Amazon delivery vehicles are nearly as common on the roads as ordinary mail trucks. In the event of a collision, determining who should be held liable can be tricky, as numerous parties might be implicated.
While you might want to sue Amazon after an accident with an Amazon delivery truck, this might not be possible. Delivery drivers and their employers are often on the hook for damages, but Amazon is usually not because drivers are often not legally considered Amazon employees. Instead, Amazon has contracts with independent contractors or third-party delivery services. Your damages are likely paid through someone’s insurance, even if you pursue a lawsuit. Drivers and delivery companies should have insurance to cover your claims. If not, they might have to pay out of pocket. Damages should include various economic losses, like medical bills and property damage, alongside non-economic injuries, like pain, suffering, and humiliation.
Schedule an initial case review at no cost to you with our Amazon delivery truck accident attorneys by calling Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
Who Should Be Held Responsible for Accidents with Amazon Delivery Trucks in Florence, AL?
As with many types of accidents, crashes with Amazon delivery trucks might involve multiple parties. Injured drivers are often upset and want to blame the first person they can think of, but it is best to speak to an attorney before making major decisions. Our Amazon delivery truck accident attorneys can help you analyze how the accident happened and determine who should be named in your lawsuit.
Delivery Drivers
The driver of the Amazon delivery vehicle is often the first person people consider suing when preparing a lawsuit. We should look into the delivery driver in your accident for several good reasons. First, delivery drivers for Amazon are often working under very tight schedules and must deliver countless packages and parcels in a short time. As such, they are often in a hurry and likely to speed to drive recklessly to be on time.
Second, Amazon drivers often take routes they are not familiar with, so they rely on phones or other GPS devices. This also means that Amazon drivers are often distracted while driving and might cause an accident while looking at their phones for directions to the next delivery stop.
Delivery Companies
When filing a lawsuit, you should also consider the delivery service company the delivery driver works for. In many cases, plaintiffs are surprised to learn that the driver does not actually work for Amazon. Instead, they are an independent contractor driving for Amazon, or they work for a third-party delivery service that has a contract with Amazon. The delivery driver’s employer, if they have one, can be held vicariously liable for their negligence.
Amazon
One entity that is often off-limits in personal injury lawsuits is Amazon. As mentioned above, many Amazon delivery drivers are not Amazon employees. They might deliver Amazon packages as an independent contractor through Amazon’s Flex program. They might instead be a delivery driver for a third-party delivery service that partners with Amazon. In either case, Amazon is often not liable as an employer.
If you find this news frustrating, you are not alone. Many in the legal field believe that Amazon unfairly blurs the lines between independent contractors and employees to avoid liability for things like accidents. The laws surrounding the issue tend to fluctuate, and many are pushing for Amazon to take responsibility for its unfair business practices.
How Damages and Compensation Are Paid in Amazon Delivery Truck Accidents in Florence, AL
If you and your attorney file an insurance claim, the driver’s insurance should cover your damages. If their employer is vicariously liable, they might have even greater insurance to cover your damages. However, many insurance claims are denied or insufficient to cover all the victim’s damages. In such cases, lawsuits might be in order.
In a lawsuit, people sometimes assume that insurance is no longer involved, but this is not exactly true. Typically, drivers and businesses have insurance policies that cover them if they are sued for an accident. This means that the defendant’s insurance might still pay your damages. One key difference is the extent of damages that are paid. Insurance claims tend to be limited and often do not cover damages like pain and suffering. In a lawsuit, you can claim a much wider range of damages, including non-economic injuries.
Another possibility is that the driver who hit you has no insurance. While an uninsured driver might make getting the compensation you deserve harder, it is not impossible. You can sue the driver, and they might have to pay for your damages out of their own pockets. If they cannot afford to do so, we can work out a settlement or get a court order to garnish their wages.
Damages Available in Amazon Delivery Truck Accident Lawsuits in Florence, AL
We must consider not only your physical injuries but also your emotional and psychological injuries when assessing damages. Accidents take a huge toll on a person’s life, and your attorney can help you calculate the damages so you get full and fair compensation.
After an accident, you might be badly injured. Emergency rooms, x-rays, surgery, medication, physical therapy, and follow-up doctor visits all cost money. The final bill for a serious accident might be thousands upon thousands of dollars. The defendant should be footing this bill, not you.
Property damage is another big concern. In some cases, the plaintiff’s care is totaled beyond repair. Replacing the car can be expensive, and the person liable for the crash should have to pay. You might also lose valuable personal items. Perhaps your laptop was crushed during the collision, and your wedding ring fell off your finger, never to be seen again.
Being in an accident is frightening. People are often traumatized, and the fear and anxiety from the crash follow them for years. If you are struggling with your mental health after the accident, consult a mental health professional. Your attorney can help you claim non-economic injuries like pain, suffering, and more as part of your damages.
Speak to Our Florence, AL Amazon Delivery Truck Accident Attorneys Today
Schedule a confidential case review for free with our Amazon delivery truck accident attorneys by calling Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
