CHICAGO AMAZON TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER
PRACTICE AREAS
Chicago Amazon Accident Lawyer
Accident victims who are hit by an Amazon delivery truck or a flex vehicle loaded with packages may suffer serious injuries or even die. Many parcel delivery drivers labor on tight deadlines, frantically attempting to have their items delivered on time, resulting in erratic driving and exhaustion. An Amazon delivery truck accident has the potential to be deadly, just as many commercial vehicle accident cases do. That’s why it’s important to have an Amazon accident lawyer from Curcio & Casciato on your side to deal with the specifics of your case.
At Curcio & Casciato, we tackle personal injury cases from all over Chicago and the state of Illinois. We represent those in need of a qualified Chicago personal injury attorney or a compassionate and experienced Chicago wrongful death lawyer. No matter the case, we’ll put everything we have into securing the compensation you deserve. For more information about the legal services we offer, or to schedule your free consultation, please call our Chicago office at 312-321-1111 today.
How Many Amazon Delivery Truck Accidents Happen Every Year?
Delivering Amazon packages as quickly as possible comes at a price. According to a 2019 report from the New York Times, there have been more than 60 accidents reported with Amazon delivery drivers since June 2015. These accidents resulted in at least 10 deaths.
Because Amazon is one of the largest and wealthiest companies in the world, it’s very likely that far more accidents have occurred and gone unreported. Many victims feel as though they don’t have a chance at recovering compensation for their medical costs and pain and suffering from such a large company. Therefore, many people don’t even try. The personal injury attorneys at Curcio & Casciato want to change this. Everyone deserves justice for their pain and suffering.
What Happens if You Get Hit by an Amazon Delivery Truck in Illinois?
As with any personal injury case, we recommend taking certain steps to help the potential success of your case. Below, we list the steps we advise our clients to take after an accident.
- Call the Police. You should contact law enforcement so that they can come to the accident scene. Officers will examine the damage, any injuries, and file an accident report once they arrive. This report will come in handy when it comes time to submit your case to the insurance companies. You should also contact first responders to treat any injuries at the scene of the accident and, if required, transfer you to the hospital for medical treatment.
- Exchange Information. You should exchange information with the Amazon delivery driver before leaving the accident scene. Make sure to obtain the following information:
- Name and contact information of the Amazon delivery driver
- Amazon delivery truck license plate number
- Insurance information of the Amazon driver
While exchanging information, you should also try to determine whether the Amazon delivery truck driver was on duty at the time of the collision. If this is the case, Amazon may be liable for any damages or injuries caused by the delivery driver.
- Document the Accident. Once you’ve reached a secure location and had your injuries treated, you should start gathering evidence to support your personal injury claim. Take photographs of the damage to your car, photographs of your injuries, witness testimonies, and contact information, for example. More precisely, you should record the date, place, and time of the Amazon delivery truck accident, as well as what you believe caused the accident.
- Call a Personal Injury Lawyer. Hire a Chicago truck accident attorney to manage your Amazon truck accident case.
Types of Amazon Accident Injuries
If you suffered any of the following catastrophic injuries during your Amazon delivery truck accident, you may have grounds to sue Amazon.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal cord injury
- Whiplash or other neck injuries
- One or more amputated limbs or digits
- Loss of a fetus
- Internal bleeding
- Internal organ damage
- Loss of hearing or vision
- Broken bones
- Road rash, bruising, lacerations, etc.
- Significant scarring or disfigurement
- Partial or total paralysis
- Wrongful death
These injuries are often life-altering and cost thousands of dollars in medical expenses. To make matters worse, many car accident victims suffer lost income as well. Not working for long periods of time essentially makes it impossible to pay off this medical debt while also covering yours and your family’s basic needs. If you’re suffering physically, mentally, and financially due to an Amazon delivery driver, you shouldn’t have to suffer all the consequences. When you hire a Chicago traumatic brain injury attorney, a Chicago spinal cord injury attorney, a Chicago whiplash injury attorney, a Chicago paralysis attorney, a Chicago amputation attorney, or a Chicago wrongful death attorney, you can rest assured that we will pursue compensation on your behalf.
How Do I Report an Accident to Amazon?
Although the e-commerce company has argued that its Amazon drivers are independent contractors rather than employees, evidence shows that the company has sufficient influence over its delivery drivers. In other words, Amazon can be held responsible for an accident caused by a delivery driver. You can contact the Amazon On-Road Incident Emergency Hotline to report a negligent driver for any reason. Do not hesitate to dial 911 in the event of an emergency.
Finally, before supplying Amazon with any information or specifics of a crash in which you were involved, you should consult with a truck accident attorney at Curcio & Casciato. We will guide you through the entire process of reporting an accident to the online shopping giant and recovering fair compensation for your serious injury.
How Do I File an Insurance Claim Against Amazon for an Auto Accident?
It is critical that you pursue your claim with the insurance company following an Amazon delivery truck accident. As previously stated, you must report the accident to authorities and get medical help. Follow the steps below in the event of an Amazon truck accident.
- Contact law enforcement and ensure that they receive the insurance information from Amazon.
- If you suffered property damage during the accident, obtain the Amazon insurance information from the Amazon driver.
- Inform Amazon of the accident via their On-Road Incident Emergency Hotline. Include information such as a description of the accident, the location, damages, and all parties involved.
- Provide photos of the accident, as well as dash camera footage and numbers on the police report. Before you do this, though, be sure to read up on Illinois dash cam laws.
It is critical that you obtain the advice of an experienced truck accident attorney before proceeding with your insurance claim. When you hire an attorney to handle your claim and interact with the insurance company, you can be certain that they will handle your claim appropriately and ensure that you’re not taken advantage of. Oftentimes, large insurance companies will try to low-ball crash victims. In other words, many companies will offer you way less compensation than you deserve or they won’t offer you compensation at all. The top-notch legal team at our law firm will negotiate with insurance companies for you so that you can focus on healing from your accident.
Who is Responsible for an Amazon Truck Accident?
At first glance, many people believe that the Amazon delivery driver is the only one responsible for a crash. However, an accident with an Amazon delivery van has the potential to be much more complicated. Below, we list the potential responsible parties in these types of accidents.
The Amazon Driver
Did you know that even if the at-fault driver’s vehicle is emblazoned with an Amazon or FedEx insignia, it’s possible that they don’t work for said companies? Some businesses use independent contractors to deliver packages, but they must still wear their insignia and adhere to their deadlines.
The reasoning behind this is to avoid being held liable if a motorist makes a mistake. You can’t submit a claim under Amazon or FedEx’s enormous insurance coverage if an independent contractor causes a crash. Instead, you’ll have to seek reimbursement from the contractor’s own insurance policy or seek coverage elsewhere (such as your uninsured/underinsured motorist policy). A knowledgeable Amazon accident lawyer can assist you in determining who is to blame for your injuries and obtaining the compensation you deserve.
You can bring a claim against the individual delivery driver if they are an independent contractor and not an employee of the organization. You may accept a less than average truck accident settlement from the driver’s insurance company, or you could take your case to court in order to receive a larger settlement check.
The Company: Amazon
There is a notion of responsibility that holds a corporation accountable for its workers’ conduct. The injured person might bring a claim against the company if their hired driver commits negligent or illegal conduct while on the job. In the event of an accident, state laws define the “scope of employment.” Basically, the scope of employment describes the tasks that Amazon delivery drivers, for example, must perform as part of their job. So if Amazon drivers injure people through reckless driving while performing their daily job duties, the victims may have grounds to sue Amazon.
A Third Party
An Amazon truck accident may sometimes be blamed on a third party, such as a driver or a vehicle manufacturer. In this situation, the victim could sue the third party as well as the delivery truck driver or company.
Damages for an Amazon Delivery Truck Accident
Generally, victims can seek compensation for the damages listed below if they are injured by Amazon delivery trucks.
- Past and future medical bills
- Past and future physical therapy bills
- Caretaking expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Counseling expenses if the victim suffers from significant PTSD from the accident
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of daily life
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
- Funeral and burial expenses
Our Chicago emotional distress lawyers can show you how to calculate pain and suffering and help you calculate lost wages.
Do I Qualify for an Amazon Truck Accident Case?
Consider the following questions before you proceed with an injury case against Amazon. Did you sustain serious injuries or property damage in the accident? Was the other party mostly or completely at fault for the accident and damages?
You may or may not know if the other party is to blame if you were hurt. The second question can only be answered by an experienced Chicago commercial accident lawyer. If you answered yes to both questions, there’s a good possibility you have a legal claim and are entitled to significant compensation. Because Amazon is a multibillion-dollar business with independent freelancers, its insurance plans are not the same as those of the average commuter. This is one of the many reasons why it’s crucial to hire a skilled attorney to handle these complicated problems on your behalf in order to safeguard your rights.
