Amazon is an online mega-retailer with a rapidly expanding consumer base. Because the popularity of online retail has exploded in recent years, Amazon is continually seeking new delivery drivers, making this a growing field of opportunity for contracted delivery workers. Driving for a Delivery Service Partner (DSP) for Amazon is an attractive position for those who prefer being out and about delivering goods to being inside an office, but it also comes with some significant injury risks. About one out of every five Amazon delivery workers reported an injury in 2021 alone.
Before considering becoming an Amazon DSP delivery driver, or Amazon Flex driver, it’s important to know the most common causes of injuries.
Traffic Accidents Are a Significant Cause of Amazon Driver Injuries
Amazon’s contracted drivers spend their days on the road, moving in and out of unfamiliar neighborhoods and communities, and traveling on congested highways. One of the most common causes of Amazon driver injuries is traffic accidents. Amazon delivery drivers have exhausting schedules to maintain and sometimes exceed the speed limit or drive aggressively to meet their quotas, which can amount to as many deliveries as one package every two minutes.
Car and truck accidents in Van Nuys can cause serious injuries including traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, and internal organ injuries.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Amazon delivery workers climb in and out of their vehicles, climb stairs carrying packages, and rush across lawns and parking lots to make deliveries. Slips, trips, and falls are one of the leading causes of injuries to delivery personnel, often resulting in fractures, head injuries, and soft-tissue injuries like sprains and torn ligaments.
Back Strains
Amazon delivery jobs require lifting large packages, carrying heavy objects, and loading and unloading. Back strains, herniated discs, and other back injuries are common among Amazon delivery drivers.
Dog Bites and Animal Attacks
Although all property owners have a duty to prevent injuries to those lawfully on their property, including preventing their dogs from attacking, dog bite injuries are not uncommon among Amazon delivery drivers. A driver may also suffer injuries from falls when running from an attacking dog. Some drivers have suffered severe maulings from dogs, farm animals, and other pets.
Object Collisions and “Struck-by” Injuries
While hurrying to make deliveries, Amazon drivers sometimes sustain injuries from falling objects or packages inside their delivery vehicles or suffer injuries from colliding with objects while carrying heavy packages. Some drivers become pedestrian accident victims when they’re struck by vehicles while making deliveries. Head and brain injuries, broken bones, and crush injuries may result from these accidents.
Assaults, Robberies, and Attacks of Violence
Amazon delivery workers sometimes fall prey to violent attacks by those seeking to steal goods, hijack their vehicle, or rob the driver of their personal property and money. Delivery personnel are also sometimes attacked by homeowners who mistake them for intruders on their property.
What to Do After an Injury While Delivering Amazon Packages
Experts believe that Amazon seriously underreports accident and injury numbers by excluding injuries experienced by their contracted drivers.
When you’ve suffered an injury while on the job as a delivery person working for Amazon under a DSP, or as an Amazon Flex driver, it’s important to call for emergency services right away. Request the police if the injury occurs as the result of a traffic accident, pedestrian accident, or act of violence. While waiting for help, use your phone’s camera to take photos of the cause of the accident and any visible injuries. After undergoing necessary medical care, contact an Amazon delivery accident attorney in Van Nuys to evaluate the merits of your case for a personal injury claim.
