A collision with a commercial truck is not like a typical car accident. The size and weight of an 18-wheeler, semi-truck, or other commercial vehicle means the injuries are often catastrophic — traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, broken bones, internal injuries, and death.

The legal landscape is also more complex. Trucking companies and their insurers have experienced legal teams that begin investigating the accident immediately, often before the injured victim has even left the hospital. They are looking for ways to minimize their liability and reduce what they pay.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in Florida, you need an experienced truck accident lawyer who can level the playing field.

In a car accident, there is usually one at-fault driver. In a truck accident, there may be multiple parties who share responsibility:

• The truck driver: Driver fatigue, distracted driving, speeding, or impaired driving
• The trucking company: Negligent hiring, inadequate training, failure to maintain vehicles, or pressure on drivers to violate hours-of-service regulations
• The cargo company: Improper loading or securing of cargo that caused the truck to become unstable
• The truck manufacturer: Defective parts or equipment failures
• The maintenance company: Failure to properly maintain the truck

Identifying all potentially liable parties is critical to maximizing your recovery.

Commercial trucks are subject to extensive federal regulations, including:

• Hours-of-service regulations: Limiting how many hours a driver can be on the road without rest
• Weight limits: Restricting how much cargo a truck can carry
• Maintenance requirements: Requiring regular inspections and maintenance
• Drug and alcohol testing: Requiring pre-employment, random, and post-accident testing

Violations of these regulations can be powerful evidence of negligence.

Truck accidents generate a wealth of evidence that can be critical to your case — but much of it disappears quickly:

• Electronic logging devices (ELDs): Record the driver's hours of service, speed, and other data
• Dashcam footage: May capture the accident or the driver's behavior leading up to it
• Black box data: Records speed, braking, and other vehicle data
• Driver logs: Paper records of the driver's hours and activities
• Maintenance records: Show whether the truck was properly maintained

Trucking companies are required to preserve this evidence after an accident, but they may not do so voluntarily. A lawyer can send a preservation letter immediately to ensure this evidence is not destroyed.

Truck drivers are under enormous pressure to deliver loads on time. This can lead to drivers pushing beyond the legal hours-of-service limits, driving while fatigued, or even falsifying their logs.

Fatigue impairs judgment, slows reaction time, and can cause a driver to fall asleep at the wheel. A fatigued truck driver is as dangerous as a drunk driver.

Truck drivers spend long hours on the road and may be tempted to use their phones, eat, or engage in other distracting activities. A momentary distraction at highway speeds can have catastrophic consequences.

Commercial trucks require much longer stopping distances than passenger vehicles. A truck traveling at highway speed may need the length of a football field to stop. Speeding or following too closely dramatically increases the risk of a rear-end collision.

Cargo that is improperly loaded or secured can shift during transit, causing the truck to become unstable or tip over. Overloaded trucks are also more difficult to control and require longer stopping distances.

Brake failures, tire blowouts, and other mechanical failures can cause a truck driver to lose control. These failures are often the result of inadequate maintenance.

1. Call 911 and request medical assistance if anyone is injured.
2. Do not move unless you are in immediate danger.
3. Document the scene with photographs and video, including the truck, its license plate, the company name and DOT number, the damage to all vehicles, and any skid marks or debris.
4. Get witness information — names and contact details.
5. Do not give a statement to the trucking company's representatives or their insurance adjusters.

1. Seek medical treatment immediately, even if you feel okay. Many serious injuries do not produce obvious symptoms right away.
2. Contact a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. The trucking company's legal team is already working on their defense.
3. Preserve evidence — do not repair your vehicle until it has been inspected by an expert.

Truck accidents often result in serious, life-altering injuries. The damages available in a truck accident case may include:

• Medical expenses: Emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, and ongoing treatment
• Lost wages: Income lost while you are unable to work
• Reduced earning capacity: If your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job
• Pain and suffering: Physical pain and emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life: If your injuries prevent you from participating in activities you previously enjoyed
• Wrongful death damages: If a loved one was killed in the accident

In Florida, you generally have 2 years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. For wrongful death cases, the deadline is also 2 years from the date of death.

Do not wait. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget details, and the trucking company's legal team is already building their defense.

Juan Cordero Lawyers has recovered millions of dollars for truck accident victims in Florida, including a $3.5 million settlement for a teen riding a bike who was hit by a commercial pickup truck.

If you were injured in a truck accident in Martin County or anywhere in Florida, Juan Cordero Lawyers can help you fight back against the trucking company and their insurers. Call 305.525.8957 — free consultation, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

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