Are Property Owners Liable for Someone Injured While Making a Delivery? 

 Posted on September 13, 2021 in Premises Liability

Tens of thousands of deliveries are made every day to homes, businesses, restaurants, and warehouses. Shopping and ordering food online is so easy and inexpensive that most of us do not think twice before we ask someone to come onto our property to deliver something.

Unfortunately, people making deliveries sometimes suffer personal injury on private property. Slip and fall accidents, dog bites, tripping over uneven walkways or scattered toys, and injury by falling snow or ice are all common ways delivery drivers are injured.

In this article, we will answer some common questions about premises liability law insofar as it relates to delivery drivers. If you are a delivery driver and have been injured while making a delivery on private property, contact a personal injury attorney right away.

Do Delivery Drivers Have Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

Some delivery drivers are full-time employees with benefits, including coverage by workers’ compensation insurance. When these employees are injured on the job, they are generally covered by workers’ compensation, making it much easier to recover lost wages and the expenses of medical treatment.

Now, however, many companies hire delivery drivers as contract workers. Depending on the state in which they live, contract drivers may have little or no insurance coverage or other benefits. Delivery drivers that are injured in car accidents or on private premises often do not have the benefit of company insurance and must seek damages directly through the third-party premises owner or occupier.

Can Delivery Drivers Injured on Premises Sue the Owners?

In Illinois, delivery drivers who are injured on private property or in a car crash while making a delivery generally must file a personal injury claim just as any other private citizen would. Illinois premises liability law requires property owners and occupants to use reasonable care to maintain their property and keep guests safe from injury. Dangers that are known to the property owner, such as debris, guard dogs, or construction hazards, must be advertised using signs to inform visitors of the danger.

Injured delivery drivers who hire an attorney and successfully sue private property owners generally do so by filing a case against the property owner for negligent actions that caused harm. In cases where dangers were clearly visible to the driver or clear warning signs were posted, it may be much more difficult to successfully sue for damages.

Contact a Cook County Personal Injury Attorney

If you were injured while delivering a package to someone’s home, talk to a Glenview, IL premises liability attorney. At Gruzmark Law, Ltd., we have more than 20 years of experience advocating on behalf of victims and will work hard for you to secure the compensation to which you are entitled. Schedule a free consultation with one of our skilled attorneys by calling us today at 847-729-7660.

Source:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2048&ChapterID=57