At the Hollingsworth Law Firm, our Houston personal injury lawyers know that is it nearly impossible to travel down a city street, interstate, or neighborhood in Texas without seeing an Amazon delivery vehicle.
In most cases, those not emblazoned with the retail giant’s logo appear as plain white “sprinter” vans that indicate the packages are being delivered by Delivery Service Partners, or DSPs. According to Amazon, they have more than 3,000 DSPs around the world, employing more than 275,000 drivers, who deliver more than 10 million customer packages every day.
Other packages are delivered by individuals using their personally owned vehicles who are employed as gig workers in Amazon’s Flex program who are seen wearing an Amazon-branded vest to indicate their employment.
The question becomes, if you are involved in an accident caused by a DSP or Amazon Flex worker, who can be held liable for your crash expenses? The answer is a little more complicated.
Who is Liable for an Amazon Delivery Driver Crash in Texas?
In any Texas car accident, the negligent driver responsible for the collision may be held liable for an accident victim’s injuries up to their vehicle insurance policy limit. When the negligent and at-fault driver is an Amazon delivery worker, the liability depends on the facts of the crash.
If the Amazon delivery driver is working directly for a Delivery Service Partner, Amazon is typically shielded from liability, as the DSP will typically assume the liability since it is their vehicle and contracted driver.
Amazon Flex delivery drivers are characterized as independent contractors, not employees. They sign up for hourly blocks on their own schedule, and use their own vehicles, which typically means their personal insurance coverage would apply after causing a crash — like any other driver.
However, the more influence Amazon exercises over drivers, the more likely it is that the courts will consider them agents or “employees” of the company. This means Amazon could be liable after a delivery driver causes an accident, despite its efforts to shield itself from liability.
Anyone injured in a vehicle collision caused by an Amazon delivery driver certainly has the right to pursue a legal claim for compensation. Our skilled Houston delivery vehicle accident attorneys can help you determine the best legal options for pursuing financial recovery from the proper person or party.
Contact Our Delivery Vehicle Accident and Injury Lawyers in Houston, Texas Today
If you or someone you love has been injured or lost their life during a delivery vehicle accident caused by negligence in Texas, contact our dedicated Harris County personal injury lawyers at the Hollingsworth Law Firm today by calling 713-637-4560 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.
Our skilled bilingual personal injury lawyers and support staff represent clients throughout the state of Texas on a contingency basis, so you never pay any legal fees unless we win your case.
If you are ready to fight for the compensation you deserve, so are we. Let us take the lead.
