Partner
Mark J. Miller
Mark's career includes insurance defense and prosecution. His background informs review of contested facts and insurer positions.
The truck may keep moving. Your recovery cannot be rushed.
Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawyer
Miller & Jacobs represents people injured in Fort Lauderdale truck and commercial vehicle crashes. We investigate the driver, business relationships, vehicle condition, and trip records while documenting the care and income losses the crash has left behind.
A delivery truck, tractor-trailer, or service vehicle can raise different evidence questions. No attorney fee unless compensation is recovered for you.
$300M+
Reported Recoveries for Injured Clients
50+ Years
Combined Legal Experience
230+
Combined Jury Trials Across Their Careers
Former Prosecutors
Experienced Trial Attorneys
Identify the operation
The markings on the truck are a starting point.
A name on the cab may differ from the trailer owner, operating carrier, or business receiving the delivery. Save identifying details if it is safe, and let us assess how the companies fit together.
Cab and trailer
Keep photographs of plates, the USDOT number, company names, and the trailer. Do not approach moving equipment or enter a restricted area to get them.
Route and stop
Note direction, nearest exit, terminal or loading entrance, and the time. A collision on I-595 and a backing incident at a delivery dock may involve different records.
Your immediate concern
Tell us about care, work restrictions, vehicle storage, and calls from insurers. We can explain what needs attention while the larger investigation is organized.
Fort Lauderdale freight and delivery settings
A port-related trip may leave records away from the road.
Port Everglades handles cargo as well as cruise activity. Its official cargo information provides that local context. A particular truck's connection to the port still needs evidence.
Gate or terminal activity
If the truck was arriving at or leaving a terminal, timing, appointment, dispatch, and gate records may help trace the trip. We identify which entity holds them.
A city delivery entrance
At a hotel, shop, or service location, keep the exact driveway or loading area. Business cameras and delivery records may address a turn or backing movement.
The police file
For an FLPD-investigated crash, the records unit explains available report requests. Use a different agency's process when that agency investigated.
Before repairs and record changes
Preservation should reach each source of the trip's evidence.
We assess whether the truck, your vehicle, electronic systems, and business records need to be preserved or inspected. A police report alone may not include this material.
Physical evidence
The vehicles and components
Damage, brakes, tires, coupling equipment, or cargo restraints may warrant expert inspection. The investigation depends on the alleged cause, not a standard list for every crash.
Business records
Duty and operating records
Driving logs, dispatch messages, maintenance records, and delivery documents may answer different questions. We do not assume every local vehicle is subject to every federal rule.
Electronic evidence
Camera and electronic data
An ELD records duty-related information and is not required to record speed or braking. FMCSA explains its functions; other systems may hold driving data.
Covered duty-status records generally have a six-month federal retention minimum. Video may have a different schedule, so preservation needs prompt review.
Life after the injury
The truck went back to work. You are still waiting to learn when you can.
The commercial schedule and your medical recovery run on different clocks. Tell us what the crash has interrupted. We can assess the evidence needs without expecting you to manage every company and adjuster yourself.
The losses the investigation must explain
A truck injury can reach beyond the next missed shift.
We document current bills and income loss while assessing medically supported future limitations. A claim's value depends on fault, proof, coverage, and collection issues.
Treatment and future assistance
Keep follow-up, rehabilitation, and care recommendations. If a spinal injury affects access or assistance at home, those needs require separate attention.
Hourly, seasonal, or contract income
Schedules, tax records, canceled work, and restrictions can help show the income effect. Lost revenue is not necessarily lost profit.
The responsible businesses
We assess the driver's conduct, the operating carrier's duties, and any supported loading or maintenance issue. Company names alone do not prove liability.
The Fort Lauderdale injury hub explains how different harms fit within the firm's practice. If only a passenger vehicle is involved, see our car crash guidance.
A free consultation
Tell us which part of the truck claim is pressing today.
The tow notice, the calls, the missed work, or the medical uncertainty can be the starting point. Our consultation is free, with no attorney fee unless compensation is recovered.
Before selecting a legal path
We investigate the cause before choosing the claim.
A commercial crash may involve several theories, but each must be supported by the facts.
01
Driving decisions
We compare accounts with the trip records, sight lines, and physical evidence. A wide turn or lane change needs its own sequence.
02
Business decisions
We examine the working relationship, safety practices, and control over the trip. A contractor label does not complete that inquiry.
03
Vehicle or cargo issues
If a defect, loading problem, or repair contributed, we investigate who handled that work and what the evidence supports.
Negligence suits generally allow two years under section 95.11. Check the exact deadline.
Miller & Jacobs
Meet the partners investigating the commercial claim.
Mark J. Miller and Rick S. Jacobs are Partners at Miller & Jacobs. Both formerly served as prosecutors. Their biographies provide the professional background behind the firm's investigation and trial work, without promising a particular result.
Partner
Rick S. Jacobs
Rick served as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County before private practice. His biography describes his courtroom experience.
Our South Florida office is at 1600 S Federal Highway, Suite 1101, Pompano Beach, FL 33062. Call 954-465-8733 before visiting.
Before your next decision
Questions after a Fort Lauderdale commercial crash
Does a port logo prove which company is responsible?
No. Branding is a lead for the investigation. We examine who operated the vehicle, controlled the trip, and contributed to the alleged failure.
What if the collision happened outside the port gate?
The exact place and driving sequence matter. A trip's connection to a terminal may point to records, but it does not establish that the port or terminal caused the crash.
Can we get data if the truck has already been repaired?
Some records may still exist, although changes to the vehicle can limit inspection. Tell us when and where repairs occurred so we can assess remaining sources.
The trucking insurer contacted me immediately. Must I give a statement?
Ask a lawyer to review the request and applicable obligations, including obligations to your own insurer. Keep the contact details and any recording or written request you already received.
Can fault shared with another driver affect the claim?
Yes. Applicable shared-fault rules can reduce recovery and bar it when your fault exceeds 50%. We examine the evidence behind the allegation.
Will the first call require all of the trucking records?
No. Start with the crash location, date, truck details you have, injuries, and insurer contacts. We can explain which missing records may matter and how they could be obtained.
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