UPS, FedEx, and Amazon Delivery Driver Accidents

As online purchases grow, so does the prevalence of delivery drivers on local North County roads, whether its UPS, FedEx, or Amazon. Every day in Oceanside, Carlsbad, Poway, Escondido, Ramona, and every other community of North County, large delivery vans are buzzing around making deliveries of the millions of items people buy online daily. Our North County truck accident attorneys can help you bring claims against these drivers and their employers after UPS, FedEx, and Amazon delivery driver accidents.

Are delivery drivers following the rules of the road when they head out on deliveries? Yes, usually. But what happens if you are driving a car or walking on a sidewalk when a delivery driver strikes you and causes serious personal injuries? Unfortunately, motor vehicle crashes occur much too often in San Diego, and sometimes those negligent drivers are operating delivery vans, often racing to make the deliveries that consumers demand on a specific date and time. When another driver’s negligence or carelessness causes a serious accident, the injured party should not be financially responsible for his or her losses.

Generally speaking, cases involving UPS, FedEx, and Amazon delivery driver accidents will work a lot like other auto accident claims. To learn more, you should speak with an accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Why do auto accidents happen in the San Diego area? Whether motor vehicle collisions involve a delivery driver or not, a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) cites the following as the some of the most common causes of car crashes:

• Aggressive driving, which can include speeding or cutting off other vehicles on highways like the I-5;
• Distracted driving, which can include talking or texting on a cell phone;
• Drowsy driving, which can involve getting behind the wheel without getting enough sleep; and
• Impaired driving, which often involves getting behind the wheel after using alcohol or drugs.

If a delivery driver is behaving in an aggressive manner or is distracted behind the wheel, then that driver should be held accountable for any resulting accident and injuries. In most of these cases, you will not need to do anything differently than if another driver caused a UPS, FedEx, or Amazon delivery driver accident. A truck accident lawyer at Walton Law Firm can discuss your options with you for filing a personal injury claim for compensation.

The question of employer liability for delivery drivers in San Diego is a complicated one. In the case of Amazon, its delivery drivers are sometimes classified as “independent contractors,” which can mean that the Amazon itself may not be liable for a car accident caused by someone delivering an item on its behalf However, Amazon delivery drivers across the country are seeking to be classified as “employees” instead of as “independent contractors,” which could shift liability.

In the case of FedEx and UPS, the drivers are generally employees of the company, and the company will be liable for the negligence of its drivers.

Similar to other types of car accidents, collisions involving delivery drivers have a statute of limitations under California law. In order to be eligible to seek compensation by filing a car accident claim, you must file a lawsuit within two years from the date of the injury-producing accident. As such, it is important to discuss your case with a truck accident attorney as soon as possible.

Were you injured in an accident caused by an Amazon, UPS, or FedEx delivery driver? An aggressive auto accident lawyer at Walton Law Firm can help with your case. Call today for a free and confidential consultation about your case.