Filing a Claim for a Crash with an Amazon Delivery Truck

delivery driver looking at ipad Our roadways are filled with Amazon delivery trucks every day, as customers await deliveries of the wide variety of products sold by the online retailer. While Amazon has certainly made shopping much more convenient and less time-consuming, all these delivery trucks create a higher risk of a crash with other drivers.

If you are involved in this type of crash, you may not know how to seek compensation. Amazon is a massive company with deep pockets, so you may have questions about whether you can file a claim against them.

Our experienced Harrisburg truck accident lawyers discuss this issue in greater detail below. We have extensive knowledge of how to pursue compensation after a car crash and may be able to help you. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more about how we may be able to assist you.

Filing a Claim After a Crash with an Amazon Delivery Truck

As Pennsylvania is a no-fault state, most car accident cases are resolved through an insurance settlement, often with the victim’s car insurance company. If your damages exceed the value of your insurance policy, you may be able to file a claim against the insurance coverage of the delivery truck driver.

Filing a lawsuit typically only happens if the victim and his or her attorney cannot reach an agreement on a settlement with one of the insurance companies involved. Even if a lawsuit was filed, it would likely be against the insurance company and not the driver’s employer.

What people may not know is many people driving Amazon delivery trucks are not Amazon employees. Amazon has contracts with other companies that employ many Amazon delivery truck drivers.

While some of these third parties provide insurance for their drivers, others do not. If you are involved in a crash caused by a driver whose employer does not provide insurance, the driver may have purchased his or her own insurance.

It may be possible to hold the driver’s employer vicariously liable for damages. However, this is something to discuss with an experienced attorney, as you need strong evidence to establish liability.

One argument your lawyer may be able to make is that the driver’s employer forced him or her to work excessive hours in violation of federal law. In this situation, the driver’s employer may be at least partially to blame for your damages.

While it is likely to be very difficult to hold Amazon liable if the driver was employed by another company, Amazon may be liable for negligent hiring. You would need to show Amazon hired a company with a history of traffic accidents and violations of trucking regulations.

Why Delivery Drivers May be At Risk for Causing Crashes

You may have heard about how intense it is to work in an Amazon warehouse. Delivery drivers and the companies that employ them also face intense pressure. Amazon’s success is based on making a lot of deliveries on schedule.

This intense pressure to stick to the schedule creates an obvious risk of violating traffic laws. Drivers may feel they need to speed, run red lights, blow through stop signs and engage in other reckless behaviors while behind the wheel. They may also drive while they are tired or distracted, such as by looking at their phone for directions to their next delivery.

Reckless driving is always dangerous, but it can be particularly dangerous when the reckless driver is operating a truck. It takes longer for a delivery truck to slow down and maneuver out of trouble.

If you are driving near a delivery truck you may want to keep your distance. Slow down or change lanes and never tailgate a delivery truck because they make frequent stops.

If an accident occurs, make sure to call the police and exchange information with the driver to help your attorney pursue compensation. The driver may be in a hurry to make more deliveries, but it is often illegal to leave the scene of a crash.

Need Legal Help After a Truck Crash? Call Schmidt Kramer

Pursuing compensation after a crash can be complicated, which is why you need an experienced advocate on your side. Give Schmidt Kramer a call today to learn how one of our experienced attorneys may be able to help you pursue compensation for your damages.

Our firm works on contingency, which means there are no upfront fees or legal obligations. We are not paid unless you get paid.

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Dear Scott,
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Can You Sue Amazon for Damages from a Collision with a Delivery Truck?

Filing a Claim After a Crash with an Amazon Delivery Truck

Why Delivery Drivers May be At Risk for Causing Crashes

Need Legal Help After a Truck Crash? Call Schmidt Kramer