Amazon Sued Amid Complaints Of Poorly Trained Drivers

Amazon is facing multiple lawsuits across the country filed against their drivers. The problem for injured parties is that Amazon has a business model that is perfectly designed to insulate itself from liability. Many of these companies were formed by Amazon but are actually considered their own separate companies. These companies have employees that are, nonetheless, under the direct control of Amazon. Amazon wants the best of both worlds. They have lost some lawsuits related to their marketplace in which they attempted to insulate themselves from liability after distributing dangerous products. However, these lawsuits are much more difficult to file, especially for those who want to sue Amazon.

The same issue holds true for the truck companies. The companies operate exclusively on contracts paid for by Amazon, were largely structured by Amazon, and the employees are controlled directly by Amazon. So, when one of the drivers causes an accident, plaintiffs want to be able to sue Amazon.

Amazon, on the other hand, wants the plaintiff to sue the tiny subsidiary that provides their deliveries. Now, a court battle is brewing on whether or not this form of corporate insulation should be permitted.

The legal issues at play 

If I’m a marketplace, then I have the option of using USPS, UPS, and FedEx, like eBay, or I can provide my own delivery options like Amazon. Amazon has elected to handle logistics themselves, but instead of absorbing that into the greater Amazon corporation, they created several smaller companies that would provide delivery services instead. These companies are not considered a “part of Amazon.” This prevents Amazon from being sued directly for accidents caused by these drivers, even though the trucks say Amazon on the side.

Even though these companies are contracted, Amazon has an app that allows them to be penalized for being late. The delivery times are often considered unreasonable or unsafe. This has led to a greater number of accidents and road rage incidents as delivery drivers race against the app to get the product to the door in time.

In other words, the plaintiffs are saying that Amazon’s business model directly contributes to a lack of road safety. Similar lawsuits were filed against Uber. Those lawsuits have since been settled and now, Uber carries a $1 million policy for all drivers.

Vetting drivers 

The business model described above creates extreme stress and high turnover. That means that Amazon ends up hiring entry-level drivers who will skip on to a better gig the moment it opens up. In the marketplace of delivery work, Amazon is at the bottom. They will likely be held responsible for these accidents as the plaintiffs have a strong case of contribution. This will hopefully change the way Amazon does business in the future. You can’t keep control while moving liability elsewhere.

Talk to a Tampa Personal Injury Lawyer Today 

Those injured by delivery vehicles have the option to file a lawsuit to recover damages related to injuries, lost wages, and decreased quality of life. Call the Tampa personal injury lawyers at The Matassini Law Firm today to schedule a free consultation and we can begin preparing your suit immediately.

Source:

trib.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/family-files-wrongful-death-suit-against-amazon-for-hiring-dangerous-drivers/article_68f2dee0-c28d-11ed-83d7-2313f382f39c.html