VIRGINIA BEACH – A man has filed a lawsuit against delivery giant Amazon, claiming that a crash with a delivery driver led to the amputation of his leg.
Last October, Justin Hartley was riding his motorcycle when he collided with an Amazon-branded Hertz truck in Virginia Beach, Virginia. According to the lawsuit, the crash caused Hartley to suffer severe bodily injuries, including fractures to his left wrist and leg – his leg could not be saved and was amputated as a result.
After the crash, the Amazon driver told police he was looking at the directions on his navigation system, provided by Amazon at the time of the accident.
Hartley’s lawsuit alleges Amazon was responsible because they put pressure on workers, which caused them to become distracted and careless while driving.
Hartley’s lawyer told the media that “due to the culture and environment of pressure placed on Amazon drivers,” the driver involved in this crash was “more concerned with his GPS system than the safety of others on the roadway.” He also stated the accident was preventable.
Drivers, according to the lawsuit, are required to use a “Flex App,” which instructs what route they should take, as well as micromanaging when they should take their bathroom or lunch breaks. If the driver is running behind schedule, Amazon sends them a text nudging them that they are behind and have to be “rescued” as a result. If a driver is frequently off pace, it can significantly reduce their pay, the lawsuit claimed.
The lawsuit further states that Amazon’s delivery schedule is “unrealistic” and “forces their drivers to rush to deliver packages in a timely manner,” creating the “foreseeable risk that their drivers will commit traffic violations.”
According to the lawsuit, this accident has prevented Hartley from performing daily activities and will continue to prevent him from obtaining the full enjoyment of life.
The lawsuit comes just a year after a report of grueling working conditions at Amazon. For example, several drivers said urinating in bottles was part of the job because they “didn’t have time to go to the bathroom.”
In 2019, drivers also described a physically demanding work environment as the company prioritized faster deliveries. At the time, Amazon denied the characterization that it prioritized growth over safety.
