Hit by a delivery van in Dallas: Amazon, UPS, FedEx and USPS claims
Who pays after a delivery van hits you in Dallas depends on who employed the driver. UPS calls its drivers employees. Amazon's vans are run by independent businesses. A USPS truck means a federal claim within 2 years. For most other claims, you generally have 2 years to sue in Texas.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (31)
Who is responsible when a delivery van hits me in Dallas?
| Vehicle | Who usually employs the driver | First place to claim |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon-branded van | An independent delivery business that hires its own staff | That business and its insurer. Ask Amazon to identify it |
| Amazon Flex, personal car | The driver is delivering in their own vehicle | $1,000,000 auto liability while actively delivering |
| UPS truck | UPS describes its delivery drivers as employees | UPS |
| FedEx truck | Could be an employee courier or a service provider | Find the name on the truck door |
| USPS truck | The federal government | Federal claim first |
| Food or grocery app driver | Usually the driver in a personal car | Driver's policy. Some personal policies cover delivery and others do not |
Texas courts ask who had the right to control the details of the work. A logo on a van does not settle that. Neither does a statement from a driver at the scene. Texas also lets an employer be liable for an employee's business driving.
Are delivery vans limited to truck routes in Dallas?
No. Dallas's truck route rule is written for truck tractors and semitrailers. A cargo van on your residential street is not breaking that rule. Its limits still matter if you were hit by a bigger box truck or a tractor-trailer making a last-mile run. Even then, a truck can leave a route to reach a terminal or to load off the route.
Commercial traffic is heavy here. Dallas County had 3,778 commercial motor vehicle crashes in 2025, with 37 people killed. A 2015 city briefing on the International Inland Port of Dallas said I-35, I-45 and I-20 run within 8 miles of each other in southern Dallas County, close to the Dallas Intermodal Terminal on I-45. We could not find an official count of delivery van crashes in Dallas alone.
Can a delivery driver stop in a Dallas traffic lane?
City code says a person shall not load or unload goods in a way that interferes with moving traffic, unless another provision applies. The city's own curb plan admits the problem. It says too few loading zones has led to illegal parking and loading in travel lanes. It names both commercial delivery vehicles and people making app-based deliveries.
If you swerved around a double-parked van, or a driver swung a door or ramp into your path, get a photo of the van's position right away. A van is gone in minutes. Stopping in a bike lane is its own ticketable offense in Dallas.
How do I make a claim if a mail truck hit me in Dallas?
- Call 911 and get an officer to the scene. Ask for the service number.
- Write down the vehicle number on the mail truck and the carrier's name.
- Present a written claim to the Postal Service within 2 years. A letter that gives no dollar amount can cause problems, so get help writing it.
- Wait for a decision. If the Postal Service denies the claim, you have 6 months after the final denial to sue.
Do not rely on the Texas 2-year rule for a mail truck. The federal steps come first and work differently.
How much insurance do delivery companies carry in Dallas?
- Texas minimum on a regular car policy: $30,000 per person.
- Trucks of 10,001 pounds or more hauling regular cargo for hire across state lines: a federal floor of $750,000.
- Amazon Flex: $1,000,000 auto liability, but only while actively driving and delivering.
If you are more than 50 percent at fault you recover nothing in Texas. Otherwise each company generally pays only its own share.
Where do I get the police report for a delivery van crash in Dallas?
Dallas Police sells reports for $6 by mail or in person at 1400 Botham Jean Blvd. Allow 5 to 7 working days. Bring a name, the crash location or the date.
On a freeway or outside the city, the report may come from another agency. TxDOT also sells crash report copies for $6. If a Dallas Police officer did not come, DPD says to send in an Individual Accident Report and contact your insurer.
Questions
Can I sue Amazon if its van hit me in Dallas?
Maybe. Amazon says its delivery partners are independent businesses that hire their own employees. A lawyer will look at who controlled the work.
How long do I have after a USPS truck hit me in Dallas?
You must present a claim within 2 years.
Does my own car insurance help if a delivery van hit me?
It can, if you have uninsured motorist or personal injury coverage. Ask your insurer in writing.
Who investigates a van crash on a Dallas street?
Dallas Police investigate crashes on city streets, and handled 16,257 crashes in 2025.
Amazon, UPS or delivery van accident in Dallas? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (31)
- UPS, checked 2026-11-09. “UPS provides employees with industry-leading pay and benefits. On average, delivery drivers earn”
- Amazon, checked 2026-11-09. “While DSPs as independent businesses hire and manage their own employees”
- 39 CFR 912.3, checked 2026-11-09. “A claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act must be presented within two years from the date the claim accrues.”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
- Dallas City Code § 28-62, checked 2026-11-09. “A person shall not load or unload goods or merchandise in or on a vehicle in a manner which will interfere with moving traffic”
- Amazon Flex, checked 2026-11-09. “The Amazon Commercial Auto Insurance Policy includes auto liability coverage of $1,000,000”
- Amazon Flex, checked 2026-11-09. “you are protected under the Amazon Commercial Auto Insurance Policy while you're actively driving and delivering”
- FedEx 2026 annual report, checked 2026-11-09. “we utilize both employee couriers and service providers”
- FedEx, checked 2026-11-09. “FedEx contracts with independent businesses that utilize their own employees”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-09. “Other personal use policies won't cover driving for business.”
- Limestone Products Distribution v. McNamara (Tex. 2002), checked 2026-11-09. “the right to control the progress, details, and methods of operations of the work”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-09. “Your employer may be liable for damages if you have an accident while driving for business purposes.”
- Dallas City Code, Chapter 28, Article X, checked 2026-11-08. “A person commits an offense if he operates a truck tractor, semitrailer, pole trailer, or trailer upon a street or roadway within the city, except those truck routes enumerated below”
- Dallas City Code, Chapter 28, Article X, checked 2026-11-08. “may depart from the truck routes when it is necessary to reach a truck terminal or to load or unload merchandise at locations situated off designated truck routes”
- TxDOT, 2025 Commercial Motor Vehicle Involved Crashes by County, checked 2026-11-08. “Dallas 33 37 101 130 453 602 561 905 2,591 9,140 39 611 3,778”
- City of Dallas, International Inland Port of Dallas Update (2015), checked 2026-11-09. “I-35, I-45 and I-20 are within 8 miles of each other”
- City of Dallas, On-Street Parking and Curb Management Policy (2024 final draft), checked 2026-11-09. “has led to illegal parking and loading in travel lanes and encroachment on intersections”
- City of Dallas, On-Street Parking and Curb Management Policy (2024 final draft), checked 2026-11-09. “both commercial delivery vehicles and non-commercial vehicles engaged in app-based deliveries”
- City of Dallas, Driving Etiquette, checked 2026-11-09. “Violators may fac e a fine up to $200.”
- 39 CFR 912.3, checked 2026-11-09. “Suit must be filed within six months after the date of mailing by certified or registered mail of notice of final denial”
- Texas Transportation Code 601.072, checked 2026-11-09. “$30,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person in one collision”
- 49 CFR 387.9, checked 2026-11-09. “with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 or more pounds) Property (nonhazardous) $750,000”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 33.001, checked 2026-11-09. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
- Dallas Police, Types of Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “There is a $6.00 fee for the accident report if requested through the mail or if picked up in person.”
- Dallas Police, Types of Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “you may request it through the mail or in person at our customer service window located at 1400 Botham Jean”
- Dallas Police, Types of Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “Reports are usually available 5 to 7 working days after the accident.”
- Dallas Police, Types of Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “You must provide a name of a person involved in the accident, the location of the accident or the date of the accident.”
- TxDOT, Crash reports and records, checked 2026-11-08. “$6 for a regular copy.”
- Dallas Police Records, FAQs, checked 2026-11-08. “Submit an Individual Accident Report to the Dallas Police Department Record Section.”
- TxDOT, 2025 Crashes and Injuries by Investigating Agency, checked 2026-11-08. “DALLAS PD 115 122 700 843 2,999 4,174 2,926 5,264 8,577 28,004 940 3,768 16,257”