A man is suing Amazon, claiming that a collision with a delivery driver resulted in the amputation of his leg. The news was first reported by the Virginian Pilot.
According to a lawsuit, Justin Hartley was riding his motorbike in Virginia Beach, Virginia, last October when he collided with an Amazon-branded Hertz vehicle. According to the lawsuit obtained by Insider, the incident resulted in “severe bodily injuries” to Hartley, including fractures to his left wrist and leg. It said that his limb could not be salvaged and had to be amputated as a result.
As a result of the accident, Hartley is suing Amazon for $100 million. He said that the corporation was to blame because it put pressure on employees, causing them to become distracted and reckless while driving. According to the lawsuit, after the crash, driver Christopher Gill told authorities that he was looking at directions on his navigation system, which was provided by Amazon at the time of the accident.
Kevin Bazan of Virginia-based law firm Breit Biniazan, who represented Hartley, spoke with Insider about the case.He said that as a result of the culture and environment of pressure placed on Amazon drivers,Gill became “more concerned about his GPS device than the safety of others on the road.” He also claimed that the accident could have been avoided.
According to the lawsuit, drivers are expected to utilise a “Flex App,” which informs them on which route to take as well as when they should take their toilet or lunch breaks. If the driver is going late, Amazon claims to send them a text message informing them that they are “behind the rabbit” and must be “rescued.”
According to the lawsuit, if a driver often slips behind schedule, it can severely diminish their salary. It also claimed that Amazon required a “unrealistic” delivery timetable that “forces its drivers to hustle to deliver products in a timely way,” generating a “foreseeable danger that their drivers may commit traffic infractions.”
Amazon did not reply promptly to Insider’s request for comment made after normal business hours. The complaint followed last year’s reports of the retailer’s brutal working conditions. Insider acquired stories from Amazon drivers who claimed that urinating in bottles was a requirement of the job since they “didn’t have time to go to the bathroom.”
Drivers reported a physically challenging work environment in 2019 as the corporation prioritised speedier delivery. At the time, Amazon refuted the claim that it put growth over safety. Hartley’s lawsuit claimed that as a result of the accident, he has been and will continue to be unable to do his everyday tasks and fully enjoy life. For individuals facing similar situations, seeking legal support and guidance from experienced accident lawyers can provide the necessary assistance.
