Amazon offers one of the most convenient services available to customers in the modern world: doorstep delivery. With just a few clicks, you can have anything delivered to your home in just two days. As a result, Amazon has become one of the largest online retailers in the world. They’re fast and easy and allow customers to buy almost anything they need.
However, despite the convenience of amazon, there’s a major downside to the instant gratification model of shopping. Amazon truck drivers can easily get overwhelmed with countless packages and deadlines to meet. This can lead to accidents that result in severe injuries or even death.
To complicate matters, many Amazon drivers are independent contractors rather than employees. That means it can be tricky to determine who is liable and hold someone accountable after an accident.
If you or a loved one was involved in an accident with an Amazon delivery truck, you might need the help of an experienced Tampa Amazon Delivery Accident Attorney.
Why Do Tampa Amazon Delivery Truck Accidents Happen?
Many Amazon delivery drivers face pressure to meet deadlines. The average Amazon driver must deliver 250-300 packages a day. During busy times like Christmas, they might have even more than that. The immense demand that delivery drivers face makes their job stressful and time-sensitive.
As a result, many drivers go to great lengths to ensure they meet company expectations. Some drivers go as far as skipping meals and breaks to deliver packages on time. Others might rely on caffeine or other pick-me-ups just to get through their shift. Several Amazon drivers have expressed that they must choose between productivity and safety. Some drivers don’t even wear a seatbelt to save a few seconds between deliveries.
In addition to being a high-pressure job, delivery trucks are larger than normal cars and carry more weight from packages. Larger trucks are more difficult to drive and require special training.
A collision with an Amazon truck can result in substantial damages or catastrophic injuries. Other causes of Amazon truck accidents include speeding, reckless driving, driver fatigue, distracted driving, or vehicle defects.
If you or a loved one was injured in an Amazon truck accident, consult an experienced Tampa Amazon Delivery Accident Attorney. They can help you establish who is liable and hold them accountable.
Common Injuries That Result From a Car Accident Involving an Amazon Delivery Truck
The most common injuries that result from Amazon delivery truck accidents include the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Lacerations, cuts, and bruises
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Incontinence
- Whiplash
You can benefit from seeking legal counsel if you sustained catastrophic injuries in an Amazon delivery truck accident. A Tampa Amazon Delivery Accident Attorney will help you determine the following:
- The cost of all current and future medical expenses
- If and how your injuries have affected your ability to work
- How your injuries affect your future earning capacity
- Calculate non-economic damages like pain and suffering
What Are My Options After an Accident With an Amazon Delivery Driver in Tampa?
Since Florida uses the no-fault insurance law, all drivers must carry personal injury protection (PIP). Your PIP insurance will cover medical bills and lost wages up to a certain amount, regardless of who is at fault. PIP will also cover family members who live with you if they are in an accident.
With PIP, you cannot seek damage compensation from the other party’s insurance carrier unless your damages exceed a certain threshold.
Can I Seek Compensation From Amazon After an Accident?
In most cases, you cannot seek damage compensation directly from Amazon after a delivery truck accident. That’s because most drivers operate as independent contractors. Unfortunately, that also means that Amazon doesn’t own most of the trucks and vans that deliver their packages.
Amazon delivery drivers are usually hired and employed by a delivery partner service. So rather than Amazon being directly liable, the third party who hired the driver might be liable for damages in an accident.
Since Amazon does not directly hire most of their delivery truck drivers, they can’t be held liable for a delivery truck accident. That said, Amazon requires all drivers and contractors to carry Amazon Flex Insurance coverage. The Amazon Flex Insurance plan offers up to $1 million in coverage.
Damage Compensation Depends on the Driver’s Employment Status
Before you can seek damages, you need to determine the driver’s relationship with Amazon. Here is a breakdown of how you would seek damage compensation after a delivery truck accident, depending on the employment status of the driver:
The Delivery Driver Is a Direct Employee of Amazon
If the driver is an employee of Amazon, the company will be responsible for the driver’s negligence. If the driver rear-ends your vehicle while on the job, their employer’s insurance should cover your damages.
An Independent Delivery Partner employs the Delivery Driver
As explained above, Amazon usually uses a third party to hire delivery truck drivers. Therefore, if the driver is an employee of the partnering delivery service company, Amazon cannot be responsible for your damages.
Big companies like Amazon use delivery partners specifically to avoid liability. For example, if an employee of the partnering company causes an accident, the victims can pursue compensation from the delivery partner rather than from Amazon. Unfortunately, these smaller partner companies often have lower policy limits, so they may not have sufficient coverage to cover your damages.
The Delivery Driver is an Independent Contractor for Amazon
The driver must have individual insurance if the delivery truck driver is an independent contractor or gig worker. The downside is that most insurance policies won’t cover damages for an accident while the driver was carrying out commercial activities.
So unless the driver has special commercial coverage with their policy, they might be uninsured for your claim.
A skilled Tampa Amazon Delivery Accident Attorney can help you investigate the case to determine exactly what happened. That way, you can establish all liable parties and determine who to hold accountable for accident-related losses.
Determining who is liable after an Amazon delivery truck accident can be tricky. But a Tampa Amazon Delivery Accident Attorney with experience in these cases can guide you through the process.
What Damages Can I Recover After a Tampa Amazon Delivery Truck Accident?
If you or a loved one was injured in an Amazon delivery truck accident, you might be entitled to recover the following damages:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Future lost earning potential
- Future medical costs
- And more
Consult a Tampa Amazon Delivery Accident Attorney to determine exactly which damages you can claim.
Contact a Tampa Amazon Truck Accident Lawyer
You don’t have to feel intimidated after an Amazon delivery truck accident. While it can feel like you’re up against the big dogs, you don’t have to fight the battle yourself.
Our Tampa Amazon Delivery Accident Attorneys have over 60 years of combined experience. We have been helping personal injury victims in Tampa, and all of Florida win the compensation they deserve. And we can help you win too.
If you sustained injuries in a delivery truck accident that was not your fault, contact our Tampa Amazon Delivery Accident Attorneys today.
We offer a free initial consultation, so you have nothing to lose by calling us now.
