Every day, Amazon delivers 1.6 million packages right to their customers’ homes. These packages are transported by delivery drivers who stop at, on average, between 90 and 215 delivery locations per day.
That’s a lot of stops – and a lot of opportunities for accidents, if drivers are not taking proper measures to ensure the safety of drivers around them.
You may have heard that Amazon drivers are pressured to deliver packages as quickly as possible, and that some drivers have resorted to relieving themselves within their trucks in order to meet delivery speed requirements.
If these allegations are true, Amazon has created a recipe for roadside disaster. Rushed drivers are reckless drivers, and reckless drivers cause accidents.
Were you injured in an accident with an Amazon vehicle? This article covers when you can file an insurance claim with Amazon and what steps you need to take to help you receive a full and fair recovery.
What is the First Step if you are in an Accident with an Amazon Vehicle?
If you get into a car accident with an Amazon delivery vehicle, the first steps are exactly the same as in any car accident.
First, determine if you or any passengers in your vehicle are injured.
Next, get yourself and any passengers out of the way of potential danger. If possible, you can pull over to the shoulder to move your vehicle out of the way of danger as well, but if you were in a serious accident, it is best to leave your car where it is.
After this, call emergency services, and follow the steps provided here for what to do next.
After documenting the accident and seeking any necessary medical attention, the next steps will depend on the type of Amazon delivery vehicle that hit you, and on how the driver of this vehicle is affiliated with Amazon.
Amazon has three primary types of vehicles:
- Amazon Prime semi-trucks;
- Amazon delivery vans; and
- Amazon Flex cars (delivery drivers driving their own personal vehicles).
Amazon also uses third-party shipping companies to deliver packages to customers. This means that the driver that hit you may be employed directly by Amazon, or they may be employed by a third-party as a contractor for Amazon.
No matter what type of Amazon vehicle hit you, whether it was a semi-truck, sprinter van, or a passenger car, the accident should be covered by a commercial insurance policy as long as the driver was on duty at the time of the crash.
This is true even if the at-fault driver was a contracted employee driving their personal vehicle or a vehicle owned by a third-party shipping company.
What changes, depending on the type of vehicle and companies involved, is how you will receive payment for your accident.
Who Can Be Held Liable in an Accident with an Amazon Delivery Vehicle?
Multiple parties may be held both legally and financially responsible after a wreck with an Amazon vehicle. If the collision involved an Amazon Flex driver, both the driver and Amazon can be held liable. If you were hit by an Amazon truck or delivery van, the responsible parties may include a third-party shipping company (listed on the car accident report), Amazon, and the individual driver.
How to File an Insurance Claim with Amazon After a Wreck
1. Consult with an experienced auto accident attorney.
Car accident cases with Amazon can get complicated quickly, since Amazon hires so many independent contractors to deliver its goods. Amazon is also known to deny liability in car accidents caused by delivery drivers, which can make it difficult for you to receive a full and fair recovery on your own.
Amazon has endless resources at their fingertips, enabling the company to hire lawyers, experts, and anyone else that may be able to help minimize the amount of compensation you’ll receive from the insurance company.
Take advantage of a free consultation with a vetted auto accident lawyer to make sure your rights are protected before you speak with Amazon or an insurance adjuster about the accident.
2. Contact the insurance company listed on the accident report to start your claim.
If you were hit by an Amazon Flex driver, you can also contact Amazon directly to inform the company about the accident by emailing amazonflex-support@amazon.com.
If the truck or van that hit you was owned by a third-party shipping company, you will simply need to contact the insurance company listed on the accident report. In both situations, do not admit fault and do not disclose too much information about the wreck. Adjusters have a tendency to twist your words to minimize your recovery.
3. Contact your own insurance company to ensure they are aware of the accident.
Even if you were not at fault, it’s important to notify your insurance company of the accident. This will be helpful if you need to file an underinsured or uninsured motorist claim to help cover your damages.
Insurance Coverage Available for People Injured in an Amazon Wreck
The insurance coverage available to you after a wreck with Amazon will depend on whether you were hit by an Amazon Flex vehicle or an Amazon Prime delivery truck/van.
Amazon Flex Insurance Coverage
If you were hit by an Amazon Flex driver, the damages from the accident should be covered by Amazon Flex’s insurance policies. This is only true if the driver was at fault and was on the clock at the time of the accident. If the Amazon driver was not on the clock, both you and the at fault driver will have to rely on his/her personal vehicle insurance to cover damages.
Amazon insures its Flex drivers for liability (up to $1,000,000), comprehensive/collision (up to $50,000), and uninsured and underinsured motorists (up to $1,000,000).
So, if the Amazon Flex driver was at fault, you should be able to file an insurance claim against Amazon’s liability policy for up to $1,000,000 to cover damages from the accident, which may include medical bills, loss wages, diminished earning capacity, and pain and suffering.
Amazon Prime Trucks and Delivery Vans Insurance Coverage
Unfortunately, insurance coverage for Amazon delivery trucks and vans is not as straightforward as Amazon Flex insurance. Amazon uses a large network of third-party shipping and logistics companies to deliver its packages, which means that the insurance available to you after an accident with one of these vehicles will depend on the insurance policy held by the third-party shipping company.
The good news is that Amazon requires its partners to maintain auto insurance, so you should be able to file a claim with the company’s liability insurer for the harm caused by the accident. The insurance information for the company should be listed on your car accident report.
It is possible to file a claim against Amazon directly. In fact, many individuals injured in Amazon car accidents have attempted to do so; however, the eCommerce giant has been known to shirk responsibility for accidents caused by its delivery partners. In many of these cases, Amazon denies liability because the company “does not control the delivery firms in its network or employ the drivers.”
If you would like to file an insurance claim against Amazon for the injuries you sustained in an accident, we would highly recommend working with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
Injury lawyers have the resources and skills to take on Amazon and hold the company responsible for the harm it caused.
To schedule a free consultation with a vetted personal injury attorney, please contact us by filling out the form on this page.
Dealing with Amazon after a car accident can be difficult. The company and its numerous shipping partners currently have hundreds of car accident cases pending against them. They have endless resources to help them pay you as little as possible. National Trucking Claims is here to help you protect your rights and receive a full and fair recovery.
