You might remember Domino’s famed 30-minutes-or-less guarantee. If your pizza did not arrive within half an hour, you got it for free—or, in later years, at a discount. Even though this guarantee is a thing of the past, Denver personal injury lawyers are still busy with cases of reckless delivery drivers who failed to take the appropriate care while carrying out their jobs.
Zinda Law Group is one of them, and the team you should call when a pizza delivery driver crashes into your vehicle in Denver. We have experience in these cases and can help you maximize your compensation. Learn how by calling us for a free consultation.
When Domino’s Could Not Avoid the Noid
We mentioned Domino’s guarantee that went awry. Domino’s implemented the guarantee in 1984 as a promotion. The pizza company kept a budget for lawsuits from the wrecks its pizza delivery drivers caused.
In 1989, Jean Kinder was driving her vehicle in Missouri when she was struck and seriously injured by a Domino’s pizza delivery driver. Her case went to trial, and the jury awarded her $750,000 for the actual injuries she received from the crash and another $78 million to penalize Domino’s for its dangerous policy.
The jury found the guarantee pressured pizza delivery drivers to meet the popular 30-minute deadline at the expense of other drivers on the road; the strict fine on Domino’s encouraged it to bring the guarantee to an end and potentially avoid more cases of negligent pizza delivery drivers.
Today, delivery services are discouraged from making guarantees like the one Domino’s used to make. However, this does not stop the common understanding between delivery drivers and customers that fast service means a bigger tip.
John (Jack) Zinda
Founder / CEO
Over 100 years of combined experience representing injured victims across the country.
Available 24 / 7|Free ConsultationCauses of Pizza Delivery Accidents in Denver
You might believe that pizza delivery drivers are all high school students and that they get into wrecks due to their inexperience with driving. Pizza delivery drivers no longer meet that stereotype, since the average age of a pizza delivery driver nationwide is 48.
Of course, there are still some very young drivers who lack driving experience. They might not have the instinct to brake suddenly when the car in front of them comes to a stop, or they might not know how to adjust their driving for bad weather. Yet there are other factors that weigh more heavily than age that can cause a driver to act negligently and crash.
Spending More Time on the Road
You might imagine that someone who spends more time on the road than the average driver has more experience driving and therefore ends up in fewer traffic accidents; however, that is not necessarily the case.
Sometimes, the more amount of time someone spends on the road, the more likely that person is to drive while fatigued or distracted. Also, it increases the likelihood that the average driver on the road will collide with a driver who is driving while fatigued or distracted.
Fatigued Driving
Driving while fatigued is something that occurs often at night or with people who are constantly on the road. They can begin nodding off or lose focus, causing them to veer out of their lanes or fail to respond to changing traffic conditions.
If a pizza delivery driver is at the end of a long shift or is driving at night, there is a chance that the driver is fatigued and therefore more likely to be involved in a crash.
Being in Unfamiliar Spaces
Pizza delivery drivers usually use some sort of navigation system on their phone or car to find the delivery locations. This might cause distracted driving if the driver has not properly mounted his or her navigation device on the vehicle.
The navigation app or system might also take the driver on an unfamiliar route; this could cause problems if the driver is not used to a certain hidden drive or the location of a one-way street.
Time Pressure
Again, even though pizza companies have been disincentivized from making timed guarantees, employees feel pressure to provide speedy service for customers. If a driver knows he or she will make a better tip by getting the pizza to the customer faster, he or she might negligently speed. If the driver is paid by the delivery, this could also contribute to driving too fast to make more deliveries.
CASE RESULTS
Neil Solomon
Partner
Real results matter. We do not get paid unless we win your case.
Available 24 / 7|Free ConsultationWhom to Sue After the Accident
The determination of fault in pizza delivery accidents in Denver will be argued by your Denver pizza delivery car accident attorney according to the law. In almost all cases, the pizza delivery driver will be part of the lawsuit or claim.
The pizza company will be at fault in situations in which there is vicarious liability. This means that the employer puts itself in the employee’s place in the lawsuit to take responsibility for the negligent acts or omissions that the employee committed while working for the employer.
The employer can be negligent in hiring or training the employee who crashed. Often, companies have peers train each other rather than supervisors; this could allow negligent training of pizza delivery drivers.
Companies that encourage delivery drivers to make as many deliveries possible in as short of an amount of time as possible help perpetuate the drivers’ and customers’ expectations of speedy service for higher tips. This could encourage a culture that creates crashes, as in the Domino’s case.
Jason Aldridge
Attorney
Standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ready to answer in your time of need.
Available 24 / 7|Free ConsultationNegligence in Pizza Delivery Accidents
In order to prove a negligence case against a pizza delivery driver or company, you must show that the pizza delivery driver or company owed you a duty of care and that the pizza delivery driver or company breached that duty of care.
Drivers and employers breach their duty of care when they do not maintain the standard of care of a reasonable driver, or, in the case of the employer, when they fail to adopt common safety measures within the industry to help employees avoid negligent acts.
The next elements you must prove relate to the injury that you sustained as a result of the accident; first, you must prove that your injury is the type for which you can receive compensation.
If you sustained a physical injury, you can show that you suffered harm that the law is able to compensate you for. An emotional injury without any physical damage would not likely be sufficient to show that you suffered a compensable harm in a pizza delivery accident case.
Last, you must show that the pizza delivery driver or the pizza company caused your injury. Fortunately, you don’t have to do this on your own. Speak with our pizza delivery car accident drivers in Denver. We can tell you if you have a case and how to win.
Cole Gumm
Attorney
We are here to ensure you won’t have to face this difficult time alone.
Available 24 / 7|Free ConsultationTalk to Our Zinda Law Group Denver Pizza Delivery Accident Lawyers
Our attorneys want to hear your side of the story, including how the accident happened, the extent of your injuries, and what the fallout has been after the accident. A Zinda Law Group attorney can help you make an informed decision about your goals regarding a settlement amount and the timeline of litigation.
If you choose to work with us, the benefits do not stop with a free consultation with a Zinda Law Group Denver injury attorney. We also give our clients a No Win, No Fee Guarantee, meaning that you do not pay us unless we win your case for you. Call us today to take your first steps toward recovery.
Our Awards
AWARDED TO JOHN C. (JACK) ZINDA BY THE NATIONAL TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION (2016-2020)
AWARDED TO JOHN C. (JACK) ZINDA (2009, 2011-2012, 2014-2021), & NEIL SOLOMON (2020-2021)
AWARDED TO JACK ZINDA (2016-2020)
LIFETIME MEMBERS JOHN C. (JACK) ZINDA
Jason Aldridge
Attorney
We have successfully represented clients in a wide variety of cases across the country.
Available 24 / 7|Free Consultation
