Amazon is constantly growing, and as such, their workforce is growing. Amazon is continuously growing as people love the idea of logging into their computer, ordering from a wide range of items, and then being able to have those items delivered to their doorstep in as little as a couple of hours. The pandemic has further fueled this growth, and in turn, has increased the demand for Amazon delivery drivers. If you were injured while out delivering Amazon orders, you may find yourself wondering what steps you need to follow. Here is a rundown of what you need to do if you find yourself injured while delivering Amazon orders.
Determine If You Are an Amazon Employee or An Independent Contractor
The first thing that you need to do if you are injured while out delivering Amazon orders is to determine if you are an Amazon employee or an independent contractor. If you are an Amazon Flex driver, you are an independent contractor. An Amazon Flex driver uses their own vehicle, sets their own schedule, and is not an actual employee of Amazon. If you are an Amazon Flex employee, the steps detailed below apply to you and your situation. If you are an actual employee of Amazon, you will need to contact Amazon directly and file a workers’ compensation case for your injuries. Amazon drivers should also have a phone number to contact immediately if they are involved in an accident and should follow the Amazon employee procedures and guidelines.
Take a Screenshot of Your Amazon Flex Account
If you are an Amazon Flex employee, and you are involved in an accident while you are out delivering for Amazon, the very first thing that you will want to do is to take a screenshot of your Amazon Flex account on your phone. The screenshot should include the exact time it is when the screenshot was taken and the delivery that you were working on when the accident happened. This is extremely important to document. Amazon Flex provides coverage to independent contractors who are out picking up, delivering, or returning packages. However, this coverage is only applicable if you are engaged in these activities. If you were simply driving to the grocery store or running personal errands, Amazon Flex coverage will not cover you. Taking a screenshot of your Flex account at the time of the accident can be key to proving you were working when the accident took place. Taking a screenshot also helps to show what time the accident occurred, something that many people forget a time goes by.
Document the Scene of the Accident
Once you have taken a screenshot of your Amazon Flex account, the next thing you will want to do is exchange information with the other driver. Once this is completed, you will want to document the scene of an accident. Documenting the scene of an accident is important to do, even if you do not feel that you have been injured. Injuries are not always present immediately, and you may have adrenaline pumping through your body after an accident, which can mask pain. When you are documenting the scene of an accident, some of the things you want to do include obtaining witness information, including names, phone numbers and addresses, possibly calling the police to write a police report, and using your cell phone to take photos or videos of the accident scene. As you film or photograph the scene, get pictures of the damage done to both vehicles, as well as the actual accident scene itself, showing the current road and weather conditions, and any possible elements that may have led to the accident, such as an obscured stop sign or a traffic signal that was without power.
Seek Out Medical Attention
If you have been involved in a car accident while out delivering Amazon orders that left you injured, the next important step you need to take is seeking out medical attention. One of the most common mistakes that car accident victims make is putting off medical treatment. They may feel sore, but they think that is normal, and they think that if they wait it out a few days, the pain may go away. In most cases, the pain does not go away, and you can be harming a future case by putting off medical treatment. It can be hard to prove where injuries come from if you do not seek medical care quickly after an accident. Obtaining medical care helps to establish a timeline for the pain you feel and the injuries you sustained and helps to document and corroborate that the accident was the cause of those injuries.
Contact Your Amazon Flex Insurance Policy
Another important step that you need to take if you are injured while out delivering Amazon orders is contacting your Amazon Flex insurance contact person. Amazon Flex is an in-house insurance policy specifically for Amazon Flex drivers. Different drivers have a different point of contact based on the area that they are located in. Your specific point of contact can be found within your Amazon Flex app. Think about contacting this person in the same way you would view contacting your insurance company after a car accident, because that’s essentially what they are. They are going to ask you questions about what happened, who was at-fault for the accident, what type of vehicle damage was done and if there were any injuries sustained to anyone in your vehicle or the other vehicle. Having the other driver’s insurance information and personal information handy is recommended.
Consider Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
The last thing that you need to consider doing if you are injured while out delivering Amazon orders under the Amazon Flex program is hiring a personal injury attorney. Depending on the situation, you may be able to file a claim against the Amazon Flex insurance program and the other driver’s insurance company. A great personal injury attorney can help you maximize the money that you may be entitled to if you have been injured while doing these deliveries. Many people are worried about the costs associated with hiring an attorney to help them, but personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis. This means that they collect their fees from your settlement, rather than charging you money upfront. This helps to ensure anyone can get the legal help that they may need after being injured in an accident.
If you are an Amazon Flex driver who was injured due to a car accident while you were out delivering packages for Amazon, Amazon Flex Insurance should help to cover the cost of your medical expenses and vehicle damage. Unfortunately, dealing with an insurance company on your own can be challenging, and insurance companies do not typically offer you what you may be entitled to. This is where a law firm can be beneficial to you. Here at The Stoddard Firm, we can help you to bring a lawsuit against the other party that hit you or your Amazon Flex insurance policy to recover lost wages, medical expenses and pain and suffering that you sustained due to an accident you were involved in while out delivering for Amazon Flex. Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help you.
