You’ve probably noticed them everywhere: the familiar blue vans and branded delivery trucks bringing packages to every corner of our communities. Now, that presence is set to grow exponentially, especially on smaller, rural roads. Amazon recently announced a massive investment to expand its delivery network into more rural and small-town areas, detailed in a news release on their corporate site.
While faster deliveries and job creation are positive developments, this expansion comes with a significant and often overlooked consequence: a dramatic increase in commercial delivery traffic on roads that were never designed to handle it. More vans, often driven by drivers under immense pressure to meet strict deadlines, inevitably mean a higher risk of serious accidents.
When one of these delivery vans causes a crash, the aftermath is far more complicated than a typical car wreck. The question of who is responsible—and whose insurance will cover your significant damages—becomes a complex legal battle.
Who is Liable for an Amazon Delivery Accident?
Unlike a standard car accident, a crash involving a delivery driver isn’t a simple two-party issue. Several entities could be held liable, and untangling this web is critical to securing the compensation you deserve.
- The Driver: The individual driver is, of course, the most direct cause of the accident if they were driving negligently (e.g., speeding, distracted driving, running a stop sign).
- The Delivery Service Partner (DSP): Many Amazon drivers don’t work for Amazon directly. They work for smaller, third-party companies known as DSPs. These companies are responsible for hiring, training, and supervising their drivers, as well as maintaining their vehicle fleets. If they failed in any of these duties, they can be held liable.
- Amazon: While Amazon structures its network to create distance between itself and its drivers, the corporate giant can still be held responsible. Their demanding delivery quotas, routing software, and control over the DSPs can be argued as contributing factors to the negligence that causes crashes.
Because these cases often involve commercial entities, they fall under the complex rules governing truck accidents. The insurance policies are much larger, and the legal teams defending them are far more aggressive. They will work tirelessly to shift blame and minimize their payout.
How We Build a Case Against a Delivery Company
We understand the unique challenges of these cases. Our investigation goes far beyond a simple police report.
- Preserving Evidence: We immediately move to secure crucial evidence, including the driver’s logs, vehicle maintenance records, the company’s hiring and training policies, and the “black box” (EDR) data from the delivery van itself.
- Determining All Liable Parties: We investigate the relationship between the driver, the DSP, and Amazon to ensure every responsible party is brought into the lawsuit. This maximizes the potential sources of recovery for your injuries.
- Proving Negligence: We demonstrate how the pressure for speed, lack of proper training, or poor vehicle maintenance led directly to the crash that injured you or a loved one. This is critical in all injury cases, from a motorcycle accident to a tragic wrongful death.
As more delivery vehicles fill our local roads, the chances of being involved in one of these serious accidents will only increase. If you are hit by a delivery driver, do not try to fight this battle alone.
Contact Manoukian Law for a free and confidential consultation to understand your rights and hold these large corporations accountable.
