The short answer
If a delivery van, box truck, work truck, shuttle, or company vehicle injured you in California, the driver's employer may be legally responsible, and commercial policies often carry higher limits than personal ones. You generally have two years to sue (CCP § 335.1). Preserve evidence early and avoid giving recorded statements.
Commercial vehicles are everywhere in Los Angeles: delivery vans bringing packages to every neighborhood, box trucks, plumbers' and electricians' work trucks, service vans, shuttles and buses, tow trucks, and company cars driven by employees on the clock. They share the same crowded roads as everyone else, but they are on the road because of a business, and the pressure to make deliveries, hit schedules, and finish routes can change how people drive. This page covers delivery vans, box trucks, work vehicles, shuttles, and company cars. Tractor-trailers and big rigs are covered separately under Truck Accidents.
A commercial vehicle crash is different from an ordinary car accident because more people and companies may be responsible. Depending on the facts, responsibility may reach the driver, the employer, the vehicle's owner or lessor, a delivery contractor, a staffing agency, a maintenance provider, or the company that set the routes and deadlines. Companies sometimes describe drivers as independent contractors or route the work through layers of partner businesses. Courts look at who actually controlled the work, not only at the label.
Our founding attorney has fought insurers for injured Californians since 2002. We know that commercial insurers and risk managers often open a file within hours, collect the driver's account, and secure the vehicle's data before an injured person has even left the hospital. We answer with the same speed: we send preservation demands for telematics, GPS, dashcam video, dispatch and delivery records, and the driver's file, and we look at how the company hired, trained, scheduled, and supervised the person behind the wheel.
Your consultation is free and confidential, and you pay no attorney's fee unless we recover compensation for you. If you were hurt by a delivery van, work truck, shuttle, or company vehicle anywhere in Los Angeles County or the Inland Empire, contact us early so the company's records are preserved.
From the other side of the table
How the company's insurer sees your claim
The rapid-response file
Commercial insurers and risk managers move quickly to collect the driver's statement and the vehicle's data. We move just as fast, so the records that matter are preserved rather than overwritten.
"He's an independent contractor"
Companies sometimes use contractor labels or layers of delivery partners to put distance between themselves and a crash. We look at who controlled the routes, the schedules, the equipment, and the pace of the work.
Blaming the smaller vehicle
The defense may argue you stopped suddenly, drifted into a blind spot, or were not paying attention. We use telematics, dashcam video, and reconstruction to show what the commercial driver actually did.
Treating it as one bad moment
Insurers prefer to describe a crash as a single lapse. We look at the pattern behind it: delivery quotas, long shifts, training, driver history, and vehicle maintenance.
Why it happens
Common causes
Delivery time pressure
Tight delivery windows and route quotas can push drivers to speed, skip breaks, and take risks to stay on schedule.
Distraction from apps and devices
Routing apps, scanners, and messages can pull a driver's eyes and attention away from the road at the worst moment.
Fatigue and long shifts
Early starts, long routes, and back-to-back shifts can leave a driver too tired to react in time.
Blind spots and unsafe backing
Vans and box trucks have large blind spots. Unsafe lane changes, turns, and backing in tight streets and parking areas injure drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Poorly maintained vehicles
Worn brakes, bad tires, and ignored repairs can leave a heavy vehicle unable to stop or steer safely.
Inadequate hiring, training, or supervision
A company that put an unqualified or unsafe driver on the road, or failed to monitor risky driving, may be directly responsible.
Overloaded or improperly loaded vehicles
Too much weight or a shifting load can affect braking and handling and can cause rollovers.
What we see
Injuries we handle
What you may recover
Compensation in a California claim
Medical expenses, now and in the future
Emergency care, surgery, therapy, medication, and the cost of ongoing treatment, supported by your treating providers.
Lost income and earning capacity
Wages you lost while recovering, and the reduced ability to earn if your injuries limit the work you can do.
Pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life
The physical pain, emotional distress, and changes to daily life that follow a serious crash.
Property damage and loss of use
Repair or replacement of your vehicle and the cost of not having it while you recover.
Wrongful death damages
For families who lose a loved one, compensation for lost financial support, companionship, guidance, and funeral expenses.
Punitive damages in appropriate cases
If a company knowingly allowed an unsafe driver or vehicle on the road, punitive damages may be available in appropriate cases.
The rules that apply
California law you should know
Employer responsibility for employees
An employer is generally responsible for harm caused by an employee acting within the scope of their work. Whether someone is an employee or an independent contractor turns on the facts, not on the label a company uses.
Civil Code § 2338
Owner responsibility for permissive drivers
The owner of a vehicle who lets someone else drive it can be responsible for harm that driver causes, subject to limits set by statute.
Vehicle Code § 17150
Negligent hiring, retention, and supervision
A company that knew or should have known a driver was unfit may be directly responsible, separate from the driver's own fault.
CACI No. 426
Federal safety rules may apply
Depending on weight and use, commercial vehicles in interstate commerce are subject to federal rules on driver qualification, hours of service, and inspection. Many delivery vehicles fall outside those rules, but company policies and state rules still matter.
49 CFR Parts 390-399
Pure comparative fault
If the company argues you share some blame, you can still recover damages reduced by your percentage of fault.
Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804
Two-year injury deadline
Most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years, but telematics and video can be overwritten much sooner.
Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1
General information, not legal advice. Deadlines and rules depend on the facts of your case, so talk to an attorney promptly.
Right now
Protect your claim
Evidence to gather
- The company name, vehicle markings, and license plate
- The driver's name and who they say they work for
- Photos and video of the vehicles, the scene, and your injuries
- Dashcam, doorbell, and business surveillance footage nearby
- Names and contact information for witnesses
- The police or CHP report number
- Your medical records, bills, and proof of lost income
- Any messages or calls from the company or its insurer
Mistakes insurers count on
- Giving a recorded statement to the company's claims representative
- Assuming the driver's personal insurance is the only coverage
- Signing a release or accepting a quick offer before the full injury is known
- Waiting weeks while telematics and video are overwritten
- Skipping medical care or gaps in treatment
- Posting about the crash or your injuries on social media
Step by step
How we handle your case
- 1
Send preservation demands
We demand that the company preserve the vehicle, telematics and GPS data, dashcam video, dispatch and delivery records, and the driver's personnel and training files.
- 2
Identify the employer, the owner, and every insurer
We determine who employed the driver, who owned or leased the vehicle, which delivery partner or staffing agency was involved, and which policies apply.
- 3
Review the driver and company records
We examine hiring, training, driving history, hours worked, phone use, and maintenance to see what led to the crash.
- 4
Document your injuries and losses
We gather your medical records and bills and, where appropriate, work with medical and financial professionals to show the full long-term cost of your injuries.
- 5
Negotiate from strength or go to trial
We negotiate with commercial insurers and file suit when necessary, preparing every case as though it will be tried.
From the Case Vault
Related results
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own facts.
Go deeper
Types of commercial vehicle accidents
Straight answers
Frequently asked questions
A crash involving a vehicle used for business, such as a delivery van, box truck, work truck or service van, shuttle or bus, tow truck, or a company car driven for work. Tractor-trailers and big rigs are handled under our Truck Accidents page, and many of the same principles apply.
Vehicle Accidents