You can order just about anything on an Amazon app. That great selection and quick delivery promise to every address in Visalia can be a timesaver that’s hard to pass up. But those items we drop into our cart, can all represent a different Amazon van on the road. Those delivery vehicles start to add up over time and can become a true hazard on our already heavily used roads.
You might be driving to work or school when a big blue van rams your vehicle. Your safety and the safety of your passengers will be your first concern, but then you may start to wonder about your financial recovery as well. If injuries send you to the hospital for days or weeks, who will help you pay for your care?
If you are hit by an Amazon driver and suffer serious injuries, it’s important to know all about your rights to compensation as a victim. A California Amazon accident lawyer can make sure the billion-dollar company and their employee that was responsible for your crash don’t get to skip out on the consequences as you heal. Contact us for a free, no-obligation evaluation of your case for an honest appraisal of your best options as you recover.
Amazon Distracted Driving Accidents in Visalia
Amazon workers can be great drivers but the truth is they have demanding jobs and most of their work is done while also navigating our streets. It’s the one thing California roads don’t need is more distracted drivers veering blindly across lanes or looking down as they approach a green light that’s just turned red.
Many of the factors that cause distracted driving have been outlawed, especially the use of cellular devices, but these devices are exactly what Amazon workers depend on to be able to do their jobs.
Here are some of the most dangerous distractions and stresses Amazon drivers face:
- Pressure to deliver – Amazon drivers can be assigned over 200 deliveries in a day. The intense pressure to get them all out is something Amazon would never admit to, but this stress definitely leads to drivers speeding, making aggressive moves, and parking in some dangerous spots. All of these factors can lead to drivers taking risky actions that can cause collisions.
- Computer distractions – Phones and computers are used to keep track of drivers, packages, vehicles, and changes to orders. It’s proven that drivers looking at their phones cause thousands of accidents each year. Now consider that no matter how “hands-free” workers travel, they probably can’t get by without looking at their screens dozens of times a day.
- Shifting Loads – The packages out for delivery can be a distraction. Loads can tumble. The worried driver can take their eyes off the road to glance into the back of their vehicle, not noticing that you’ve come to a stop in front of them.
- Driver’s physical condition – Amazon drivers can work long hours, especially around the holidays. These rush order periods can leave them little time for breaks during the day and sleep at night. They can be driving drowsy and get even more careless as the light fades in the evening. A driver may also be having emotional problems at home that have them preoccupied. We can all fall prey to this distraction, but these drivers are in vehicles that can weigh several thousand pounds, making every potential crash that much more dangerous.
Amazon Insurance Coverage in Visalia Accidents
So what happens when an Amazon driver hits you? Are you left to fend for yourself when hospital bills arrive?
Amazon full-time employees are covered by liability insurance in an accident. If they are on the clock, Amazon provides up to one million dollars in liability insurance for injured victims.
Amazon flex drivers have similar protection. These are local drivers who deliver for Amazon using their own vehicles. As long as they are picking up packages, delivering packages, or on the way to the Amazon facility they are covered when they cause collisions.
It gets tricky when Amazon contracts out work to other, local delivery companies. If one of their drivers hits you, it could be their own personal policies that apply or the local business may provide coverage.
These complex factors make these cases hard, but the bottom line is that you were hit and you should never have to pay for your own physical and financial recovery. An attorney can sort all of these factors out to figure out just who should be paying you compensation for what you’ve endured. That can even mean more than one responsible driver or company can be forced to pay.
Contact an Amazon Accident Lawyer In Visalia
After an accident involving Amazon, a member of their team may contact you for a statement. Speak to an attorney before giving any statement of any kind. Amazon lawyers can take a comment you make and use it to discredit your case. They can even try to pin the blame for an accident on you to avoid accepting liability for anything.
If you or a loved one sustained a serious injury and the accident involved an Amazon vehicle, contact us for a free and confidential consultation.
