You were hit by one of the blue Amazon vans, the ones with the smile on the side. It feels like Amazon hit you. Then the claim comes in and Amazon says the driver was not theirs. If an Amazon delivery van injured you or someone you love in Illinois, our Amazon DSP van accident lawyer team at Collins Law Group knows how to cut through that and find who is actually responsible.
The van carries Amazon's brand, but the driver almost always works for a separate company. Understanding that relationship is the whole game, because it decides who pays and how much coverage is available.
DSP stands for Delivery Service Partner. These are independent local companies that contract with Amazon to run the branded delivery vans and employ the drivers, who are typically W-2 employees of the DSP, not of Amazon. Amazon sets standards, provides the vans and the routes, and controls much of how the work is done, then takes the position that the DSP alone is responsible when a driver causes a crash.
Amazon's standard move is to point at the DSP and step back. Whether that holds depends on the facts. The level of control Amazon exercises over routes, timing, technology, and performance is central to questions of agency and vicarious responsibility, along with the negligent selection or retention of the partners Amazon chooses.
Amazon requires its Delivery Service Partners to carry commercial auto insurance, and the DSP's own policy is usually the first source of recovery. Amazon typically requires DSPs to carry at least $1,000,000 in commercial auto liability per incident, with Amazon often named as an additional insured, plus the DSP's general liability and workers' compensation coverage. A serious van crash often has more coverage available than a typical car accident, which is why identifying the DSP and every applicable policy early matters.
The van's markings, the route and delivery data, the on-board cameras many vans now carry, and the DSP's own records all help establish what happened and who controlled the work. Much of this can be lost quickly, so preservation should start early.
Get medical care and follow through. If you safely can, photograph the van, its markings and plate, and the scene, and write down the company name if it is shown. Keep witness information. Then contact a lawyer promptly. In Illinois, most personal injury claims must be filed within two years of the date of injury (735 ILCS 5/13-202), and wrongful death claims within two years of the date of death (740 ILCS 180/2), though other deadlines can apply in specific situations.
We try cases, and the companies we sue know it. We prepare from day one, with investigation and experts at the front end. And we treat the people we represent as people, in the worst moment of their lives, not as file numbers.
If an Amazon delivery van hurt you or your family in Illinois, talk to us. The consultation is free, and you owe no fee unless we recover for you.
Amazon runs three different delivery programs. Start with our Amazon delivery accident overview, or read about Amazon Relay semi-truck crashes and Amazon Flex driver crashes. For all commercial truck cases, see our Illinois truck accident page.
Amazon often argues it is not, because the driver works for a Delivery Service Partner. Whether Amazon can be held responsible depends on the control it exercised and on how it selected the partner. The DSP and its driver are also responsible. We pursue every party that applies.
Usually a Delivery Service Partner, an independent company that contracts with Amazon to run the branded vans and employ the drivers. The van shows Amazon's brand, but the driver is typically a DSP employee.
The DSP's commercial auto policy is generally the first source. Serious crashes often involve more than one policy, which is why early investigation matters.
Strict time limits apply. In Illinois, personal injury claims generally must be brought within two years of the injury (735 ILCS 5/13-202) and wrongful death claims within two years of the death (740 ILCS 180/2). Contact us promptly so a deadline is not missed.
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