According to recent reports, Amazon work injuries are widespread because of the company’s hyperfocus on providing impossibly fast and accurate services to its customers. As a result, many of its workforce are put in dangerous situations they feel they must accept, or they may risk losing their job. Amazon warehouse employees, delivery drivers, and others may qualify for workers’ compensation if they get hurt while carrying out their responsibilities.
The hard-working workers’ compensation lawyers at Williams & Roche, LLC, dedicate their resources and efforts to fighting for injured employees like those at Amazon. We use our legal experience on the insurance, worker, and employer side to develop effective and agile solutions to our clients’ matters.
Why Are Amazon Employees at a Higher Risk for Workplace Injuries?
According to a December 2024 report issued by the United States Senate, Amazon’s warehouse workers were about two times more likely to get hurt than warehouse workers elsewhere over the past seven years. Additionally, the Senate report revealed that Amazon recorded 30 percent more injuries at its warehouses in 2023 than the rest of the country’s warehouses.
Internal documents and employee testimony suggest that Amazon’s obsession with speed and productivity puts its workers in increasingly dangerous situations in its warehouses. Moreover, an automated system penalizes workers who fail to meet Amazon’s nearly impossible productivity standards. The employees risk losing their jobs entirely if they continue to fall behind these idealistic metrics.
Because of this, workers may feel coerced into taking dangerous measures — like bypassing the company’s safety protocols — putting themselves in danger of injuries or even death.
Common Types of Injuries in Amazon Warehouses
Musculoskeletal disorders are common workplace injuries at Amazon because employees have to make the same repetitive motion throughout their shifts, which may span 10 to 12 hours. As the Bureau of Labor Statistics explains, musculoskeletal disorders that might occur in the workplace include tendinitis, carpal tunnel, trigger finger, neck and lower back pain, and rotator cuff injuries.
Other accidents at Amazon warehouses include slips, trips, and falls, which may cause someone to break their wrist, foot, neck, or leg.
Ladder injuries and falls from heights may also occur when an employee is forced to use a ladder without assistance from a coworker.
Injuries Specific to Amazon Delivery Drivers
Amazon delivery drivers must meet incredible timetables to fulfill customers’ orders, which include same-day, overnight, and next-day shipping. As a result, workers may push their bodies beyond their limits, resulting in overuse and overexertion injuries, such as tendinitis, bursitis, and muscle spasms.
Likewise, drivers may be more likely to sprain or fracture their bones or tendons due to the swift movements required to make and complete a delivery. Furthermore, they may not have a second worker with them to help lift, carry, and set down a heavy or bulky box. As a result, they may be more likely to twist their knees, pull their back muscles, or tear their ACLs.
Why Workplace Injuries at Amazon Often Go Underreported
Many workers may hesitate to report accidents because they do not know their rights or fear retaliation from Amazon. Under federal and South Carolina law, Amazon cannot punish an employee for reporting or helping a colleague report a workplace accident.
If someone works for Amazon and gets hurt, a Columbia Amazon injury lawyer can help protect them against workplace retaliation. The attorney can also help the person take legal action if they believe Amazon docked their pay, harassed them, fired them, unnecessarily transferred them to a lesser position, or disciplined them in other ways because of a workplace injury.
Why You Need a Columbia Amazon Injury Lawyer
A Columbia attorney can help you navigate your workers’ compensation claim if you get hurt while employed at Amazon. Your lawyer is your advocate, there to explain the legal procedures and requirements along the way. They can assist you with accessing the full benefits you may be entitled to under the law based on your unique situation.
Additionally, they can help you by filing the appropriate work injury notices and claim documents so you do not miss out on compensation because of missed deadlines. Lastly, another benefit they provide is to communicate with Amazon, Amazon’s workers’ compensation insurance provider, and others involved in the claim on your behalf.
Contact Williams & Roche, LLC, if You Get Hurt While Working for Amazon
You may be entitled to compensation if you are among the many other warehouse employees, delivery drivers, or other personnel who experienced Amazon work injuries. Filing a claim can help you fight for various benefits, including injury-related medical care coverage and supplemental wage loss payments. A skilled workers’ compensation attorney can help you on this journey, freeing up your time and energy to focus on what matters most to you.
For over two decades, the distinguished attorneys at Williams & Roche, LLC, have stood by the tireless team of Amazon workers throughout South Carolina. Our Columbia team includes Derrick Williams, who served as a Commissioner on the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission from March 2007 to January 2013. In 2013, he returned to private practice to once again be able to provide personalized support to injured workers in need. Get in touch with Derrick and his team today by calling 803.784.0503 to schedule a no-obligation consultation.
