Amazon delivery trucks are becoming increasingly common in both Kentucky and the rest of the United States. Although Amazon is convenient for obtaining necessary goods, its delivery trucks pose a threat to others on the road.
Delivery truck drivers are expected to deliver hundreds of packages a day, and their workloads are only increasing. With the pressure of having to stay on a tight, exhausting schedule, these drivers may cause devastating accidents, leading to serious personal injuries.
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident caused by an Amazon delivery truck, you need to seek the compensation you deserve for vehicle damages and personal injuries. Here’s what you need to know about recovering damages from Amazon.
Contributing Factors For Delivery Truck Accidents
Amazon delivery truck accidents may result from various contributing factors. Some common reasons why these wrecks happen include:
- Driver fatigue: Driving while tired is highly dangerous, and the unfortunate reality is that many Amazon delivery truck drivers are spread too thin. Driving while tired can reduce a driver’s reaction time, and it can also impair their judgment. Some Amazon delivery truck drivers have stated that they’ve been discouraged from taking breaks, increasing their likelihood of becoming tired while behind the wheel.
- Improper hiring: Not every Amazon delivery truck driver is qualified for their line work. An inexperienced truck driver can cause devastating accidents.
- Lack of sufficient training: Like with improper hiring, a driver who lacks sufficient training can make a deadly mistake while on the road, leading to a serious traffic accident that can cause injuries or even road fatalities.
- Distractions: Driving while distracted is incredibly dangerous, and Amazon truck drivers are often distracted by their GPS. A driver may also take their eyes off the road and cause an accident if they adjust their radio or check their phone.
- Driving while impaired: Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is incredibly dangerous and contributes to many wrecks every year.
- Larger size: Amazon trucks weigh around 3,500 pounds, and they can carry a load of up to 5,000 pounds. With this added weight comes additional dangers. It takes heavy trucks far longer to come to a complete stop than standard passenger vehicles.
- Unrealistic workloads: Amazon has incredibly high expectations for their drivers, and they even track whenever their drivers open their doors or turn off their engines. Because they’re under pressure to deliver so many packages, Amazon drivers may speed or engage in other dangerous maneuvers to save time, endangering others on the road.
- Negligent maintenance: Negligent maintenance refers to a vehicle becoming dangerous due to the owner’s failure to fix maintenance issues. For example, if Amazon or their vehicle maintenance company fails to properly maintain a truck’s brakes, that truck could fail to stop and rear-end another driver.
- Improper loading: If an Amazon truck is loaded improperly, the vehicle’s freight could shift and cause a driver to lose control of the truck.
Do Amazon Delivery Trucks Have Insurance?
Amazon delivery truck drivers are required to have their own insurance policies, but most car insurance companies do not cover drivers when they carry freight for delivery companies. Instead, Amazon protects its drivers through Amazon Flex Insurance.
Drivers must be on the clock in order to be protected by this insurance. The policy provides one million dollars for the liability and one million dollars for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
Recovering the Compensation You Deserve After an Amazon Truck Accident
One million dollars may sound like more than enough to cover your damages and personal injuries after an accident, but this isn’t always the case. If you suffer from a permanently limiting injury, you may never be able to work again, and you may also face a lifetime of medical treatment including surgeries. In these more extreme cases, one million dollars will likely not be enough to cover your medical expenses and loss of future earnings.
Additionally, just because Amazon drivers are insured for a million dollars in liability insurance doesn’t mean you’ll receive the fair amount that you’re owed after an accident. Insurance companies will do whatever it takes to save money, and they’ll likely offer you a lowball settlement for your injuries.
If you’re injured in an Amazon truck accident, you need to contact a Kentucky personal injury attorney in order to recover the full compensation you deserve for vehicle damages, medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, loss of future earnings, emotional distress, and more.
Complications with Third-Party Companies
Another potential complication you may face after a delivery truck accident is dealing with third-party delivery companies. Amazon frequently outsources its deliveries to third-party companies, and these companies are not protected by Amazon Flex Insurance.
Cases involving Amazon and third-party delivery companies can be incredibly complicated, so it’s important to contact a personal injury lawyer to help you recover the money you deserve from the liable party.
Contact a Delivery Truck Accident Personal Injury Attorney
The most important thing you need to do after suffering from a personal injury in a delivery truck accident is to contact a lawyer. These personal injury claims are often difficult to navigate, and contacting a skilled personal injury lawyer will help you recover the maximum compensation possible for your injuries.
For personal injury legal representation in Central Kentucky, contact the lawyers at McCoy & Sparks Attorneys at Law. Call our office at 844-459-9467, or you can schedule a free case consultation here.