What to Do If You’ve Been Hit by An Amazon Delivery Truck

Due to increasing delivery demands, road accidents involving delivery drivers are on the rise. This is especially true of Amazon delivery truck drivers. The reason? They are pushed to work beyond their limits.

This has resulted in gruesome consequences, including pedestrian accidents and truck collisions. Read on to find out what to do if you’ve been involved in an Amazon driver accident and how to receive compensation for your injuries.

Common Reasons Behind an Amazon Truck Accident

Amazon relies heavily on third-party delivery companies to distribute goods to their customers’ doorsteps. 

Without contingent delivery measures in place, they end up sacrificing the safety of their drivers. Below are the most common causes of Amazon truck accidents:

Speeding

Since truck delivery drivers need to adhere to strict production quotas, they are more prone to injuries. If Amazon demands them to deliver hundreds of packages daily, they tend to rush and increase their speed limit on the road. 

As a result, they may accidentally hit a pedestrian crossing the street or collide with another vehicle because they fail to observe traffic regulations.

Lack of Truck Driving Experience

While Amazon is a huge company, they typically hire drivers from independent contractors. Because of this, many new drivers lack experience driving trucks, and the company is pressed for time when training them, which makes them more susceptible to manual errors and injuries.

Distracted Driving 

Distracted driving is among the most common reasons Amazon delivery drivers get into car accidents. Since they’re not limited to one route, they are more prone to distracted driving while looking at a GPS or on their smartphones.

What to Do After an Amazon Delivery Truck Accident?

Here’s what you need to do after getting involved in an Amazon delivery truck accident:

Stop Your Vehicle at the Scene

Regardless of whether you’re the at-fault driver, you must immediately stop your vehicle at the scene. Keep your vehicle out of the oncoming traffic to keep other motorists safe. If you flee, you and the other driver can face multiple complaints, including hit-and-run charges. 

Call 911

Contact the police and emergency responders right away to report the accident. The police will write a report describing the incident, which you should request a copy of later on to build a strong personal injury case.  

Seek Medical Assistance for Your Injuries

It’s best to see paramedics to get the medical attention you need at the scene. But if you were seriously injured, you might need to go to the hospital for further examination. A medical report will also serve as proof of your injuries for your case.

Obtain Relevant Information

Ask for the other driver’s contact information and insurance details if possible. Note that since most Amazon truck drivers are independent contractors, you’ll need their individual information, including the name of their trucking company. Don’t forget to collect statements from witnesses.

Take Photos of the Scene

Make sure to document the accident scene with pictures and videos. Before leaving the area, take photos of your truck and the other vehicles involved and where the accident happened.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney

Lastly, seek legal representation from a personal injury attorney. It’s best to speak with a truck accident lawyer to get proper compensation for your losses.

California Laws Pertaining to an Amazon Delivery Truck Accident

Amazon delivery drivers are required by law to keep track of their location, time logs, and vehicle inspections. They are also responsible for inspecting their vehicles regularly for damaged parts to avoid accidents. 

Truck drivers cannot drive for 10 hours after 16 hours of duty to avoid driver fatigue and other safety issues, according to FMCSA rules.

Most truck driving incidents don’t allow victims to directly file a lawsuit against Amazon. But the company’s contractors have a liability insurance called Amazon Flex Insurance, which covers up to $1 million for injuries and damages.

The Amazon delivery driver must be on duty to receive insurance coverage for Amazon delivery accident claims. If not, you will have to sue the driver directly. The statute of limitation is two years from the date of the accident or the involved person’s date of death. 

California follows a pure comparative negligence system, which means the court will determine compensation based on the fault percentage of each party. 

Types of Compensation Available

Each and every case is unique, depending on how the accident happened. The amount of compensation you’ll receive will most likely cover the following:

• Medical expenses
• Treatment costs
• Wrongful death
• Pain and suffering or emotional damage
• Lost wages

After a truck accident, the Amazon driver who caused the crash must compensate the victim’s medical bills and necessary car repairs. Sometimes, they may be asked to pay for punitive damages, such as pain and suffering.

Prior to the court hearing, lawyers will try to negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company. They will use medical records and reports to determine the claim’s value. But if the insurance provider does not agree with the settlement, they’ll have to represent their client in court.

Many Amazon delivery drivers are independent contractors and are not under Amazon’s care. This frees the company from liability if one of the drivers got involved in an accident.

However, Amazon will provide at least $1,000,000 as supplemental insurance to their drivers as long as they have their own policy. This means that compensation will most likely come from the at-fault driver’s own insurance provider.

Hire an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer at Adamson Ahdoot

Getting involved in an Amazon delivery truck accident can burden you physically, emotionally, and financially. 

At Adamson Ahdoot, we strongly believe that you deserve fair and just legal representation. We will fight for your right to receive the appropriate compensation for your losses. 

Call us at (800) 310-1606 today to schedule a free consultation with a premier injury attorney.