Beer Trucks Are Common In Commercial Accidents

Beverage trucks are a common sight on our local roads. These large delivery trucks are noticeable from their side garage-style overhead doors and deep bays containing racks of beer, soda, and water as well as the company logo emblazoned upon all sides of the vehicle.

These large commercial vehicles arrive at gas stations, convenience stores, and other retail shops to deliver crates of beer and soda for the refrigerated section or the store shelves. A beverage truck accident in Southwest Florida can be devastating because of the size of these commercial vehicles.

Negligence May Occur Because Drivers are Fatigued

Drivers of beverage trucks—typically delivering cases of soda and beer for retailers—can become fatigued because the job is is physically demanding one. After the delivery truck is filled to capacity with product from the distributor or distribution center, the driver then has to transport the product to the stores on his route. This is rarely a 9-to-5 job, and many drivers work quickly to complete the route as soon as possible.

At each offload point, the driver by hand has to physically remove heavy crates loaded with cans or bottles of soda, beer, or water onto his hand truck or dolly. This means heavy lifting, bending over, pulling, and hauling heavy loads by hand. The tuck operator then physically delivers the heavy product crates into the store, picks up the empty crates from the last shipment and jumps into his delivery truck for the next stop.

This physically demanding schedule is repeated several times until the beverage bays in the beer delivery truck are empty. Many drivers have to make repeat trips back to the distributor and to their assigned routes throughout the day to complete their daily assignment.

What does this mean, especially in the late morning and certainly afternoon hours? The beverage delivery truck driver can be physically exhausted within a short period of time, and this may dull the driver’s alertness and skills.

Liability for Beverage Truck Accident

Drivers of beverage delivery trucks must possess commercial driver licenses. Just because the operator has a commercial driver’s license—CDL—does not mean that they follow the rules of the road and special requirements required of them. Additionally, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers add pressure to these drivers to stay on schedule, regardless of weather conditions or traffic conditions.

This means that many drivers must bend on their hours of service requirements and try to overcome physical exhaustion to keep up, or face adverse employment consequences. This is a powerful financial incentive to do what is necessary to keep driving.

A crash with a large beverage truck—which is thousands of pounds heavier when loaded with crates and cases of drinks—often results in permanent personal injury or wrongful death. Such a tragedy can instantly change the lives for all involved and harmed. In a split second, there may be a lifetime of pain and suffering and hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars in medical expenses.

Thorough investigation and review of the details—the circumstances surrounding the crash, medical needs of the victims, the knowing the victim and survivor life stories, and the family’s financial losses—are critical in assessing fault and pursuing compensation.

Important questions about the driver must be answered:

• Where the was the driver going at the time of the crash?
• Where and when was the last beverage delivery?
• Who at the last point of contact observed the driver’s appearance or condition?
• Who employed the driver?
• Did the beverage truck have any branding or logos burnished?
• Who owned the beverage truck?

There are often several parties which may be at fault and liable for compensation. The driver, owner, product supplier, last shipment receiver, each may have played a role in causing or contributing to the beer truck crash.

Pursuing Justice for Beverage Truck Crash Victims in Southwest Florida

Beverage trucks are a common sight on our SWFL roads and highways. From semi trailer beer trucks to box soda trucks, these commercial vehicles are a visible reminder of our local economy. When beverage trucks crash into smaller vehicles, the injuries and losses can be catastrophic and cause seemingly insurmountable challenges.

If you or your loved one has been severely injured or lost a family member to wrongful death in a beverage truck crash, then call David Harris Law for legal help. David is here for people like you. Serving personal injury survivors and families of wrongful death victims, Sarasota injury attorney David Harris builds bonds with clients. Determined to pursue justice and secure full and fair money compensation for victims and families, David seeks to hold all accountable drivers and companies responsible for their careless actions.

Importantly, David knows that while money may be the civil justice system’s way of dealing with loss, there is no substitute for the damages you have suffered. David genuinely values clients, and if your case is accepted, then David provides personal service to you while aggressively pursuing your claim.

Responsive to your needs, David answers your questions, your calls, and seeks your opinions. Your personal consultation with David is free and confidential. There is no fee unless we win, so you can rest assured David will do his best for you.