Thanks to smartphones, you can get groceries, pet food, restaurant food —- just about anything delivered. In Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia, scores of delivery drivers are out on the road making extra money. The increase in delivery drivers and people wanting deliveries means an increase in delivery-related car accidents. If you or a loved one has been injured in one of these crashes, don’t hesitate to reach out to Dennis and King to learn more about what we can do for you.
What Are the Popular Food Delivery Apps?
Door Dash, Grub hub, and Instacart are some of the most popular apps. Door Dash delivers for more than 320,000 restaurants with more than 700,000 orders were made per day using Grub hub.
Other popular food delivery apps include:
- Uber Eats
- Insta Cart
- Grub Hub
- Dinner Delivered
Food delivery drivers can get into accidents just like any other driver on the road — through human error. However, there may be unique factors that contribute to food delivery accidents.
Drivers try to make as many deliveries as possible in the shortest time possible to make as much money as possible. So, many delivery drivers will speed between restaurants and homes, reducing their reaction time to hazards like stopped traffic. Even worse, app-based drivers are dependent on their phones while driving to check navigation or take on more customers. Distracted driving is negligent driving.
Who Is Financially Responsible for a Collision — the Driver or Food Delivery Company?
After a food delivery driver injures you in a car collision, you may wonder — who should pay for your damaged vehicle, medical bills, or pain and suffering. In Tennessee and Georgia, food delivery drivers are “independent contractors” and not employees. This means the food delivery companies generally don’t cover the drivers when they are in a collision. This also means that Tennessee and Georgia law generally shield companies like Door Dash and Grub hub from responsibility when their drivers are involved in car accidents, including when they are in the middle of making deliveries. However, each company has its own policies that can potentially cover drivers under certain circumstances.
Here are some examples:
- Door Dash: This company has insurance that covers collisions that happen when drivers are undertaking deliveries.
- Uber Eats: This is the only food delivery company that offers courage for property damage done to the delivery driver’s car which is capped at the cash value of the car after a $1000-dollar deductible.
- Grub hub and Dinner Delivered and Instacart—These companies offer no coverage for drivers.
Many food delivery drivers may be liable and have to access their personal insurance policies after a car collision. Unfortunately, some policies may exclude their coverage — some insurance policies deny coverage if making deliveries is considered a “business activity” which it usually is.
Been in an Accident With Door Dash, Instacart or Grubhub? Contact Us Today
Cases involving a food delivery driver can be complicated. Figuring out who is responsible depends on the food delivery company involved and other factors. If a food delivery driver injured you in a collision, you need to hire a car wreck attorney who can help you figure out your options and take the critical steps to get you fair compensation. The car accident attorneys at Dennis and King can help make sure you get fair compensation, and you don’t ever take less than you deserve. Book a free strategy session today.
