A man is suing Amazon for $100 million after claiming that a collision with a delivery driver resulted in him losing a leg
The lawsuit alleges that Amazon is at fault for putting pressure on drivers to "rush and deliver packages in a timely manner."
Photo by Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images
- Amazon is being sued by a man who said he suffered injuries from a crash with a delivery driver.
- The incident resulted in the man having his leg amputated, according to a lawsuit.
- The man alleges that Amazon is at fault for putting pressure on delivery drivers.
A man is suing Amazon after alleging that a crash with a delivery driver led to the amputation of his leg.
The Virginian Pilot first reported the news.
Last October, Justin Hartley was riding his motorcycle when he collided with an Amazon-branded Hertz truck in Virginia Beach, Virginia, per a lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit viewed by Insider, the incident 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, it claimed.
Hartley is seeking $100 million from Amazon as a result of the accident. He alleged that the company was responsible because they put pressure on workers, which caused them to become distracted and careless while driving.
After the crash, driver Christopher Gill told police that he was looking at the directions on his navigation system, provided by Amazon at the time of the accident, according to the lawsuit.
Kevin Bazan of Virginia-based law firm Breit Biniazan, who represents Hartley, discussed the case with Insider. He alleged that "due to the culture and environment of pressure placed on Amazon drivers," Gill was subsequently "more concerned with his GPS system than the safety of others on the roadway."
He also claimed that 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 the rabbit" and have to be "rescued" as a result, it claimed.
If a driver frequently falls off the pace, it can also significantly reduce their pay, the lawsuit claimed.
"Gill's attention was distracted from the roadway by his use of the Flex App, which proximately caused [Hartley's] injuries," per the lawsuit.
It further alleged that Amazon mandated a delivery schedule that was "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."
Amazon did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment made outside of normal working hours.
The lawsuit comes follows last year's reports of grueling working conditions at the retailer. Insider obtained accounts of Amazon drivers who said that urinating in bottles was part of the job because they "didn't have time to go to the bathroom."
Reports of employees urinating in bottles have circled Amazon for years but the company previously denied the practice.
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.
Hartley's lawsuit alleged that he has — and will continue to be — prevented from performing his daily activities and obtaining the full enjoyment of life, as a result of the accident.