South Carolina residents have grown accustomed to large delivery vans and trucks sporting the familiar smiling arrow logo lumbering through their communities and speeding along the highways. With the explosive rise of online shopping, Amazon delivery trucks are everywhere at all times of the day or night. CBS News research reveals dozens of Amazon delivery truck accidents resulting in 57 deaths in a recent two-year period. Alarmingly, the same report indicates that Amazon truck drivers crash at nearly twice the rate of other delivery vehicles and have unsafe driving violations at 89% higher than similar services.
Why Are Amazon Truck Accidents Common?
Amazon uses delivery service contractors, subcontractors, and independently contracted drivers to deliver packages around the country, resulting in a lack of company-regulated hiring and maintenance protocols. Amazon trucks may crash and cause injuries to other motorists for the following reasons:
- Inexperienced drivers
- Distracted driving due to app use for navigating and communicating with Amazon services
- Speeding to make unrealistic delivery schedules
- Frequent stops, starts, and reverses
- Aggressive driving
- Mechanical failures due to inadequate vehicle maintenance
- Unbalanced, improperly secured, or suddenly shifting loads
- Fatigued driving
- Impaired driving
Because Amazon trucks cross state lines, they fall under the umbrella of regulations set in place by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Amazon relies on its independent contractors to follow these regulations but also insulates itself from liability by using independent contractors and third-party delivery services rather than employees.
Who Is Liable for Damages In an Amazon Accident In South Carolina?
Amazon uses its reliance on independent contractors as a shield against direct liability, but many injury victims make the case that Amazon’s control and monitoring of all aspects of their delivery drivers should indicate accountability. Fortunately, Amazon requires all delivery drivers to carry insurance. Potentially liable parties in Amazon delivery truck accident cases in South Carolina include:
- The driver
- The third-party delivery truck service
- A negligent truck maintenance company
- A negligent freight loading service
- The manufacturer of a defective truck part
- The manufacturer of a defective product if it causes an accident during delivery (for example, exploding lithium-ion batteries)
It often takes an in-depth investigation to determine the liable party or parties in a delivery truck accident.
What Compensation Can I Recover In a South Carolina Amazon Truck Accident Claim?
Amazon delivery vans used for “last mile” deliveries outweigh average cars by as much as 8,000 pounds, while the company’s 18-wheeler “middle mile” delivery trucks that ship between warehouses outweigh most vehicles by as much as 76,000 pounds. The significant size and weight difference leaves others on the road vulnerable to serious injuries. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), about 70% of injuries and fatalities in truck accidents occur to those in other vehicles, not the truck driver. Serious injuries quickly become expensive as well as painful and debilitating. Common damages recovered in South Carolina Amazon truck accidents include the following:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Past and future income loss
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Compensation for pain and suffering
- Compensation for any other damages that apply in individual claims such as loss of limb, disfigurement, the loss of one of the senses, or diminished quality of life
If a loved one dies due to injuries from an Amazon truck accident, close family members can recover compensation through a South Carolina wrongful death claim.
How Can an Amazon Truck Accident Lawyer In South Carolina Help Me?
Proving liability in Amazon truck accident claims is challenging, often with multiple entities pointing fingers at other parties and insurance policies. It takes an assertive Columbia truck accident attorney to develop a strong strategy, and assertively advocate for the maximum compensation available to you in your case. Call 803-871-9775 Marc Brown Law Firm today for experienced legal representation in your Amazon truck accident claim.