Lawsuit Information Center
On this page, we will look at FedEx accident lawsuits in which someone is injured by a Federal Express delivery truck. Truck accident cases are a bit different than regular auto accident cases, and FedEx truck accident cases are somewhat unique. We will explain what makes FedEx and other truck accident claims different from a legal perspective, and we will also explain why these cases tend to have a significantly higher settlement value compared to normal car accident.
About Federal Express
FedEx is a massive company. It is the second-largest shipping and delivery company in the world behind only UPS. FedEx delivers $20 trillion worth of packages every year. The company employs over 500,000 people worldwide and its 2024 gross revenue was $87 billion.
FedEx delivers through a network of different divisions which include FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Logistics. FedEx and its divisions deliver over 16 million packages everyday worldwide, encompassing both domestic and international shipments across its various services. Below is a breakdown of daily shipping volume among FedEx’s 3 main divisions:
- FedEx Ground: Approximately 9.42 million packages per day as of December 2023, including commercial, home delivery, and economy services.
- FedEx Express: Around 5.47 million packages daily, covering both U.S. domestic and international express shipments.
- FedEx Freight: Handles about 92,000 shipments per day, focusing on less-than-truckload (LTL) freight services.
At some point in the delivery process, almost all of these millions of daily packages wind up on a FedEx delivery truck. FedEx maintains a fleet of over 200,000 motorized delivery trucks and vehicles, one of the largest fleets in the world.
FedEx Delivery Truck Accidents
FedEx has a well earned reputation for being a very responsible company that tries to do things the correct way. The company has always placed a very high priority on safety, both for the public and its delivery drivers.
FedEx drivers are put through a very vigorous screening process with extensive background checks. The basic requirements for FedEx delivery drivers are as follows:
- Age: Must be at least 21 years old.
- Driving Experience: Have professional driving experience within the last three years or be enrolled in an entry-level driving program.
- Background Check: Undergo a comprehensive background screening, including criminal history and motor vehicle records.
- Drug Testing: Pass a Department of Transportation (DOT) drug test and physical examination.
FedEx utilizes First Advantage for background checks. Candidates complete an online profile, after which the service provider orders the necessary background screens. The screening includes a criminal background check and a review of the applicants motor vehicle driver record.
Once hired, FedEx delivery drivers go through an extensive training and certification process. The training program includes 80 hours of classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel training. This is followed by a 5-day in-person certification class.
Despite all of these efforts to screen and train safe delivery drivers, the massive size of the FedEx delivery fleet and the millions of miles driven by its drivers on a daily basis means that accidents are unavoidable. Cumulative accident statistics for FedEx is difficult to provide because the company operates through so many different subsidiaries and divisions. Based on accident data reported to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMSCA”), however, it appears that FedEx drivers average around 450 accidents resulting in personal injuries each year and 45 accidents involving fatalities each year.
FedEx Truck Accident Cases
Truck accident cases are bit different than normal auto accident cases, and this is definitely true for FedEx claims.
More Evidence on Liability:
A major difference when suing FedEx is the wealth of evidence available if there’s a dispute over who caused the crash.
FedEx vehicles are equipped with cutting-edge technology, including electronic mobile communication (EMC) systems—essentially black boxes—that record critical data such as speed, braking, mechanical status, and more. This information can be invaluable for accident reconstruction experts trying to determine what really happened.
There’s also data on the driver’s compliance with federal hours-of-service rules, which can be crucial in proving negligence. When your attorney knows where to look, this information becomes a powerful asset in litigation. But navigating this complex web of data isn’t something just any car accident lawyer can handle—experience with commercial carrier cases matters.
Drivers Are Independent Contractors
One key complication is that, unlike companies like UPS, most FedEx drivers are independent contractors—not direct FedEx employees. If you delay filing a lawsuit close to the statute of limitations, you risk missing a key defendant, losing access to critical evidence, and potentially missing out on an insurance policy that could cover the damages.
While FedEx, as a company, generally maintains high standards, its independent contractors don’t always operate with the same level of professionalism or focus on safety. That contrast can become powerful evidence in front of a jury.
Trucking Regulations
One thing that makes many accident cases involving big commercial trucks different is that commercial trucking companies and their drivers must comply with a variety of local, state, and federal laws. These include strict regulations on driver hours, truck maintenance, cargo loads, and more. These rules can play a critical role in establishing liability and maximizing compensation. In most FedEx cases these regulations do not apply because FedEx delivery trucks do not meet the size and weight requirements for these regulations to kick in.
Settlement Value of FedEx Accident Cases
As a general rule, truck accident cases have a much higher settlement value compared to normal auto accident cases. There are several reasons for this. First, trucks are bigger and heavier than passenger vehicles, so when they cause accidents they tend to cause more serious injuries. Second, commercial trucks carry big liability insurance policies, with limits of $1 million of more. Third, commercial trucking companies get very little sympathy from juries resulting in bigger verdicts when they take cases to trial.
FedEx accident cases have a higher settlement value than normal accident cases for all of these reasons. FedEx delivery trucks are not necessarily as big and heavy as massive 18-wheeler, but they are still 3 times the size and weight of a passenger vehicle. This means that they can do some serious damage in a collision, which equates to serious injuries.
Even for relatively minor injuries, FedEx is often forced to pay higher settlements because to avoid going to trial. Why? Juries have zero sympathy for big corporations like FedEx when they are defendants in accident cases. Juries also realize that FedEx has almost infinite financial resources and can obviously afford to pay large verdicts. In accident cases involving normal defendants, juries often worry about whether the defendant will be personally liable. That concern can lead to lower awards in typical car accident cases.
With FedEx and other commercial defendants, that concern doesn’t exist. Juries don’t worry about bankrupting a large corporation, which often leads to higher settlement and trial values.
Additionally, juries sometimes feel empathy for individual drivers and hesitate to impose large verdicts against them personally. In commercial vehicle cases like those against FedEx, lawyers often choose not to name the individual driver as a defendant. This strategy keeps the jury’s focus on the company with the “deep pockets,” not the driver, which can further increase case value.
This lack of sympathy combined with the perception that FedEx can afford to pay invariably result in big verdicts even in relatively minor accident cases.
FedEx Accident Settlements and Verdicts
Below are examples of publicly reported settlements and jury verdict payouts in accident cases involving FedEx delivery trucks.
2024
- North Carolina – $800,000 Settlement
A minor passenger in a vehicle collided with a FedEx Ground delivery truck. The FedEx driver was killed in the crash, and the plaintiff suffered unspecified but apparently significant injuries, leading to an $800,000 settlement. - New Jersey – $40,000 Arbitration Award
The plaintiff was rear-ended by a FedEx truck while stopped at an intersection. He claimed permanent injuries, including strains in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral regions, along with residual myofascitis. - Texas – $25,000 Settlement
A minor was riding in his father’s vehicle when it was hit by a FedEx Ground truck. Injuries were not specified. The case settled for $25,000.
2023
- Nevada – $8,000,000 Verdict
A woman suffered permanent back injuries after being rear-ended by a FedEx truck. FedEx admitted fault but contested the severity of the injuries, citing a prior accident. The jury awarded $8 million.
2022
- Oklahoma – $28,500 Settlement
Two minor plaintiffs were injured in a three-vehicle collision caused by a FedEx truck. Both required medical treatment. FedEx settled the claims.
2021
- Virginia – $250,000 Verdict
The plaintiff suffered crushed vertebrae in his lower spine when a FedEx truck made an illegal U-turn, causing a collision. FedEx admitted liability but disputed the extent of the plaintiff’s injuries.
2019
- North Carolina – $550,000 Settlement
A FedEx driver caused a broadside collision in a busy intersection, injuring an elderly female victim. She sustained head, neck, back injuries, and a broken arm. FedEx settled for $550,000.
2017
- Pennsylvania – $21,700 Verdict
A FedEx truck rear-ended a vehicle stopped at a red light. The plaintiff claimed minor soft tissue injuries. A jury awarded $21,700. - Missouri – $1,200,000 Verdict
A FedEx vehicle ran a stop sign and hit a pickup truck. The plaintiff suffered two kneecap fractures and a fractured leg. Though he returned to work as a mechanic, he continued experiencing pain.
2016
- New Mexico – $5,425,000 Verdict
A co-driver in a FedEx truck was killed when the driver allegedly fell asleep and rear-ended another truck. The jury awarded $5.4 million in a wrongful death claim, finding FedEx primarily liable.
2015
- New Mexico – $163,933,000 Verdict
A woman died after a FedEx tractor-trailer struck her pickup. Plaintiffs alleged the driver was on medication and FedEx lacked proper safety policies. The jury found FedEx 65% at fault and awarded over $163 million in damages. - Alabama – $4,000 Settlement
A minor passenger was injured in a crash with a FedEx truck, suffering bilateral back pain. The case settled for $4,000, indicating relatively minor injuries.
2014
- California – $7,500,000 Verdict
A 22-year-old woman on a bicycle was killed by a FedEx delivery truck. FedEx admitted liability, and the jury awarded $7.5 million in non-economic damages to her mother.
2013
- California – $125,000 Settlement
A driver was forced off the road when a FedEx truck cut him off, causing neck, back, and hip injuries. Medical costs totaled $59,000, and the case settled for $125,000.
2012
- Texas – $2,160,000 Verdict
A FedEx truck hydroplaned and collided with the plaintiff’s vehicle, causing multiple serious injuries, including a ruptured spleen, femur fracture, head injury, and spinal damage. The jury awarded $2.16 million.
Contact Us About FedEx Accident Cases
Our lawyers handle big truck accident injury cases across the country. If you have been seriously injured in FedEx truck accident, call us today at 800-553-8082 for a free consultation, or contact us online.