All auto accidents are not equal when it comes to filing injury claims. Some respondent negligent parties are not solvent and only carry the state minimum in liability protection while some negligent parties are insured extensively. The latter applies in accidents involving commercial vehicles, and it is not necessary to be involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer in order for a potentially significant claim to exist. Commercial vehicle accidents can also result in liability being primarily assigned to the employing company that has hired that particular delivery driver. And, this can particularly apply in cases involving delivery drivers for companies like Fed Ex, United Parcel Service, or Amazon.
In all cases, van drivers are only required by law to hold a standard commercial license (Class B) as determined by vehicle size. Drivers who haul over the 
road in tractor-trailers are still required to hold a Class A CDL. Small Cargo Van drivers are not required to hold any special licensing beyond the standard drivers’ license that you and I hold. Obviously this impacts on training, where the drivers operating smaller commercial vehicles may be trained no differently than a normal car driver.
FedEx
Car accident lawyers are always focused on presenting as much evidence as possible proving negligence against any opposing respondent driver. Commercial delivery vehicles like FedEx vans commonly stop in the middle of the road when making deliveries. Their vehicles do not necessarily stand out in traffic, and often the only safety lights will be flashers that are standard equipment on all other vehicles. However, the primary safety concern with FedEx is that their drivers are typically subcontracted, which means the company can try to use the independent contractor status to shift liability for an accident onto the actual driver.
UPS
United Parcel Service is different from the other mainstream delivery companies in some respects. Drivers, in most cases, are actual company employees, which means that the UPS company could be held liable vicariously when accidents occur. One characteristic specific to UPS is its truck design and color – they are well-known among other highway drivers, but the color is not very bright and they do not necessarily stand out among the other vehicles when operating on highways or even when parked. Fault and safety have a direct correlation in an accident case presentation in court, which is a case focus for car accident lawyers.
Amazon
Amazon is probably the most problematic within the group. Their drivers are independently contracted, and statistically their safety record is poorer than with other mainstream delivery companies. As a company, Amazon are quick to deny any liability for accidents involving their delivery drivers, based on the independent contractor employment model. The state of California has determined that this relationship does not stop injured parties from pursuing damages from the company in accident cases, which is a significant ruling for the state. But courts in other states like North Carolina have not yet followed suit.
Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm
Anyone who is injured in an accident involving FedEx/UPS/Amazon drivers should contact an attorney as soon as possible following the incident. Our car accident lawyers have handled cases against these businesses in the past, and we understand how to craft a case to deliver maximum damages for our injured clients. Call us today and let our car accident lawyers conduct a full investigation of your accident case. Your initial consultation with an attorney at our offices is free of any cost or obligation to retain us.
