Amazon is the largest online store in the world. What started as an online bookstore being run from a garage is now a billion-dollar industry juggernaut. It is not an exaggeration to say that hundreds of millions of items are bought and shipped on Amazon every day. However, with so many packages being shipped across the country, delivery vehicles are bound to get into accidents eventually. Getting hit by an Amazon truck can leave you seriously injured and burden you with large medical bills that need to be paid.
Our experienced attorneys can help you get the compensation you need after an Amazon vehicle accident. We pride ourselves on tailoring our services to each client’s unique needs and will make sure to give you the professional, determined representation that is necessary to fight for what you are owed in court.
Call Howe Law’s Amazon delivery vehicle accident lawyers by dialing (844) 876-4357 to get a free analysis of your case.
Who to Sue in an Amazon Vehicle Accident Lawsuit in Brookhaven, GA
In personal injury lawsuits, you can only recover damages from the party that caused your injuries. Moreover, while you can indeed file lawsuits against anyone for any valid reason, a court is not going to take your case seriously if you file against parties who have no connection to your injuries. When you talk about your case with our Amazon delivery vehicle accident attorneys, we can figure out what entities are best to include as defendants in your claim. Suing the right parties is very important to maximize your chance of recovering damages.
Delivery Drivers
The driver of the delivery truck, van, or car that hit you is the most obvious party to include in your lawsuit. Generally, drivers do not go out on the road intending to cause an accident. Accidents usually happen because of external pressures on a driver that encourage them to make unsafe or risky decisions.
There are a number of factors that affect Amazon drivers in this way. First, Amazon drivers have staggeringly high delivery quotas they must fulfill. This means that drivers working with Amazon will need to spend long hours out on the road without brakes. Second, drivers must make an effort to deliver packages extremely quickly, lest they miss their target numbers. Finally, apart from professional pressures, Amazon drivers likely wish to get their work done from the day and return to their lives in a timely fashion. All these factors create an environment where Amazon drivers are incentivized less to focus on road safety and more on speedy package delivery. This could lead Amazon drivers to make risky decisions on the road, like speeding or switching lanes when it is not safe to do so.
Delivery Companies
Many Amazon drivers are employed by third-party delivery companies partnered with Amazon. There is a legal principle called “respondeat superior” or “let the master answer” that lets you sue employers for the bad conduct of their employees so long as certain requirements are met. Those requirements are that the employee’s conduct was negligent and that said conduct was in the course of their work activities.
“Work activities” are things that are sufficiently related to the employee’s job. For example, if an Amazon Driver hits you while pulling out of a gas station on the way to deliver something, their employer probably is liable for your injuries because getting gas is sufficiently related to their work.
In addition, Delivery companies are generally better situated to compensate plaintiffs than their delivery driver employees. Medical bills from getting hit by a car, truck, or other vehicle can easily reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, and that may only make up a portion of the damages you are asking for. A delivery driver might not be able to personally cover that amount.
Why Can I Not Just Sue Amazon for a Crash in Brookhaven, GA
Notably, the company Amazon is absent from the list of parties you may want to sue in your Amazon vehicle accident lawsuit. This is because Amazon uses third-party independent contractors to deliver their packages. The previously discussed “respondeat superior” principle only lets you sue employers. Since Amazon is not a delivery driver’s direct employer, they are not responsible for your injuries in the eyes of the law and cannot be sued. As a practical matter, were Amazon to use drivers they employ directly, the sheer number of packages delivered by them across the country would risk hundreds, if not thousands, of lawsuits every day because the gigantic amount of delivery drivers makes it likely that some will mess up on any given day.
Holding Amazon Flex Drivers Accountable for Crashes in Brookhaven, GA
Amazon Flex drivers are different from drivers who are employed by delivery companies. However, they are still independent contractors and do not attach liability to Amazon. An Amazon Flex driver delivers packages part-time in addition to whatever other job they have. The job requirements to be an Amazon Flex driver are straightforward. You must be 21 or older, have a valid driver’s license, and have a “medium” or larger sized vehicle. Essentially, it is an Uber-like service but for Amazon packages. Most drivers will likely have the qualifications to do this job.
Amazon Flex drivers are likely to be less experienced than professional delivery drivers employed by delivery or fulfillment companies. They might not be used to the physical and mental toll of driving for long distances or delivering many packages on a hectic schedule. This could make an Amazon Flex driver even more likely to be in an accident than a professional delivery driver.
Talk with Our Brookhaven, GA Amazon Delivery Vehicle Accident Lawyers Today
Our Amazon delivery vehicle accident lawyers from Howe Law are prepared to take calls about your case at (844) 876-4357.
