requirement before filing a personal injury claim in the normal way. The federal government gives you two years to submit the initial claim form which should be responded to within 6 months.
Working With a PI Lawyer
An experienced personal injury lawyer can make all the difference when faced with a difficult period after an accident with a USPS truck that was not your fault. The lawyer can help you with the initial claim, advise you ion the documentation you need and contact the USPS’s insurer if there is a hold-up with the claim.
*Disclaimer
The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against the USPS, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
