Stockton’s highest traffic corridors, from the major highways (Interstate 5, Highway 99, and the Crosstown Freeway/SR-4) to the bustling commercial hubs of North Stockton like March Lane and Weberstown, are seeing more food delivery drivers than ever before.
Along with an increase in app-based delivery drivers, there is a higher risk of accidents. One common denominator is that these accidents are caused by pressured and distracted drivers using online apps, often competing for calls with other drivers.
Learn more about our Stockton Car Accident Attorney Services.
The Reality of Getting Injured by a Stockton Food App Delivery Driver
When a driver for food delivery apps like DoorDash or Uber Eats causes an accident, victims often face a frustrating reality: seeking fair compensation can be tricky. Frequently, insurance companies try to shift blame or limit payouts. Hiring an experienced attorney is essential.
How Assembly Bill 375 Helps Victims
The good news is that California has begun closing these loopholes. In March 2025, Assembly Bill 375 (AB 375) took effect. The bill strengthens accident victims’ ability to hold the multi-billion-dollar delivery platforms financially responsible. Nevertheless, navigating companies’ insurance policies requires a skilled lawyer with experience defending victims’ rights under these new gig-economy laws.
A Tale of Two Policies and Which One You Need to Target
Two separate types of insurance policies are in place for most food delivery drivers. This means that when a Stockton food delivery driver causes an accident, an attorney must target the one who will give you the best opportunity for maximum, fair compensation.
- Policy #1: The Driver’s Personal Auto Insurance
All app-based delivery drivers must carry a personal auto insurance policy. Unfortunately, it has two significant issues when it comes to victim compensation: First, the required minimum coverage in California often falls far short of covering serious medical bills, lost wages, and other costs. Second, coverage will likely be denied because personal insurance companies almost always refuse to pay if they discover their driver was working for a delivery app at the time of the crash.
- Policy #2: The Platform’s Liability Coverage (The Big Money)
This is the policy a skilled attorney will target when a victim has suffered significant injuries. Major delivery app companies, like DoorDash and Uber Eats, typically carry a $1 million liability policy to cover accidents that occur during active deliveries.
Most importantly, AB 375 helps victims by adding even more legal pressure on the delivery company by requiring stricter rules for driver verification and identification. Suppose a driver isn’t in compliance with the laws of AB 375 and causes a wreck. In that case, non-compliance helps your attorney prove negligence, which in turn increases the likelihood of successfully holding the company responsible under its $1 million policy.
A Critical Question and Why You Need an Attorney to Prove the Answer
To successfully access the larger, company-held insurance policy, the driver’s exact activity at the time of the accident must be documented. Food and other delivery apps use a multi-phase system that helps them limit when their insurance kicks in:
- If the app is OFF: Only the driver’s personal insurance applies (resulting in a denial of the claim).
- If the app is ON and the driver is WAITING for an order (a service request): A lower, more limited contingent liability coverage will usually apply (typically about $50,000).
- If the driver is in ACTIVE delivery (en route to pick up food or driving to the customer to drop off food), this is the critical time when the $1 million primary liability policy is usually in full effect.
What To Do After an Accident with an App-Based Delivery Driver
Your immediate actions are essential to receiving full compensation for your injuries.
- Gather driver information if you can do so safely. Try to jot down what app the driver works for, the driver’s name, and where exactly they were going when the accident occurred.
- Do not speak to the app company’s insurance reps. They are highly adept at undermining your ability to enforce the app company’s policy.
- Call a local attorney with specific experience in app-based personal injury claims.
Hire a Stockton Personal Injury Attorney for No Money
Have you been injured in a car accident with a food delivery app driver? Eason & Tambornini personal injury attorneys offer free consultations and case reviews. If we take your case, you pay no money up front; you only pay if and when you win a settlement.
Call (209) 323-5126 to schedule your appointment today.