Who Employs the Amazon Driver and Owns the Truck He’s Driving?

THE AMAZON LOGO TELLS YOU VERY LITTLE ABOUT WHO TO SUE

I read a story about a large verdict from an email I received. Fifty-six million was the verdict and that is a lot of money. But the money is not what interested me. It was something else. To a seasoned trial lawyer, the $56 million verdict against “Amazon” is not what’s important. What is important is shown in the description of the case. Take note of the words I underlined.

“A Middlesex County jury returned a $56 million verdict in July 2026 for Malcolm S. Carnwath, a Newburyport resident who suffered catastrophic injuries in a November 2024 head-on collision involving an Amazon-branded delivery vehicle on Lafayette Road in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The case, tried in Middlesex Superior Court after being filed in May 2025, centered on damages after defendants stipulated to liability ahead of trial.”

Was the verdict against Amazon? Perhaps not. I know this for a fact because we recently settled a claim involving an Amazon employee. But, she really wasn’t an Amazon employee. I know because I looked at her paycheck stub. Don’t be fooled. Her truck’s side panel may have read “Amazon”, but that doesn’t mean the truck is owned by Amazon. Nor does the driver wearing work clothes with the word “Amazon” emblazoned across the breast or vest make that driver an employee of Amazon. Far from it. Some other company is likely the driver’s employer and the real owner of the truck.

LAWYERS SHOULD UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO A PROPER INVESTIGATION

You probably are wondering, how do you know who owns the truck and who employs the driver? Well, we have to dig. It is what a proper investigation reveals. We check with the employee, asking for a copy of the paystub and the W-2’s. We get the plate number from the accident report; and then run the plate at the county DMV. We get a copy of the current van registration. And lastly, we check the Secretary of State’s website for the registration information for the corporation that owns the van. There’s a registered agent disclosed on the SOS website.

A proper investigation may be more complicated than people can appreciate. As a lawyer I can find myself in the junkyard digging through the glove box of my client’s damaged car. Maybe it produces gold, or maybe not. And if I run into a dead end, I will file suit and engage in discovery. Before doing this, I can always request information from the insurance adjuster, indicating if they do not cooperate, I will have no choice but to file suit. And that only runs up the costs for them, so cooperating is probably in their best interests.

MARKETING DOES NOT EQUATE TO EXPERIENCE

As young lawyers invade the personal injury space it is more important than ever to pick the right lawyer. Who is the right lawyer? The right lawyer has actual experience in trial. The young brash fast-talking marketing driven lawyers, who are anxious only for the money, tell you how they are going to get the $56M. They might, but chances are they won’t.

ARE YOU A CLIENT OF THE TARGET OF AN AD?

When looking for a lawyer, do not fall for the lawyer who is marketing and running after next months ad bill. If you talk to him or her, ask how many cases they have tried. Ask how the case can be lost. If you do not hear a number, or actual risks, then it is time to move on to a lawyer with real skills.

Story from Expert Institute, $56M Verdict in Amazon Delivery Crash Damages Trial, A Middlesex County jury awarded $56 million after Amazon and other defendants stipulated to liability in a crash that caused catastrophic injuries.