Morrilton, AR Amazon Delivery Vehicle Accident Lawyer

Amazon’s promise of fast shipping almost always means increased pressure on drivers to meet quotas and deadlines.  The risk of potential punishment at work often pushes these drivers into dangerous situations where they speed, run red lights, and otherwise drive dangerously in order to focus on their quotas.  If a crash happens, our lawyers can help you hold the responsible parties accountable.

In many cases, this results in serious injuries that our lawyers can help you get compensation for.  However, these cases often cannot be filed directly against Amazon.  Instead, the drivers that deliver for them often work for third-party companies contracted with Amazon or they work as independent contractors themselves and are their own bosses.  Even so, drivers have to carry insurance, and this can often get you paid through a claim or lawsuit.

Contact our Amazon delivery vehicle accident lawyers today for help with your injury case by calling (479) 316-0438.

Can You Sue Amazon for a Crash with an Amazon Delivery Truck in Morrilton, AR?

In many cases, the Amazon vans and 18-wheelers that we see on the roads are not driven by Amazon employees.  This often makes it harder to sue Amazon, though it is possible in some situations.

First, you can often sue the employer of a driver who hits you if the worker was actively performing their job duties while driving.  Delivery drivers are a concrete example of that, as are the truckers who drive larger shipping trucks with Amazon packages and cargo.  Here, their driving is part of their work, so their employer can take on the liability for the mistakes their driver made.

However, the employer might not be Amazon.  Some drivers do work directly for Amazon as employees, but more often, these drivers work for third-party delivery companies instead.  If they are employees at that company, then you can often sue the third-party company for the Amazon driver’s mistakes behind the wheel.

What is more likely, however, is that these drivers are independent contractors.  When the driver is in control of their time, place, and manner of their own work, they are considered self-employed, and the work they do for Amazon has no employer-employee relationship.  When this happens, you cannot reach past them to their employer, but you can still sue the at-fault driver directly.  These drivers should have insurance that covers the accidents they cause while working as a commercial driver, giving you a source of money to pay for your injuries even if the individual driver cannot afford to pay you.

Amazon might also be held liable in some situations if they were more involved.  For example, if the driver was truly being controlled and ordered around by Amazon directly, there is a stronger argument that they should be treated as the employer and held responsible.  Additionally, Amazon might be responsible for failing to properly screen a driver, facing liability for negligent hiring or retention of that dangerous driver.

Proving Fault in an Accident with an Amazon Delivery Vehicle in Morrilton, AR

In an accident case, you can often show that the other driver was at fault and get compensation from them.  Your own testimony about what happened leading up to and during the accident will provide the backbone of the evidence in your case, but testimony from any witnesses will also help lock down your case.  You may also be able to collect evidence such as “black box” data from any 18-wheelers involved in the accident, logs from the driver’s deliveries, and classic photos of the accident scene to help build your story of the case.

As far as what needs to be proven, you usually have to produce evidence of some kind of mistake or carelessness on the part of the other driver.  In most cases, this is going to be a traffic violation, such as running a red light, speeding, or even drunk driving that contributed to them causing the crash.  You may also be able to point to other unreasonable actions that might not explicitly break the law, such as digging around for a package while driving instead of paying full attention to the road.

In many cases involving Amazon drivers, the pressures put on them by Amazon are contributing factors.  These drivers may speed, park in dangerous places, park without signaling or warning other drivers, and so on.  One common problem is when Amazon delivery drivers re trying to find a delivery location, they might go the wrong way down a one-way street or back out of going the wrong way to save themselves the time of going around, potentially putting others in danger.  These drivers might also pull out into traffic to get back on the road faster, causing a crash.

Any mistakes like these are usually sufficient grounds to hold them responsible in a lawsuit.

Suing vs. Using Insurance for Amazon Delivery Truck Accidents in Morrilton, AR

When it comes to getting the money you deserve, it will often be paid by insurance no matter how you went about filing your claim.  Rarely if ever do at-fault drivers pay out of pocket for damages unless they are a big company.  Instead, the driver’s or the company’s insurance will typically be the one to pay damages.

Even when you take the driver to court in a lawsuit, their insurance will usually provide them a defense lawyer and pay for damages from the driver’s policy.  If there are damages above and beyond the policy’s coverage, those might get paid out of pocket.  However, individual drivers are often unable to afford to cover more damages, which is why it is best to bring your case against their employer as well when you can.  In that case, the employer is better able to afford to pay you.

Most lawsuits ultimately settle for a negotiated value even if you do initially file a lawsuit.

Call Our Amazon Delivery Vehicle Accident Lawyers in Morrilton, AR Today

For a free case review, call our Amazon delivery vehicle accident attorneys at (479) 316-0438.