Amazon Delivery Driver Dog Bite Lawyers

Amazon delivery drivers face pressure to complete a large volume of deliveries as quickly as possible to meet their quotas. With the company’s focus on speed and efficiency, safety often falls by the wayside. 

Amazon delivery drivers face the risk of dog bites while doing their job. They may encounter unrestrained pets when making the rounds at homes in Chicago and across Illinois. Like postal workers, Amazon delivery drivers face a higher risk of dog bites compared to other workers.

If you have been bitten or otherwise attacked by a dog while working for Amazon, the experienced Chicago dog bite attorneys at Briskman Briskman & Greenberg can help you pursue compensation for your injuries. You can recover medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other dog bite-related costs.

Package Delivery Drivers and Dog Bite Risks

Amazon delivery drivers’ risk of dog bites can be compared to the risk US Postal Service workers face because the two groups do similar jobs. The US Postal Service releases statistics on dog bite injuries to postal workers each year.

In 2023, over 5,800 mail carriers suffered dog bites and other dog-related injuries, according to USPS. Chicago ranked third in the US for dog attacks against mail carriers. In 2023, 48 mail carriers in Chicago suffered dog bites and other dog-related injuries. Only Houston (56 attacks) and Los Angeles (65 attacks) ranked higher.

Amazon drivers may be at higher risk of dog bite injuries than postal workers. USPS mail carriers often carry pepper spray or other tools intended to help them ward off aggressive dogs, for example. Postal workers also receive specific training to help them handle dangerous dog situations. 

Some Amazon drivers report receiving information from the company on dealing with aggressive dogs. However, these drivers note that the training was inadequate to help them when faced with the reality of an aggressive dog.

Why Are Chicago Amazon Delivery Drivers at Risk of Dog Bites?

Amazon has long dominated online retail sales. As of 2024, the company held a 38 percent share of the U.S. e-commerce market. With the surge in online purchases in recent years, more and more Amazon delivery drivers are on the road to meet demand. An increase in deliveries, however, goes hand in hand with a rise in dog bite incidents.

Dog attacks are often unpredictable. While dogs are friendly and harmless for the most part, some pets may attack and cause severe, life-altering injuries. Almost one in five Amazon delivery drivers suffered dog bites or other injuries in 2021. The injury rate increased by 40 percent compared to the year before.

Too often, homeowners fail to take the necessary steps to protect delivery drivers, such as allowing their dogs to run loose in the yard. Amazon’s website requests customers preparing for a large delivery at home to keep their pets in an area separate from where the package will be dropped off for safety reasons. Doing so can help prevent dog attacks when an Amazon employee delivers a package.

Different Types of Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bite injuries vary in severity. Victims can be at risk of infection if the wound is not cleaned and treated promptly. As a result, it is important to get immediate medical attention after a dog attack. Types of dog injuries include:

• Broken bones and fractures
• Deep tissue damage
• Facial injuries
• Nerve damage
• Cuts and blood loss
• Scarring
• Disfigurement
• Emotional trauma

Dog bite injuries can rack up thousands of dollars in medical bills, depending on the kind of treatment required. In serious cases, the victim may require skin grafts, reconstructive surgery, or physical therapy.

The injured individual may not be able to work during the recovery process. In 2021, one out of seven Amazon drivers suffered injuries that were so serious that they either could not carry out their job duties or had to take time off work.

While dog attacks can cause serious, lifelong injuries, death rates are relatively low. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that about 4.5 million people in the US are bitten by dogs each year. Of these, 885,000 seek medical attention for the bite and nearly 370,000 visit an emergency room for help. Only about 16 of the 4.5 million suffer fatal injuries, however.

Amazon workers aren’t free of the risk of fatal injuries. In 2022, an Amazon delivery driver was found dead on a customer’s front lawn in Missouri. Investigators found two aggressive dogs at the scene and several severe bites on the driver’s body.

How To Get Compensation for Your Dog Bite Injuries

Amazon drivers can file a dog bite claim to recover compensation for their medical bills, lost income, future earning capacity, and more. Due to the traumatic nature of dog attacks, it is also possible to obtain non-economic damages for intangible losses that are harder to calculate, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and disfigurement. An experienced Chicago dog bite attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Amazon delivery drivers have a lawful right to be on the premises of various homes to drop off packages as part of their jobs. If a dog engages in an unprovoked attack, the worker has the right to sue the owner and get compensation.

Illinois dog owners are strictly liable for damages any time their dog injures someone. State law requires owners to have their pets under complete control to ensure they do not harm anyone. The dog’s past behavior or history of aggression has no bearing on liability. The victim also does not have to prove that the owner’s negligence was to blame for the dog attack.

The Time Limit for Filing a Dog Bite Claim in Chicago 

If you have been injured due to a dog bite while making a delivery on your work shift, do not wait to take legal action. Otherwise, the time limit for pursuing compensation may expire.

In Illinois, the statute of limitations for most dog bite claims is two years from when the attack occurred. Contact a skilled Chicago dog bite attorney right away to ensure you do not miss any important deadlines for filing a dog bite claim.

What To Do If You’re Bitten by a House Dog While Delivering for Amazon

Always put your safety first. Get away from the dog as quickly as you can. Then, seek medical attention for your injuries. 

In an emergency, call 911 or go straight to your nearest emergency room. For other injuries, visit an urgent care clinic or see a doctor as soon as possible. A prompt medical visit helps document your injuries. It also ensures you get the treatment you need to reduce complications and speed up your recovery. 

Report the incident to Amazon. Amazon employees can file for workers’ compensation coverage. Ask your supervisor for the necessary paperwork and a list of physicians approved by workers’ compensation. 

If you’re an independent contractor, you may not be able to claim workers’ compensation. However, you can still seek compensation for your injuries from the dog’s owner. Report the incident to Amazon so the company has notice of your injury and that it occurred while you were driving for Amazon. 

Keep all paperwork related to your injury. Types of paperwork to keep include:

• Notes from doctor’s appointments.
• All bills, invoices, or receipts from expenses related to your injury, like medical bills, pharmacy receipts, and other costs. 
• Any paperwork you file with Amazon, such as an accident report or a workers’ compensation claim form. 
• Letters or other information from the owner of the dog.
• Copies of any notes you made, photos or video you took of your injuries or the place where you were attacked, or any other information you collected when the bite occurred.
• Copies of any police reports, if police came to the scene.

Store all this information in a safe place. If you have digital copies of information, make a backup on a thumb drive or external hard drive. 

Reach out to an experienced attorney. If you haven’t worked with a lawyer before, you may wonder where to start. When looking for an Illinois dog bite attorney:

• Look for lawyers and law firms with experience representing Amazon delivery drivers who have been attacked by dogs.
• Read testimonials from other clients. Look for evidence that the attorney and law firm communicate clearly with their clients and work to protect clients’ rights. 
• Check a lawyer’s track record. How many times have they successfully recovered compensation for people with cases like yours?
• Schedule a consultation to speak to a lawyer in person and ask questions about your specific situation. 

Are You An Amazon Driver Who Was Attacked by a Dog?

If you are an Amazon driver who suffered a dog bite while delivering a package, contact Briskman Briskman & Greenberg right away for a free consultation. 

Our Chicago dog bite attorneys will help you navigate the complex Illinois personal injury laws to get the compensation you need. We encourage you to contact us with your questions and concerns.

Briskman Briskman & Greenberg takes all dog bite cases on a contingency basis. You only pay if our law firm is successful in recovering damages on your behalf. We help serve our clients across Illinois, including Waukegan, Joliet, Oak Lawn, Wheeling, Orland Park, and other surrounding areas.