A former Amazon warehouse associate is suing the e-commerce giant for $19 million, alleging that the company’s productivity quota system and mandatory overtime policies directly caused debilitating repetitive stress injuries to his wrists, shoulders, and lower back.

The plaintiff, Darnell Watkins, 39, worked at Amazon’s EWR9 fulfillment center in Avenel, New Jersey from 2021 to 2024. According to the lawsuit filed in Superior Court of New Jersey, Watkins was required to scan and move an average of 360 packages per hour during mandatory 60-hour work weeks — a pace his attorneys say is biomechanically unsafe for sustained periods.

The Medical Evidence

Watkins was diagnosed with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff tears in both shoulders, and three herniated discs in his lumbar spine. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Patricia Morse testified via deposition that the injury pattern is “consistent with extreme, repetitive physical stress over a prolonged period and inconsistent with normal daily activity.”

Watkins underwent three surgeries and says he can no longer lift more than 10 pounds. He has not returned to work.

Amazon’s Defense

Amazon stated that it “provides industry-leading safety training and ergonomic equipment to all associates” and that all overtime is “voluntary under company policy.” The company argued Watkins’ injuries pre-existed his employment and cited a 2022 workers’ compensation claim he filed after a separate back injury.

Amazon also moved to compel arbitration based on Watkins’ employment agreement. The court denied that motion, ruling the agreement’s arbitration clause unenforceable under New Jersey’s Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act — though Watkins’ case is not a harassment case, the judge found the clause broadly unconscionable.

Broader Context

This lawsuit is one of dozens filed against Amazon in the past 18 months related to warehouse working conditions. A 2025 Senate HELP Committee report found Amazon’s serious injury rate at US warehouses was 79% higher than the industry average.