What workplace risks could delivery drivers or riders face?
Delivery drivers or riders face many workplace risks. One of these is from working long hours and some are not getting the extra breaks they deserve. Another is the pressure to make deliveries quickly. Delivery drivers can lose money if they do not meet their targets.
In addition, many delivery drivers and couriers are not given adequate training and begin the role with no experience. This adds to the risks of accidents in the workplace. Also, many delivery vehicles are not roadworthy increasing the workplace risk of an accident.
What are the most common accidents involving couriers and delivery drivers?
Delivery drivers and couriers face many types of potential types of accidents at work. These include:
- a fall from their vehicle
- colliding with other vehicles
- a collision due to potholes in the road
- a vehicle knocking them while on foot unloading
- parcels poorly stacked falling and hitting them
- injuries from carrying a heavy load
- tripping or slipping while on foot
How common are delivery driver and courier accidents?
Workplace accidents involving vehicles are fairly common with 2,000 serious injuries and 70 deaths per year. Delivery drivers, couriers and food delivery riders are included in this figure.
Who is responsible for the safety of couriers and delivery drivers?
Where a delivery driver uses his or her own vehicle they are usually responsible for their safety if an accident occurs. This will usually be via their private motor insurance. However, where the delivery driver uses their employer's vehicle, whether this is owned or leased, their employer is responsible. However, if the delivery driver is employed by an agency, the situation can become less clear so legal advice will help you here. Other road users may also be responsible for the safety of delivery drivers. This is where they have behaved negligently with their vehicles.
However, some delivery drivers' accidents happen while the driver is not in their vehicle. For example, if you're injured at work whilst lifting a heavy item on foot as part of the delivery, your employer may be responsible. This is because they should ensure you were given the correct safety equipment, for example, or the right manual handling techniques.
Can I make a delivery driver injury compensation claim?
Where your delivery driver accident was not your fault you may be able to make a compensation claim. Your delivery driver's accident may be a result of other road users' negligence or your employer's failure to carry out their legal duty to keep you safe at work. A compensation claim can compensate for some of the pain and suffering of your injuries and the damage to your vehicle.
For example, you may be able to make a road traffic accident claim. Injuries from road traffic accidents can be life-changing so you must make the compensation claim you deserve. Making a compensation claim can help you make adjustments that are needed for your life going forward and for the wages lost when you could work.
What types of compensation can I claim for?
Compensation for a delivery driver accident can cover:
- loss of earnings
- loss of future salary
- expenses to cover medical costs
- cost to help adapt your home
- other expenses related to the delivery driver accident
What evidence do I need?
You will need evidence for your delivery driver compensation claim. For example, you may need:
- receipts relating to expenses for medical treatment
- copies of your medical records
- CCTV footage of the accident where available
- witness statements from onlookers and hospital staff
- payslips for loss of earnings
- travel receipts for medical treatment centres
Frequently asked questions...
Around 95% of our cases are settled without the need to go to court. This means there is a very small chance a claim will require a court hearing.
If your case does go to court, your solicitor will be on hand to support and guide you through the process and will make sure you always know what to expect.
If you're injured at work in an accident that was solely your fault, what happens next is down to your employer. But if you suffered an accident that was the fault - or partially the fault - of your employer, then UK Employment Law is clear.
You cannot be sacked, singled out or penalised for making a personal injury claim against them. They have a legal duty of care to provide you with a safe working environment and proper training and protection.
If they breach that duty and you're hurt as a result, you can make a claim against them. The Law is crystal clear, but we appreciate that employee-employer claims often need careful handling.
Yes. If a workplace in which you are expected to work for any length of time is unsafe or if you weren't given the proper training before starting the job and you suffer a personal injury as a result, you may have a case for compensation. Find out more about your rights for claiming as a self-employed worker here.
Quite simply, yes. If you're thinking of making a claim on behalf of a friend or loved one, then it's likely we can help you.
To find out more information please visit our claiming on behalf of someone else page.
In most circumstances for adults who were 18 years old or over at the time, it's essential that you (or your legal representation) issue proceedings within three years of the accident or incident.
Where the injured person was under 18 years old when it occurred, that three-year limitation period expires on their 21st birthday.
If you don't issue your claim within these time limits, you won't usually be able to proceed. This is called being 'time-barred'. There are some certain situations where the time limits can be extended. Check with one of our advisors or a solicitor.
Every case we work with is different, which makes it hard for us to say how long your compensation claim might take.
In simpler cases, where fault is clear and undeniable the claim may be settled quickly. However, if you've suffered a serious or life-changing injury, then your compensation claim may take longer because we need to understand the full impact of your injury and make sure your costs are covered.
Our solicitors will stay in touch and keep you informed every step of the way, so that you always know what stage your claim is at.
Meet the team
John Kushnick
Legal Operations Director of National Accident Law
With extensive personal injury legal and senior management experience, John oversees the optimisation of the customer journey - from the start of a claim through to final settlement.
View profileMeet the teamCan I claim if I was riding a bike, motorbike or scooter?
If your delivery driver accident occurred while riding a bike, motorbike or scooter you could make a compensation claim. This may be through an accident at work claim or an accident on the road compensation claim. You could do this where the accident is not entirely your fault. It may, for example, be the fault of a negligent driver or your employer.
How much compensation might I get?
The amount of compensation you get for your delivery driver accident at work claim can vary. It will include special damages which will be the largest part of it and general damages will also be added to this.
To give you an example, if you suffer minor back injuries from a manual handling accident as a delivery driver, you could get up to £11,730. However, if your delivery driver or courier accident resulted in a neck injury, you could get up to £188,240 in compensation.
Can I claim a no win no fee claim?
If you are in a delivery driver accident and want to make a compensation claim with National Accident Helpline, you could claim on a no win no no fee basis. A no-win-no-fee delivery driver compensation claim eliminates any risk on your behalf for the compensation claim.
How often are injury compensation claims successful?
When we take on a compensation claim for a delivery driver accident at National Accident Helpline, we will only do so if you have a high chance of winning. This means that injury compensation claims are often successful and this includes delivery driver claims.
How do I start my claim?
We can help you make a delivery driver, courier or food delivery rider accident claim and get the compensation that is rightly yours.
A delivery driver accident can cause immense stress and pain. At National Accident Helpline, we will not add to that. Our helpful and approachable advisors will listen carefully to what happened during your delivery driver accident and see how we can help.
With National Accident Helpline, you could make your compensation claim for your delivery driver, courier and food delivery rider claim on a no win no fee basis. A no win no fee delivery driver compensation claim means you take no risk when you make your accident claim as there is no risk of you losing money.
Let us at National Accident Helpline help you with your delivery diver accident claim today. Call us on . Alternatively, you can request a call back here or even begin your claim online.
Why talk to the National Accident Helpline about your delivery driver injury claim?
If you suffer a delivery driver injury while at work , which was not your fault, you could make a compensation claim. You may be employed as a delivery driver and employers have a legal duty to keep their employees safe at work. Therefore, they have to do all they reasonably can to ensure accidents do not occur. We know that no amount of official compensation can change the fact that you had a traumatic delivery driver accident but it can help to dampen the effect of it.
At National Accident Helpline, we completely understand the significant effect of workplace accidents and any type of road accident. Motorcycle accidents can mean you have to make adjustments in your day-to-day life. A delivery driver accident while at work can end up making you miss a lot of work time. It is, therefore, essential you claim the compensation you deserve and are due.
If you have suffered a delivery driver, courier or food delivery rider accident, National Accident Helpline could help you. So, give us a call today or, alternatively, request a call back here. If you prefer, you can even begin your claim online.