Food at the doorstep is a thriving industry globally and in the United States. While pickup and delivery have been around a while, the trend continues to be on a rise. Numbers show that the online food delivery market in the United States is set to value at $32,325 million in 2024 with an annual growth of 5.1%. 

Food delivery trends in New York

A bustling city means a buzzing food delivery industry. For New York, the story is the same as food delivery is a massive market. Among the competition, Grubhub tops the market share with 53% followed by UberEATS at 24% and DoorDash at 21%. Such a high demand for food delivery indicates that a large number of people are employed as drivers to deliver food to the consumer. 

The story of food delivery drivers

A large-scale food delivery market means innumerable orders every day. While this industry addresses the big issue of unemployment and providing jobs, it also poses some risks. Here are some risks that food delivery drivers face daily: 

  • Each order has to be delivered within a deadline, which means, the driver is always in a rush. This makes them vulnerable to cause as well as get harmed in an accident. 
  • Numerous orders and the incentives attached to the number of deliveries tempt drivers to work overtime for extra money. This fatigues them which makes driving dangerous. 
  • Late-night cravings mean late-night orders. Many drivers, after a long day’s shift, maybe driving later at night to deliver the food. Lack of sleep and tiredness can reduce their alertness levels, hence, put them at risk of an accident. 
  • A driver can’t know the entire city by heart. Often, they have to make deliveries in unfamiliar areas. This makes them vulnerable to accidents as they’re not familiar with the specific region, for example, there may be a huge pothole or an ongoing construction in the vicinity. In a hurry to deliver, they may fall prey to these dangers and get into an accident. 

What happens if you’re in an accident as a delivery driver?

If a delivery driver is harmed while on their job due to someone’s negligence, for example, a motor vehicle accident, dog bite on someone’s property, slip, and fall, etc., they’re entitled to a worker’s compensation and a fair settlement. However, this varies for delivery drivers who are “employed” and who are “contracted. Only those delivery drivers who are employed are entitled to workers’ compensation. Importantly, if the employer is trying to settle the matter unfairly or not giving the driver their due, it is recommended they hire a personal injury lawyer to represent them. 

A personal injury attorney will help you get the compensation you deserve. They’ll ensure that your medical expenses are covered, loss of income is compensated and all long-term expenses due to the injuries are accounted for. By letting a personal injury lawyer handle your case, you’ll get the time to care for you or your loved one’s health who is harmed in the accident. 

If you or someone you know has suffered an injury as a food delivery driver and need a winning law firm, contact Siler & Ingber today. Call us on 1-877-529-4343 or complete our online form on this page to schedule a case evaluation with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers. Our consultation is free and we do not charge a fee unless we win your case.

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