Victims hurt in collisions caused by Walmart delivery drivers can seek injury support from the driver’s car insurance and Walmart. Maison Law of Redding helps victims demand money to pay their medical bills and replace the paychecks they lose while missing work.
We provide a free, no-obligation consultation for all local injury victims. It’s a no-risk opportunity to find out what your injury is worth and how to hold Walmart responsible.
Walmart Spark Car Accident Hazards
Walmart competes with Amazon by sending out its own fleet of delivery drivers to fulfill online orders across Shasta County. In some cases, those orders are delivered by Walmart employees from local stores.
For shipping online orders from local warehouses, Walmart often uses third-party delivery drivers known as “Spark” drivers. These drivers use their own cars to make drop-offs.
It’s a lot of extra traffic on already busy local roads like I-5 and Cypress Avenue.
Some of these cars may be marked with Walmart signage, but some aren’t. But you may be able to tell what cars have Spark Drivers at the wheel from the way they rush around and make constant stops. These drivers are under more stress than most motorists, and their desire to get packages out can sometimes lead to dangerous driving.
These are just a few of the reasons a Walmart Spark driver might cause an accident:
- Speeding and reckless driving to meet delivery deadlines
- Distracted driving while looking at a cell phone or a GPS unit to find the next delivery address
- Distraction while looking at the Walmart app for work instructions
- Distraction and obstructed vision caused by seats full of packages
- Drowsy and exhausted drivers who don’t take enough breaks
- A car brake or tire failure causing a collision due to a lack of maintenance on a personal vehicle
- Drivers working while their judgment is impaired by alcohol or drugs
A collision caused by a delivery driver can leave victims with car damage. They may also have to go to the hospital with a debilitating injury. Medical care may go further than a quick trip to the Emergency Room at Mercy Medical.
Should Walmart be responsible for sending rushed and distracted drivers out on our roads when accidents occur? Maison Law thinks so and is ready to stand up for injured accident victims and secure support for them.
Does Walmart Carry Car Insurance for Its Spark Drivers?
No. Walmart does not consider Spark Drivers full employees and gets away with not backing drivers with car insurance. Spark drivers are independent contractors.
Spark drivers must show proof they have their own car insurance when they are hired. It’s this insurance that accident victims will have to rely on for compensation.
Walmart makes a lot of money on these drivers, only to leave them and potential accident victims without support.
This is a problem for victims in car accidents for many reasons:
- A Spark driver may carry the minimum coverage allowed by California. A policy with low limits won’t always cover every bill victims have as they recover. The coverage can run out, even if the Spark driver admits fault. The remaining bills are the victim’s to pay.
- The Spark driver’s car insurer could refuse to pay for the accident. Some major car insurance companies won’t cover their drivers if they are delivering for a company like Walmart at the time of the collision.
- A Spark driver’s coverage may have expired, and Walmart simply hasn’t checked to see if it was maintained.
In some cases, victims may have to give up on finding support. They may be forced to file claims with their own insurance provider and seek support from uninsured/underinsured coverage. A skilled Redding attorney can help you earn as much compensation as possible from a driver’s insurer or your own. In some cases, pressure can also be put on Walmart to do the right thing and help the victims of its business practices.
Holding Walmart Accountable for a Spark Driver Accident
Walmart shouldn’t be able to get away scot-free while it uses our roads and collects profits. A skilled Redding truck accident lawyer would turn the focus on Walmart and start building a case to force the giant retail chain to accept fault and financial responsibility.
If the at-fault driver’s insurance wasn’t helpful, Maison law would help you call out Walmart and demand support. Maison Law has experience taking on giant corporations and winning compensation for hurting victims.
We’d question several aspects of Walmart’s stance that they aren’t responsible:
- Question Walmart’s safety practices and policies with full-time and contract employees.
- Question Walmart’s lack of training for drivers.
- Question Walmart’s expectations for workers that can lead to mistakes and accidents.
- Question Walmart’s hiring practices.
Walmart may have hired a driver with a record of unsafe driving and accidents. It may not have done a thorough background check and allowed a reckless driver to carry their packages. Your Maison Law attorney would build a strong case to file a claim against Walmart. Your lawyer would also be ready to take Walmart to court if the corporation still insisted they weren’t to blame in any way.
What Can I Receive Support for If I’m Struck by a Delivery Driver?
Victims should get support to pay all current medical bills and enough to cover estimates on any future care that’s expected to be needed. They should be able to count on the replacement of lost paychecks for as long as they are unable to go to work. A settlement should cover any future medical care and lost income expected in the years ahead. Their physical pain and emotional trauma caused by a frightening collision must also factor into a settlement check.
Contact a Redding Walmart Spark Delivery Accident Attorney
If you have been seriously injured or lost a loved one due to a careless Walmart delivery driver’s actions, contact Maison Law for a free accident consultation. It’s a no-risk way to find out how much you should demand from insurance companies and how to force Walmart to accept responsibility.
Allow your Redding Walmart Delivery Accident Lawyer to handle the frustrating claims process while you focus on healing. There’s no obligation when you meet with us, but if you feel we can earn you more, you don’t have to worry about how you’ll afford a lawyer. Maison Law doesn’t get paid unless we win your case. Then our fee comes out of the settlement money Walmart is forced to give you.
