If you are hit by what appears to be an Amazon delivery van, it most likely is not an Amazon employee who hit you, but an employee of an Amazon delivery service partner (DSP), which is the party that might be liable for your injuries.
To sue after an accident with an Amazon DSP driver, make sure you document the scene well by taking pictures and calling the police. While you seek medical attention, our attorneys can confirm that liability lies with the DSP driver and their employer, because they were working at the time. After calculating your damages, we can file the lawsuit while time remains in the statute of limitations.
Get a free case assessment from the Rhatigan Law Offices by calling our Chicago car accident lawyers at (312) 598-0014.
What Are the Steps to Sue After an Accident with an Amazon Delivery Service Partner in Illinois?
You can most likely sue after an accident with an Amazon delivery service partner vehicle, and the steps to compensation are similar to those for most auto accidents.
Document the Scene
As with any collision, it is important to document the scene after an accident involving an Amazon delivery service partner. Even if it is an Amazon-branded truck, the driver is most likely not an Amazon employee, but an employee of a DSP. You should get the driver’s information and the information of the DSP they are employed by. You should also take plenty of photos to document damage to either vehicle for our Illinois car accident lawyers to review.
Get help documenting the scene by calling the police. You should report any accident that leaves you injured to law enforcement, even if a negligent driver asks you not to out of fear of losing their job.
Seek Medical Attention
Amazon DSP employees typically drive big vans and delivery trucks, which are larger than most passenger cars. These vehicles can cause injuries at almost any speed, and accidents often result in serious and expensive injuries. Get assessed if you are in any pain, even if you don’t see a visible injury. Some injuries take time to appear, but are no less deserving of compensation.
Seek ongoing medical care for as long as necessary, and don’t skip any doctor appointments.
Confirm Liability
After accidents with Amazon delivery vans, victims often assume that Amazon itself is liable. That is typically not the case, as Amazon contracts out its deliveries to third parties, which it calls delivery service partners. The driver who hit you while operating an Amazon delivery van is most likely employed by a DSP, which you could hold liable if the driver were working at the time of the accident.
Amazon has been found liable for accidents involving delivery service partners recently, so suing Amazon could be possible after an accident with a DSP vehicle, depending on Amazon’s involvement.
Calculate Damages
Calculating losses is a crucial step toward recovering them. Collisions with Amazon delivery vans and other large vehicles can cause back and spine injuries, internal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, displaced fractures, internal injuries and more. Most injuries generate some medical damages, which victims may seek compensation for. Other damages may come from being unable to work and earn an income.
Pain and suffering accompany most injuries, especially serious ones. Never underestimate non-economic losses, such as decreased quality of life, mental suffering, emotional distress, and physical pain, which are typically compensable.
File by the Deadline
You must file your compensation claim by the appropriate deadline to sue for damages after an accident with an Amazon delivery service partner. The statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits in Illinois is 2 years, with the clock beginning to run in most cases on the date the victim is injured.
Failing to meet the filing deadline means you lose your right to claim compensation from an Amazon delivery service partner after an accident.
FAQs About Suing for an Accident with an Amazon Delivery Service Partner
What Economic Damages Can You Sue an Amazon Delivery Service Partner for After an Accident?
When you sue an Amazon delivery service partner after an accident in Illinois, you can seek relief for all economic damages, including emergency room bills, bills from ongoing medical treatment, lost wages, and additional out-of-pocket expenses.
What Non-Economic Damages Can You Sue an Amazon Delivery Service Partner for After an Accident?
You may also sue an Amazon delivery service partner for the non-economic damages you endured because of a driver’s negligence while working.
Who is Liable for an Accident with an Amazon Flex Driver?
Amazon Flex drivers are entirely different from Amazon DSP drivers. Flex drivers use their own vehicles to deliver packages. If a flex driver is actively working when an accident happens, Amazon provides up to $1 million in damages per accident. If Amazon’s coverage does not apply, the driver’s personal auto insurance policy does.
When Should You Get a Lawyer After an Accident with an Amazon Delivery Service Partner in Illinois?
You should get a lawyer immediately after an accident with an Amazon DSP driver so that you can determine liability, preserve evidence, assess your damages, and bring a timely compensation claim.
Can You Sue Amazon After an Accident with a Delivery Service Partner Vehicle?
Recently, more victims have been able to hold Amazon liable for accidents involving delivery service partners when Amazon exerts considerable control over DSP routes, quotas, or daily operations. Being able to sue Amazon for an accident with a DSP is rare, but not necessarily impossible.
When is the Latest You Can Sue After an Accident with an Amazon Delivery Service Partner?
In all likelihood, the latest date you can file a lawsuit is 2 years from the day you are injured in Illinois.
Get Our Help After an Accident with an Amazon Delivery Service Partner
Call the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 598-0014 for a free case discussion with our Des Plaines, IL car accident lawyers.
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