If you have recently been involved in a car accident with an Amazon delivery driver, you may wonder whether Amazon will compensate you for your damages. Does Amazon cover car accidents or do the Amazon drivers? These are questions our Los Angeles truck accident attorneys often get. Below, we discuss Amazon’s liability coverage in accidents, potential insurance coverage options, and how to file an Amazon accident claim.
Is Amazon Responsible for My Car Accident?
After an accident with an Amazon delivery driver, you may wonder if you can file a claim directly with Amazon. Unfortunately, Amazon has a history of avoiding liability for auto accidents caused by its drivers.
Amazon does not employ its own delivery drivers to make deliveries. Instead, it uses independent contractors and third-party delivery partners. Therefore, when accidents happen, Amazon typically claims it is not responsible because the drivers are not its employees.
However, even though Amazon uses independent contractors and third parties to handle its deliveries, you may still have legal options.
What Insurance Coverage Is Available to People Injured in Amazon Accidents?
The coverage available after an Amazon accident depends on a variety of factors. However, two of the most significant factors include the classification of the Amazon delivery driver and whether they were on duty at the time of the car accident.
First, our Los Angeles truck accident lawyers will discuss the two main types of Amazon drivers. Most delivery drivers for Amazon involved in an accident are either Amazon delivery drivers or delivery service partner (DSP) drivers.
Amazon Flex drivers are independent contractors. An Amazon Flex driver uses their own personal vehicle to deliver packages. On the other hand, DSP drivers are employees of third-party delivery companies that Amazon partners with for deliveries. These organizations are independent of Amazon and may rent Amazon trucks for their delivery vehicles.
Neither Amazon Flex delivery drivers nor DSP drivers are Amazon employees. What do these classifications mean concerning potentially available Amazon Flex insurance coverage or personal insurance coverage?
Amazon Flex Insurance Coverage
Amazon offers commercial auto insurance coverage to drivers who use its Amazon Flex vehicle platform. However, this coverage is contingent. An Amazon Flex driver must have their own valid personal auto insurance policy to be eligible for Amazon Flex.
Amazon’s insurance details provide liability coverage, comprehensive and collision coverage, and uninsured motorist coverage for their delivery drivers. Our Los Angeles truck accident attorneys break Amazon Flex down below:
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- Up to $1,000,000 in commercial liability. This coverage applies to bodily injury and damages to a third party.
- Up to $50,000 in comprehensive and collision coverage. This coverage applies to property damage to the Amazon delivery vehicle. However, it depends on whether the driver has comprehensive coverage on their personal insurance policy.
- Up to $1,000,000 in uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. This coverage applies to bodily injury and damages to the Amazon Flex driver.
If you suffered injuries in an Amazon accident or were involved in an accident, you would be considered a third party. Therefore, you may be able to file a claim against Amazon’s commercial liability coverage of up to $1 million. You may have a viable claim to recover medical expenses, cover medical bills, lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering damages.
DSP Insurance Coverage
Amazon uses an extensive network of service partners for its delivery services. DSP drivers are employees of the delivery service company, not Amazon. Therefore, unlike its Amazon Flex drivers, Amazon does not offer commercial liability coverage to DSP drivers.
Instead, these Amazon flex drivers should have commercial liability coverage through their employers. Because of this, any available coverage for Amazon drivers will depend on the third-party delivery company’s insurance policy.
Amazon Driver’s Personal Auto Insurance Coverage
Depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident, liability coverage from the Amazon Flex policy or the DSP may not be available to you. For example, Amazon Flex only applies if the accident occurred while the driver was on active delivery during their delivery block.
If the accident occurred while the driver was off duty, Amazon Flex coverage does not apply. If this is the case, you may have to file a claim directly with the driver’s personal insurance policy.
Your Personal Insurance Coverage
Depending on the case, you may have to file a claim with your own insurance company to recover compensation. If the Amazon driver does not have insurance or their policy limits do not cover your damages, you may have to turn to your uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
This type of coverage is not mandatory to carry in California, so you would have had to add it as additional coverage to your policy to have it.
How to File an Insurance Claim for Your Amazon Accident
Have you suffered damages in an Amazon delivery accident? If so, you may have viable options to recover compensation for your damages by filing an insurance claim. However, we recommend consulting with an experienced Amazon accident attorney before filing an accident claim.
Consult With an Experienced Auto Accident Attorney
Car accident cases can be complex, especially when delivery companies like Amazon are involved. You may think you can file a claim directly with Amazon. However, as discussed earlier in the blog, Amazon generally avoids liability for car accidents.
Determining who to file an insurance claim with depends on the case’s unique circumstances. For example, how many parties were involved in the crash? Was the Amazon driver at fault? Were they on active duty at the time? Is the Amazon driver an Amazon Flex driver or a DSP driver?
An experienced truck accident lawyer can review your case and help you understand your best legal options to move forward.
At the Law Offices of Steers & Associates, our Los Angeles truck accident lawyers offer a free, no-risk consultation to discuss your case. During a consultation, we can answer your legal questions and help you determine the next steps for seeking compensation. We can also determine if we can help you with your claim.
An attorney can help you in many other ways, too, including, but not limited to:
- Investigating the Amazon accident
- Gathering evidence to support your accident claim
- Determining the cause of the accident and accident fault
- Estimating the value of your personal injury claim
- Identifying available coverage
- Preparing and filing your claim
- Communicating with insurance companies on your behalf
- Negotiating with insurance companies for fair compensation
- Fighting for your right to compensation in court if needed
An Amazon truck accident lawyer can help you navigate the complex insurance process and advocate for the financial compensation you need and deserve after a serious accident.
Contact Your Personal Insurance Company to Report the Amazon Accident
You must contact your insurance company to report the accident if you have a personal auto insurance policy. Your auto insurance policy requires it, and failure to report it could result in the denial or cancellation of coverage.
You do not need to make a detailed statement about the accident. In fact, we do not recommend speculating about the accident or your damages. Instead, you can provide your insurance company with factual details about the accident, like the time and date of the crash, involved parties, property damage, and whether there was a traffic collision report or accident report.
Anything you say to the insurance company, including your provider, can affect your personal injury claim. We recommend working with a truck accident lawyer before making detailed statements to the insurance companies.
Contact the Amazon Driver’s Insurance Company to Start Your Claim
Once you are ready to start your claim, you can contact the Amazon driver’s insurance company. However, we recommend consulting with an experienced attorney before filing a claim. You want to ensure your claim is as strong as possible. Filing your claim too soon or making any mistakes when filing could hurt your claim and your ability to recover the compensation you need for recovery.
Additionally, you may hear from the Amazon driver’s insurance provider before you are ready to file your claim. The adjuster may want to interview you during its investigation of the accident. We recommend having an attorney on your side when you talk to the insurance company. You do not want to say anything that could insinuate fault or minimize your injuries.
Are There Important Steps to Take After an Amazon Car Accident?
If you have been involved in a car crash with an Amazon delivery driver, there are several essential steps you should take right away. These steps include the following:
- Check for injuries. The first and most important step is to check yourself and others involved in the accident for traumatic brain injuries. Then, call 9-1-1 immediately if anyone is injured.
- Call the police. Even if it seems like everyone is okay after the accident, you should contact the police to report the accident. The police will protect the accident scene, document the accident, and put together an official accident report.
- Exchange information. Collect and exchange important contact and insurance information with the delivery driver and any witnesses to the accident.
- Take pictures. Take pictures to document the accident scene and preserve evidence. You should take photos of the accident scene, damage to the vehicles, and any injuries.
- Seek medical attention. If you do not get medical attention at the scene, seek a medical evaluation as soon as possible after the accident.
- Contact an attorney. It is essential to consult with an experienced auto accident attorney as quickly as possible after the accident to learn about your legal options and protect your insurance claim.
Schedule a Free Legal Consultation With Our Los Angeles Amazon Accident Attorneys
If you have been involved in an accident with an Amazon delivery driver, consider contacting an experienced auto accident attorney about your situation. You may have a viable personal injury claim to recover compensation for damages like medical bills and lost wages.
At the Law Offices of Steers & Associates, our personal injury lawyers have years of attorney-client relationship experience and success handling accident and personal injury claims, including complex cases involving delivery companies like Amazon. We may be able to help you too. Contact our Los Angeles office today for a free legal consultation regarding Amazon delivery accidents at (800) 824-5416 or by filling out our online contact form.
Allen Vaysberg practices personal injury law and works tirelessly to defeat the tactics of insurance companies and large corporations who try to deny justice and fair compensation to injured people.
