Commercial trucks travel Fort Lauderdale roads every day alongside passenger vehicles, increasing the risk of serious injury when crashes occur. The city lies along some of Florida’s busiest freight routes, including I-95, I-595, and the Florida Turnpike, where trucks move cargo to and from Port Everglades, distribution centers, and construction sites across Broward County.
When a semi truck collides with a smaller vehicle, the occupants of that vehicle are far more likely to suffer severe harm. If you or a family member were injured in a truck accident in Fort Lauderdale, contact Miller & Jacobs Accident Attorneys today for a free consultation and speak with experienced Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyers about your case.
Table of Contents
- How Do Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawyers at Miller & Jacobs Build Your Case?
- What Makes Fort Lauderdale Truck Accidents More Dangerous Than Car Crashes
- How Do Federal Trucking Regulations Strengthen a Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Claim
- Who May Be Held Liable in a Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident
- What Damages May You Recover After a Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident
- How Does the Statute of Limitations Affect Your Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Claim
- FAQs for Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawyers
- Reach Out to Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawyers at Miller & Jacobs Now
How Do Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawyers at Miller & Jacobs Build Your Case?
Miller & Jacobs Accident Attorneys has handled truck accident claims across South Florida for over two decades, recovering more than $150 million in total verdicts and settlements for injured clients. The firm's co-founders, Rick S. Jacobs and Mark J. Miller, are both former prosecutors who now apply that same aggressive, evidence-driven approach to personal injury cases in Broward County and beyond.
Why This Firm Treats Truck Accident Cases Differently
Truck accident litigation demands a different level of preparation and investment than a typical auto collision claim. The firm retains accident reconstructionists, biomechanical analysts, Department of Transportation compliance consultants, and medical professionals to evaluate the full picture of what happened and who bears responsibility.
Miller & Jacobs brings several resources to Fort Lauderdale truck accident cases that reflect this commitment.
- The firm advances all investigation and litigation costs, often $5,000 to $20,000 per case, with no out-of-pocket expense to you
- Both founding attorneys tried cases as prosecutors before co-founding the firm, and Mark Miller has taken over 70 jury trials to verdict
- The Pompano Beach office at 1600 S Federal Hwy, Suite 1101, sits minutes from Fort Lauderdale with a second location in Orlando
- All truck accident cases operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless the firm recovers compensation on your behalf
- The firm serves clients throughout Broward County, Palm Beach County, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa
An 18-wheeler crash often involves corporate defendants with large legal teams and deep resources, so having a firm that invests heavily before any recovery sends a strong signal to the other side.
What Makes Fort Lauderdale Truck Accidents More Dangerous Than Car Crashes
The sheer size and weight of commercial trucks create a category of collision unlike anything that happens between two passenger vehicles. According to NHTSA data, 5,936 people died in crashes involving large trucks across the United States in 2022, and the vast majority of those fatalities were occupants of the other, smaller vehicles.
The Physics Behind Large Truck Collisions
When a semi-truck or 18-wheeler strikes a passenger car at highway speed on I-95 or I-595, the occupants of the smaller vehicle face forces that standard safety equipment simply is not designed to absorb. Rear-end collisions, underride crashes where a car slides beneath a trailer, and jackknife incidents all produce catastrophic or fatal injuries at rates far exceeding those seen in car-on-car collisions.
Fort Lauderdale's Role as a South Florida Freight Hub
Broward County's location makes it one of South Florida's busiest zones for commercial trucking. Port Everglades processes millions of tons of cargo annually, and much of that freight moves along I-95, I-595, Federal Highway, and Sunrise Boulevard on its way to warehouses and retail destinations throughout the region.
The types of commercial vehicles involved in Fort Lauderdale truck accidents vary widely based on the roads and industries operating in the area.
- 18-wheelers and semi-trucks hauling freight along I-95 and the Florida Turnpike
- Tanker trucks carrying fuel and chemicals through Broward County corridors
- Flatbed trailers transporting construction materials to and from development sites
- Delivery trucks and box trucks serving retail and e-commerce routes in Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods
- Dump trucks and concrete mixers operating near residential and commercial construction zones
Tourist traffic heading to Fort Lauderdale Beach, Las Olas Boulevard, and the city's downtown core mixes directly with these heavy vehicles at many of the same intersections, creating volatile conditions for all road users.
How Do Federal Trucking Regulations Strengthen a Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Claim
One of the biggest differences between a truck accident claim and a standard car crash claim is the body of federal law that governs the trucking industry. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets strict rules that commercial carriers and their drivers must follow, and violations of those rules frequently serve as powerful evidence of negligence in a Fort Lauderdale truck accident case.
Hours of Service Rules and Driver Fatigue
Under 49 CFR Part 395, the FMCSA's hours of service regulations, a property-carrying truck driver may not drive more than 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. That same driver may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty. These limits exist because the FMCSA has found that long daily and weekly hours behind the wheel contribute directly to chronic fatigue and elevated crash risk.
Despite these regulations, violations remain common. Trucking companies that pressure drivers to meet tight delivery deadlines may encourage or tolerate falsified logbooks or electronic logging device (ELD) records. Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyers examine these records closely because they often reveal whether a fatigued driver caused or contributed to a crash on Broward County roads.
Maintenance, Inspection, and Cargo Loading Standards
Federal law also requires carriers to maintain their vehicles in safe operating condition and to conduct regular inspections. Brake failures, tire blowouts, and defective lighting systems are among the most frequently cited maintenance-related causes of large truck crashes. Separate regulations govern how cargo must be loaded and secured, because an improperly distributed load may cause a truck to tip, jackknife, or lose its freight onto the highway.
Who May Be Held Liable in a Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident
Truck accident claims in Fort Lauderdale often reach beyond the driver who was behind the wheel at the time of the crash. Unlike most car accident cases, where liability typically falls on one or two individual drivers, a trucking collision may involve several parties whose actions or failures contributed to the wreck.
Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyers investigate every potential source of liability, and multiple parties frequently share responsibility for a single collision.
- The truck driver, for actions such as speeding, fatigue, distracted driving, or impaired driving
- The trucking company or motor carrier, for negligent hiring practices, inadequate training, or pressure to violate hours of service limits
- Maintenance contractors or repair shops that failed to identify or fix mechanical defects
- Cargo loading companies that improperly secured or overloaded freight
- Parts manufacturers, if a defective component like a faulty brake system or tire contributed to the collision
Identifying every responsible party matters because it directly affects the total compensation available to cover your medical costs, lost income, and other harm from a Fort Lauderdale truck accident.
What Damages May You Recover After a Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident
Injuries from commercial truck crashes tend to be more severe than those from standard car accidents, and the financial toll often reflects that difference. When you file a truck accident injury claim in Broward County, the damages you pursue depend on the specific facts of your case, the severity of your injuries, and the evidence supporting your claim.
Economic Losses from a Truck Crash in Broward County
Medical bills following a truck accident frequently reach six or seven figures. Emergency surgery, intensive care, spinal procedures, and long-term rehabilitation for traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord damage add up quickly. Lost wages from time away from work, combined with any reduction in your future earning capacity if your injuries prevent a full return to employment, also fall under the economic damages category.
Non-Economic Harm and Wrongful Death Claims
Physical pain, emotional distress, scarring, loss of enjoyment of daily life, and the impact on your closest relationships all represent non-economic damages that Florida law recognizes. These losses lack a fixed dollar value but remain a real part of what truck accident victims experience.
Fort Lauderdale truck accident claims may also involve additional categories of compensation depending on the circumstances of the collision.
- Punitive damages in cases involving extreme recklessness, such as a trucking company that knowingly allowed a fatigued driver to operate
- Wrongful death damages for surviving family members, including funeral expenses and lost financial support
- Loss of consortium claims filed by a spouse whose relationship has been affected by the injured person's condition
- Out-of-pocket costs such as transportation to medical appointments, home modifications, and assistive devices needed during recovery
The range of recoverable damages in a truck accident case often extends well beyond what a car accident claim involves, which is why thorough documentation and a detailed investigation make such a difference.
How Does the Statute of Limitations Affect Your Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Claim
Under Florida Statute § 95.11, you have two years from the date of a truck accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline applies to negligence-based injury claims throughout the state, including those arising from truck crashes in Broward County and the greater Fort Lauderdale area.
Why Acting Quickly Matters Even More in Truck Accident Cases
Truck accident cases carry an additional layer of urgency that extends beyond the two-year filing window. Trucking companies and their insurers often send rapid response teams to the crash scene within hours, working to gather evidence and build a defense before you have even left the hospital. Meanwhile, electronic data from the truck's ELD, event data recorder (also called a black box), dashcam footage, and GPS tracking logs may be overwritten or deleted if not formally preserved.
Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyers who act early send preservation letters to the trucking company and its insurer, demanding that they retain all electronically stored information and driver records. Waiting too long may mean that the strongest evidence in your case no longer exists.
Wrongful Death Filing Deadlines in Florida
If a truck accident in Broward County results in a fatality, the two-year statute of limitations for a wrongful death claim begins running from the date of death, not the date of the crash itself. This distinction carries real consequences when a victim survives for weeks or months after the initial collision before passing away from related injuries.
FAQs for Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawyers
How are truck accident cases different from car accident claims in Florida?
Truck accidents involve federal regulations from the FMCSA that do not apply to standard car crashes, and they frequently involve multiple liable parties such as the trucking company, maintenance contractors, and cargo loaders. The severity of injuries also tends to be far greater, which raises both the medical costs and the complexity of proving full damages.
Who pays for injuries in a Fort Lauderdale truck accident?
Liability may fall on several parties, including the truck driver, the motor carrier, maintenance providers, and cargo loading companies. Their respective insurance policies and assets determine the available pool of compensation, which is why identifying every responsible party early in the process matters.
How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in Broward County?
Florida's statute of limitations gives you two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. For wrongful death claims, the two-year deadline begins on the date of death. Acting early is particularly important in truck cases because electronic evidence from the vehicle may be lost if not formally preserved.
How much does it cost to hire a Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyer?
Miller & Jacobs Accident Attorneys works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no upfront costs and owe no attorney fees unless the firm recovers compensation for you. The firm also advances all case-related expenses, including the cost of retaining accident reconstructionists and other professionals.
What types of evidence matter most in a Fort Lauderdale truck accident case?
Electronic logging device records, event data recorder information from the truck's black box, dashcam and surveillance footage, driver qualification files, vehicle inspection reports, and cargo loading documentation all play a role. Much of this evidence is controlled by the trucking company and may be lost or overwritten without a timely preservation request from your attorney.
Reach Out to Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawyers at Miller & Jacobs Now
Trucking companies begin building their defense within hours of a crash, deploying rapid response teams and corporate attorneys while you are still dealing with the physical and emotional weight of your injuries. The two-year statute of limitations in Florida leaves less time than many people expect, and the electronic evidence that often makes or breaks a Fort Lauderdale truck accident claim has a limited shelf life.
Miller & Jacobs Accident Attorneys has recovered over $150 million for injured clients across South Florida, including significant results in trucking and commercial vehicle cases. Contact the firm today for a free consultation and let two former prosecutors go to work on your Fort Lauderdale truck accident claim.