Before Amazon, trucks were mostly limited to the highway, with the occasional grocery store or restaurant receiving their new stock order in the alley. Now, there are Amazon Prime vans and trucks all over town, and Flex drivers making deliveries in regular cars, too.
If you were involved in an accident with an Amazon driver in Washington, you might be nervous to know what to do next. Unfortunately, Amazon has done a good job of cushioning itself from accountability when it comes to accidents involving their drivers.
Luckily, our dedicated attorneys at Gilbert Law are not afraid of Amazon or other big delivery companies and are here to help guide you through your accident case.
What to do after an accident with an Amazon Delivery driver
If you’ve been in an accident with an Amazon delivery driver in the Pacific Northwest, you should make sure to take the following actions:
- Call 911
- Get the Amazon driver’s information
- Take pictures of the accident and get contact information from witnesses
- Seek medical attention
- Contact a Pacific Northwest attorney who is willing to fight for you
Whether you’re in Washington, Oregon, Montana, or Wyoming, following these steps is your best course of action – especially when it comes to protecting your claim.
Amazon’s third-party contractor policy
Accidents involving commercial vehicles usually involve an employee-employer relationship. So while the truck driver can be sued directly (for example, for drinking while driving), their employer can also be held responsible if they contributed to the accident.
Amazon, on the other hand, has an entirely different business model.
Amazon delivery drivers operate as third-party contractor fleets, meaning they are contracted by Amazon, not employed. So although Amazon drivers feel immense pressure to do their job quickly – even if that means skipping bathroom breaks – Amazon can say they weren’t directly responsible for an accident caused by one of their drivers. This is how Amazon legally evades responsibility for accidents involving its brand.
Because of this third-party contractor policy, Amazon is almost never liable for damage caused by its delivery drivers. However, there are still options for you to pursue in order to seek compensation for your car accident.
How you can file a claim in Washington state
Here are some of your options if you want to file a claim to recover the losses you suffered from your car accident in the Pacific Northwest:
- File an insurance claim, either through the driver’s private insurance, or, in some cases, through the supplemental liability insurance provided by Amazon
- File a personal injury claim against the driver
- File a personal injury claim against a third-party contractor
- File a personal injury claim against Amazon directly
Even though Amazon has often been able to evade responsibility, Gilbert Law has a history of taking on cases no one else will touch. We have fought to the very end to get the results our clients need.
Amazon may be tough, but we are tougher.
Damages you can recover in the state of Washington
A truck crash attorney can help you recover financial compensation for costs, such as:
- Medical bills
- Prescription medications
- Ongoing therapy or other rehabilitative needs
- Funeral costs
- Counseling, therapy, or mental health services
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- And more, depending on your case
Our experienced team of Washington truck accident attorneys can pour over the details of your case and consider all options for the best course of action.
Contact our experienced attorneys at Gilbert Law
A truck crash attorney can help you recover financial compensation for costs, such as:
As more and more Amazon trucks come to dominate our roadways, accidents involving Amazon drivers are likely to become a more frequent phenomenon. Luckily, at Gilbert Law, we have experience going up against big corporations and holding powerful entities accountable.
If you were involved in a car accident involving an Amazon delivery driver, contact us today for a free and confidential consultation.
Disclaimer: The blog published by the Gilbert Law Firm marketing team for informational purposes only and is not considered legal advice or a substitute for legal advice. There is no attorney-client relationship between the reader and the blog publisher. Readers are urged to consult their own legal counsel on any specific legal questions concerning a specific situation.
