What Do I Do If I Was in an Accident with a Grubhub Driver?

September 15, 2020

Grubhub is one of the country’s largest food delivery services, delivering hundreds of thousands of orders from restaurants every day. Grubhub has increased the popularity of delivery, as the service allows people to get delivery from restaurants that previously did not provide it. This service became even more popular during the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Read more: Did the Coronavirus Pandemic Result in More Traffic Fatalities? Experts Are Saying “Yes.”

However, the increasing popularity of Grubhub means increasing numbers of drivers for the service on the roads of Pittsburgh and other cities throughout Pennsylvania. This means greater chances of people getting into car accidents with Grubhub delivery drivers. When you are involved in a crash with a Grubhub, you need to know what your legal rights and options are. 

Common Causes of Accidents Involving Grubhub Drivers

The nature of delivering for Grubhub means drivers are often in a distracted rush; the more deliveries they make, the more money they can make. This unfortunately encourages drivers to drive carelessly or recklessly in an effort to get to their next destination as quickly as possible, all the while monitoring the Grubhub mobile application on their cell phones to manage delivery requests.

Some of the most common reasons for Grubhub accidents include:

• Speeding, as drivers rush to retrieve and deliver orders to get the next batch of orders as quickly as possible
• Distracted driving, since drivers must manage their order requests and get turn-by-turn navigation to customer addresses through the Grubhub app on their cell phones
• Running red lights or stop signs, either because the driver is in a rush or because the driver is distracted and missing the light or sign
• Fatigued or drowsy driving, as many drivers work into the late hours when food delivery becomes an increasingly popular option for people
• Careless or reckless driving, such as failing to signal turns or lane changes, or weaving in and out of traffic

Read more: Top Three Types of Car Accident Injuries

Grubhub’s Liability for Accidents Involving Their Drivers

Drivers for Grubhub are typically classified as independent contractors. That means that a person who is injured by a negligent Grubhub driver cannot hold Grubhub legally responsible for the driver’s negligence. This is why Grubhub has certain requirements for drivers, including:

• Being 19 years old or older
• Have a valid driver’s license
• Being able to pass a background check
• Have personal auto insurance coverage that meets financial responsibility requirements

Typically, someone injured in a car accident caused by a Grubhub driver will only be able to look to the driver’s personal auto policy for compensation.

However, it might be possible to hold Grubhub liable for injuries arising from an accident caused by a Grubhub driver if it can be shown that:

• Grubhub failed to conduct an adequate background check of a driver
• Grubhub failed to verify a driver’s age, license to drive, or insurance coverage
• Grubhub accepted a driver they knew or should have known posed a risk of causing an accident (such as if the driver has a history of accidents, traffic violations, or DUIs)

What to Do after an Accident with a Grubhub Driver

If you’ve been involved in an accident with a Grubhub driver, you should remember to:

• Call 911 if there have been injuries, or contact local police to have an officer come to the scene to write up an accident report
• Get contact and insurance information from the Grubhub driver and any other drivers involved in the accident
• Document the accident scene by taking photos or video of the area and of the damage to the vehicles, along with any visible injuries you’ve suffered
• Get examined for injuries, either by paramedics at the accident scene or by visiting your local emergency room or your primary physician

Read more: Do I Have a Car Accident Claim?

Contact a Pittsburgh Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Car Accident Case in Pennsylvania

Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a car accident in Pennsylvania? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Goodrich & Geist, P.C. represent clients injured because of car accidents in Pittsburgh and the surrounding Western PA counties. Call (412) 766-1455 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a  consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 3634 California Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15212.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.