St. Louis residents enjoy the convenience of doorstep delivery at the tap of an app, especially from the world’s largest online retailer, Amazon. With $152.8 billion in revenue in 2024 alone, Amazon’s business continues to grow, requiring immense 18-wheelers and busy delivery vans to crowd the roadways.
Under Missouri’s fault-based insurance system, an Amazon accident injury victim in St. Louis faces a challenging legal process due to Amazon’s policy of insulating itself from direct liability. If you or a close family member suffered an injury caused by an Amazon delivery vehicle, call the St. Louis car accident lawyers at Meyerkord & Kurth for the experienced legal counsel you need to achieve the best possible results. Contact us for a free consultation today.
Why Choose the St. Louis Amazon Truck Accident Lawyers From Meyerkord & Kurth?
The St. Louis Amazon delivery truck accident attorneys at Meyerkord & Kurth understand the devastating consequences of a serious accident. With over 100 years of combined experience, we have the compassion, dedication, and drive to obtain the maximum compensation available for injured clients. With our firm’s representation, you’ll experience the following:
- A free case consultation and contingency-based payment, so you only pay for our legal services after we successfully settle or win your case in court
- Founding attorney Stephen Meyerkord’s notable history of achievement on Missouri’s Supreme Court puts a powerful voice behind your claim
- The experience, knowledge, and resources of an entire legal team and staff will work behind the scenes to advance your case to the most favorable outcome possible
- The dedicated attention of an attorney devoted to personalizing the best legal strategy for the individual circumstances of your case
- A results-oriented approach with the innovative strategies of a large city law firm and the open communication and compassionate commitment of a small town attorney’s office
With more than $450 million recovered for our injured clients, our history of notable results puts strength behind your claim. Our recent results include a two-million-dollar recovery for a client injured in a Missouri trucking accident.
Common Causes of Amazon Delivery Truck Accidents in St. Louis
A fully loaded Amazon delivery van far outweighs smaller vehicles. They also have extended blind spots and require wide turns, increasing the chances of an accident. Amazon drivers use apps to navigate and communicate with Amazon employees and warehouses, diverting the driver’s attention from the road. The most common causes of Amazon delivery truck accidents in St. Louis include the following:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Frequent stops, starts, and reverses
- Unrealistic delivery schedules, which lead to aggressive driving
- Unbalanced loads causing sudden shifts in weight and balance
- Poorly maintained trucks
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Improper passing
- Unsafe lane changes
- Improper merging
- Tire blowouts
- Driver intoxication
- Drowsy driving
- Inexperienced driving
Amazon delivery drivers often navigate unfamiliar roadways and communities, further increasing the chances of an accident.
What Types of Accidents Involve Amazon Delivery Trucks?
Amazon trucks may be more prone to accidents than other commercial vehicles due to the pressure placed on drivers to keep up with impractical delivery schedules while driving a large van or truck that’s more challenging to maneuver than typical cars. Amazon delivery vehicles often cause accidents such as the following:
- Rear-end collisions
- Head-on collisions
- T-bone accidents
- Sideswipes
- Forced roadway departures
- Rollover accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
Due to the size and weight difference between the two vehicles, an accident with an Amazon delivery truck is terrifying and traumatic. Often, the distress continues long after the accident, when injury victims face the financial consequences of the accident as well as the physical pain, medical procedures, and recovery times. In the worst cases, Amazon delivery vehicle accidents cause life-altering or fatal injuries to vulnerable motorists or pedestrians.
Injuries in Amazon Delivery Accidents in St. Louis
Because Amazon delivery vans and freight carriers far outweigh smaller cars, motorists in other vehicles face a high risk of catastrophic injuries. About 70% of truck accident injuries happen to those in other vehicles rather than the truck driver.
Even relatively minor injuries can quickly cause financial hardship for the injury victim, with a single large emergency room bill and a week of missed pay. Severe or catastrophic injuries may have a permanent impact on earning capacity and the ability to accomplish daily routines. Common injuries in accidents involving Amazon delivery vehicles include the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Soft-tissue injuries like sprains, strains, and torn ligaments
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- External head and facial trauma
- Internal organ damage
- Lacerations, contusions, and abrasions
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic amputations
- Burns
Families who’ve lost a loved one in an accident with an Amazon vehicle may be able to recover death benefits through a Missouri wrongful death claim. Successful compensation claims require substantial evidence of liability and a claim filed against the correct liable party. This can be a challenging endeavor due to Amazon’s policy of using independent contractors rather than employees as drivers.
Liability In St. Louis Amazon Truck Accidents
Amazon is rarely directly liable for damages to an injury victim, despite the company’s close involvement in all aspects of the delivery process. Amazon uses the Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program, a Flex driver program, and third-party delivery services to transport the store’s retail goods between warehouses and directly to customers’ doorsteps. After an accident, it often takes an in-depth investigation to determine the best way to move forward on an accident claim. Often, a delivery service contractor is liable for damages, requiring a claim against the delivery contractor’s liability insurance. Proving liability for an Amazon delivery truck accident requires showing the following:
- The at-fault party owed a duty of reasonable care to others on the road
- They breached their duty through negligence
- Their negligent breach of duty directly caused the accident and injury
- The injury victim suffered damages from the injury
In some cases, a third party is liable or shares liability for an accident, such as a negligent truck repair service, a negligent road maintenance agency, a third-party driver, or the manufacturer of a defective part. Your St. Louis Amazon delivery truck accident attorneys from Meyerkord & Kurth will aggressively pursue all avenues for your compensation.
Recoverable Damages In Amazon Delivery Truck
Accidents
An accident happens in an instant, but the full impact of a serious accident with multiple injuries can quickly devastate an injury victim and their family. A successful claim against a liable driver or independent delivery truck contractor can result in the recovery of damages such as:
- Property damage expenses
- Medical expenses and anticipated future medical costs related to the injury
- Past and future income loss
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Compensation for pain and suffering and other non-economic damages that might apply, such as disfigurement, scarring, loss of limb, the loss of one of the senses, or diminished quality of life
Our experienced truck accident attorney in St. Louis carefully calculates damages to recover the maximum compensation available and assertively represents your best interests throughout the negotiation process for a settlement or through a jury award in court, depending on the circumstances of your case.
Call the St. Louis Amazon Accident Lawyers Who Can Help
No one should have to take on the unique complexities of an Amazon delivery accident claim without skilled legal counsel. Call our Amazon truck accident lawyers in St. Louis today for a free consultation and prompt action in your claim.