7 Steps to Take If an Amazon Delivery Truck Hits Your Car

Call 911 immediately, even if injuries seem minor. The police report is your official record of what happened, and you want officers documenting the scene while evidence is fresh. When speaking to dispatch, be specific: "A delivery truck hit my vehicle at [intersection/address]." Give your location, describe injuries, and note any immediate safety hazards.

Once police arrive, stay calm and stick to facts. Don't speculate about whose fault it was or how bad the damage is. Just tell the officer what you saw. The delivery driver will be stressed—they're worried about their job, about the crash report going on their record, about Amazon or their DSP finding out. Don't engage in arguments or negotiations about fault. That's what insurance adjusters and lawyers are for.

Before anyone leaves the scene, ask the police officer for the incident or report number. You'll need this to file your insurance claim. The officer should take statements from both drivers and any witnesses. If the scene is safe, don't leave until the police have completed their initial documentation. Photos of the final scene state, vehicle positions, and any debris or tire marks are part of the official record.

This is where the "who do I call" question gets specific. Ask the driver for:

• Name, phone number, address
• Driver's license number
• Vehicle registration and insurance information

Then ask: "Who do you work for?" The answer determines everything about your case. The driver might say:

• "Amazon Logistics" or "Amazon DSP" (third-party contractor operating Amazon routes)
• "FedEx Ground" (independent contractors, not FedEx Express employees)
• "UPS" (Teamster union drivers—employed by UPS)
• "USPS" (federal employees—subject to Federal Tort Claims Act)
• "Flex driver" (independent contractor using their own vehicle)
• A regional carrier or local delivery app

If the truck is Amazon-branded but the driver isn't sure of their employer, the package car's exterior often has the DSP's name or dispatch center number. Write it down. Your attorney will use this to determine vicarious liability and which insurance policy actually applies. Also get the vehicle identification number (VIN) from the truck—this connects the crash to the company's fleet records and insurance coverage.

Use your phone to document:

• Overall scene: vehicles' positions, intersection or street view, traffic signals
• Damage: wide shots and close-ups of your vehicle's damage
• The delivery truck: full vehicle (front, back, sides), license plate, company markings, any visible damage
• The driver: if they consent, a photo of their ID or driver's license
• Environmental factors: weather, lighting, road conditions, time of day (timestamp your photos)
• The police officer's badge number and name

Video is even better than photos. Film a 30-second walkthrough of the scene, panning to the damaged vehicles, the intersection, and any hazards. Many phones auto-timestamp video.

Don't delete anything. Create a folder on your phone or cloud storage specifically for this crash. If you're injured and memory gets fuzzy in the weeks ahead, these photos become your evidence. Insurance adjusters and attorneys rely on them heavily. If the scene is still safe after police leave, go back and take additional photos of any skid marks, road hazards, or sightlines that might have contributed to the crash.

Any person at the scene who saw the crash is a potential witness. This includes:

• Other drivers
• Pedestrians
• Nearby business owners or employees
• Residents at nearby addresses

Approach each person politely: "I was just hit by that delivery truck. Did you see what happened?" Get their:

• Full name
• Phone number
• Email address (if they'll provide it)
• Brief description of what they saw

Write this down on paper and in your phone. Don't just ask people to contact you later—get their info now while they're willing to engage. In a week, they'll forget or not want to get involved. Witness credibility is massive in settlement negotiations. An independent third party saying "The truck ran the red light" carries weight that the at-fault driver's insurance company has to respect. Even a partial witness—someone who saw part of the sequence—helps your case.

Call your auto insurance company as soon as it's safe to do so. They need:

• Date, time, location of the crash
• Police report number
• The other driver's information
• Photos if you have them
• Your description of what happened

Your insurance company will start their own investigation. They'll likely assign a claims adjuster to your case. That adjuster's job is to verify coverage, assess damage, and (if the other party is clearly at fault) push back on the other company's insurance.

Important: Don't sign anything or accept a settlement offer without understanding what you're getting. Insurance companies often start low. Your medical bills might not be fully apparent for days or weeks after a crash—you might have injury symptoms you're not aware of yet. Keep records of every call with your insurance company: date, time, who you spoke with, and what they said. These notes protect you if there's a dispute later.

This is critical and often overlooked. Even if you feel fine, see a doctor within 24 hours of the crash. Serious injuries—whiplash, internal injuries, head trauma—often don't show symptoms immediately. A medical record created on or near the crash date proves that you were examined and establishes a timeline.

Tell the doctor exactly what happened and where your body made contact with your vehicle. Be honest about any pain, even minor. Neck stiffness, headaches, back soreness, or numbness in your arms or legs should all be documented.

Get a copy of your medical records and imaging reports (X-rays, MRIs if done). These become core evidence in your injury claim. If the crash causes a chronic condition—persistent back pain, nerve damage, migraines—the medical records create proof that it started with this specific event. Insurance companies will try to argue that your injuries are pre-existing or unrelated. Medical documentation prevents that.

After you've called 911, your insurance, and a doctor, the next call should be to an attorney who handles delivery truck crashes. Most work on contingency—you don't pay unless they recover money.

Why an attorney and not just your insurance company? Because delivery truck cases have layers that insurance adjusters don't always pursue. The delivery driver's employer (the DSP or FedEx Ground or UPS) might have vicarious liability. Route-pressure evidence—internal Amazon communications about quotas, time-per-stop targets, or penalty systems—can show systemic negligence. That's what pushes settlements from $5,000 to $50,000 or more.

An attorney can also:

• Obtain the delivery driver's safety record and training history
• Subpoena Amazon's routing algorithm and driver instructions
• Identify all potential defendants (driver, DSP, Amazon, shipper)
• Handle negotiations so you don't accidentally waive rights

Most delivery truck cases settle before trial. An attorney accelerates that process and ensures you're not accepting a fraction of what your case is worth.