According to Amazon, its drivers are only involved in about 60 accidents for every one million miles driven. This suggests that a relatively low number of people will file Amazon truck accident claims each year.
However, trucking accident claims tend to be more complex and time consuming than standard cases. Below, we will examine several reasons for this and how you can navigate your legal rights should you ever find yourself in this situation.
Amazon’s Business Model
Amazon has more than 275,000 drivers who deliver upwards of 20 million packages daily. These include Amazon Flex drivers who use their own vehicles and Delivery Service Partners (DSPs) driving Amazon-branded vehicles.
Unlike traditional companies, Amazon doesn’t employ the majority of its drivers directly. Instead, Amazon’s supply chain includes many third-party drivers, logistics partners, and contractors.
This alone can make Amazon truck accident claims more complex than a standard accident involving passenger vehicles right from the start. When a plaintiff files an injury claim in the hopes of seeking accident compensation, they might not know who to sue in their attempts to recover damages.
Multiple Parties Involved
Determining legal responsibility in an Amazon truck accident is tricky. It isn’t always apparent which party or parties may have shown negligence during one of these crashes.
In some cases, the driver of an Amazon truck might be to blame for a crash caused by their speeding or distracted driving. In other instances, Amazon might take responsibility for a truck accident after a court finds that the company neglected to provide a driver with adequate training or subject them to the necessary safety protocols.
In rare cases, even a company that manufactures a product sold on Amazon or an Amazon seller could be liable for a trucking accident. It all depends on the circumstances surrounding Amazon truck accident claims.
Liability Confusion
In the immediate aftermath of an accident involving one of its drivers, Amazon will typically deny any responsibility for a crash. The company has purposely distanced itself from its drivers by not bringing them on board as full-time employees so that it can avoid accepting accident liability in these cases.
Amazon will claim that its Amazon Flex drivers and DSPs are independent contractors that can fend for themselves in a legal sense. While the company does extend limited insurance coverage to Amazon Flex drivers, it doesn’t take this same approach to dealing with its DSPs.
All of this can create confusion around the issue of Amazon truck accident liability. Plaintiffs filing Amazon truck accident claims might not know who exactly to take legal action against.
Insurance Issues
Amazon has a corporate insurance policy that covers its full-time employees. However, it doesn’t usually extend much coverage to the independent contractors who provide services for the company, including Amazon Flex drivers and DSPs.
Amazon does, however, extend access to a commercial auto insurance policy to its Amazon Flex drivers. This policy can provide up to $1 million in liability coverage. It also offers contingent comprehensive and collision coverage, as well as uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
Amazon doesn’t extend this same policy to DSPs. They are ultimately responsible for signing up for their own commercial auto insurance policies, though this doesn’t mean they will always have to use them if they face legal action following accidents. Amazon may have to step up and cover damages if the company fails to properly train DSPs or provide safety guidelines.
Either way, you can probably guess just how confusing the insurance issues surrounding Amazon truck accident claims can be.
Corporate Legal Defense
Amazon generates almost $600 billion in revenue each year, and because of this, the Seattle, WA, company has blossomed into a $2 trillion company enterprise.
With all this money floating around, Amazon has no trouble enlisting the services of leading corporate legal defense teams. These teams can defend the company against Amazon truck accident claims. If nothing else, they’ll make the legal process long and arduous, even for those with the strongest possible trucking accident cases.
Safety Policies and Pressure on Drivers
Amazon is notorious for putting pressure on its drivers to make deliveries as quickly as possible. These drivers are also counted on to deliver anywhere from 100 to 300 packages during a normal shift.
This could lead to some drivers cracking under the pressure and being involved in accidents they might not have been in otherwise. If plaintiffs who file Amazon truck accident claims can prove that drivers were forced to meet strict deadlines and pushed to the point where safety was no longer a priority, it could bolster their cases.
Investigations and Evidence Gathering
Amazon is a 24/7/365 operation. The company’s drivers are routinely out on the road delivering packages from sun up to sun down (and sometimes even long before it has come up and long after it has gone down!).
This makes it important for those involved in accidents with Amazon trucks to file claims quickly. They need to avoid missing the short window of time when they can gather evidence related to their crashes without experiencing too many complications.
They should aim to collect:
- Driver logs
- Vehicle maintenance records
- Ongoing communications with Amazon
Importance of Legal Representation
Before filing an Amazon truck accident claim, ensure you have all your ducks in a row. You can steer clear of encountering too much confusion by gathering evidence right after a crash occurs and taking it directly to a trusted lawyer.
Look for a lawyer with extensive experience filing Amazon truck accident claims. Coluccio Law simplifies the legal process for those injured in crashes involving Amazon trucks.
Call Us To Lend a Hand With Complicated Amazon Truck Accident Claims
Amazon truck accident claims might be complicated, but that hasn’t stopped people from filing them over time. If you’re considering filing a lawsuit after an Amazon truck crash, Coluccio Law can offer the legal guidance you need. Contact us at 206-312-3994 today to schedule a consultation.
Also Read: Amazon Delivery Truck
