A mail truck crash puts you up against the federal government, not a regular insurance company. Your claim for compensation runs on federal rules, with its own form, its own deadlines, and no room for a missed step. An Irving USPS truck accident lawyer can file that claim correctly while you focus on getting better.
The Texas Law Dog handles postal crash claims for people hurt on Irving roads, and we’ll come to you if your injuries keep you at home. Our founder worked on the insurance side before he became a lawyer, so we know how claims staff weigh an injury.
Talk with an Irving truck accident lawyer on our team about your next steps.
Can You Sue the Post Office After a USPS Truck Crash in Irving?
Apersonal injury lawyer in Irving at The Texas Law Dog can confirm whether the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), 28 U.S.C. § 2675, covers your crash. You can sue the post office after a USPS truck crash in Irving only after you file a written claim with USPS.
Many people think they can sue the mail carrier who hit them. Under 28 U.S.C. § 2679(b)(1), a claim against the United States is generally the only remedy when a federal employee causes a crash on the job.
Who Is Responsible When a Mail Truck Hits You?
Responsibility when a mail truck hits you usually rests with the United States if a postal employee was on the job, but contractors and other drivers can also be at fault. The FTCA covers federal employees acting within the scope of their work, under 28 U.S.C. § 1346(b).
Depending on the facts, any of these may share the blame:
- A postal employee driving an assigned route
- A private contractor that runs a mail route for USPS
- Another driver who cut off the mail truck or caused a chain crash
- A parts maker, if a defect in the truck played a role
The FTCA does not cover contractors, under 28 U.S.C. § 2671, so a claim against a contract driver generally follows Texas rules and the two-year Texas deadline in§ 16.003. Route records and vehicle ownership show which path applies. The Texas Law Dog checks both before deciding where to file.
Irving USPS Truck Accident Lawyer Near Me (817) 775-5364
What to Do After a Postal Truck Crash in Irving
Call 911 if anyone is hurt or a lane is blocked. The Irving Police Department responds to crashes inside the city, and its non-emergency line is (972) 273-1010. Get checked the same day at Medical City Las Colinas or the nearest emergency room, because concussions and soft-tissue injuries can show up later.
Photograph the truck, its vehicle number, the scene, and your injuries. Ask the carrier for their name and the post office they work from, and get phone numbers from witnesses. Order the officer’s crash report, called a CR-3, from TxDOT’s Crash Report Online Purchase System.
A police report or a call to your insurer does not count as a federal claim. Only a written claim that USPS receives starts the FTCA process.
How to File a Federal Claim With USPS
You file a postal injury claim with the Tort Claims Coordinator at the USPS district office for the area where the crash happened, under 39 CFR § 912.4. Your claim counts as filed when USPS receives it, not when you mail it, under 39 CFR § 912.5.
A complete claim usually includes:
- A signed Standard Form 95 or other written notice of the crash
- A specific dollar amount for your losses, called a sum certain
- Medical records, bills, and proof of lost pay
- Proof of authority if a lawyer or family member signs for you
Leaving out the dollar amount can mean the claim was never properly filed, even if everything else is correct. Our team at The Texas Law Dog builds the demand from your records so it reflects the full cost of your injuries.
Federal Deadlines for a USPS Truck Accident Claim
A USPS truck accident claim must reach the agency within two years after it accrues, under 28 U.S.C. § 2401(b). The Texas rules that can pause a deadline, such as the one for minors, generally do not extend this federal clock.
If USPS denies the claim by certified or registered mail, you generally have six months from the mailing date to sue. If USPS does not decide within six months of receiving the claim, you may treat the silence as a denial and file suit under § 2675(a).
A written request for reconsideration filed before that six-month window closes gives USPS another six months to decide, under 28 CFR § 14.9. The Texas Law Dog tracks each of these dates from the first notice you receive.
What You Can Recover in a Federal Postal Claim
Texas law sets the types of damages, so your claim may include medical bills, lost wages, lost earning capacity, property damage, physical pain, mental anguish, physical impairment, and disfigurement. Future care counts too when your doctors can support it.
The FTCA bars punitive damages and interest before judgment, under 28 U.S.C. § 2674. You generally cannot recover more in court than the amount in your claim unless new evidence comes to light, under § 2675(b).
Federal law also caps lawyer fees at 20% of an administrative settlement and 25% of a judgment or a settlement after suit, under 28 U.S.C. § 2678.The Texas Law Dog works on contingency within those limits, so you pay nothing unless we win.
How Our USPS Truck Accident Attorneys in Irving Build Your Claim
Federal claims reward early work, and we start as soon as you call. We ask USPS in writing to keep route records, vehicle files, and any video, and we gather your medical records while the details are fresh.
You can reach us through our texting app, which links to your case file, so you see updates without waiting on a callback. Matthew E. Aulsbrook founded The Texas Law Dog in 2018 and built the firm around keeping clients informed at every step.
How Fault Is Decided in a Federal Mail Truck Case
Texas fault rules still apply, so your recovery drops by your share of blame, and you recover nothing if you are more than 50% at fault, under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.001.
If the claim goes to court, a federal judge decides it without a jury, under 28 U.S.C. § 2402. A case from an Irving crash in Dallas County would generally go to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, under 28 U.S.C. § 124.
A USPS truck accident lawyer in Irving can build the case for a judge instead of a jury, with crash data, photos, and witness accounts at the center.
Get Help With Your Irving Mail Truck Claim
Federal postal claims leave little room for error, and one missing detail can end a case before it starts. Call our Irving USPS truck accident lawyer at The Texas Law Dog to review your crash and get the claim filed on time.
We can meet you at home or in the hospital, and your first consultation is free. Schedule your free case review with The Texas Law Dog and let us handle the federal paperwork.
