A lawyer who knows FMCSA
Trucking cases live and die by federal regulations — hours-of-service rules, driver qualification files, maintenance logs. We know which violations carry strict liability and which open the door to punitive damages.
Truck accident lawyers
taking on the trucking giants.
Commercial trucking crashes involve federal regulations, layered insurance policies, and corporate defendants — we know the playbook and we fight to make them answer for it.
Millions+
Recovered for Clients
5,000+
Individuals Helped
4.9
Google Rating
Federal regs. Black-box data.
Built for trucking cases.
What sets a truck accident claim apart — experience with FMCSA, evidence preservation, and the resources to take on carriers.
01
20+
Years of experience
02
$Millions+
Recovered
03
No Fee Unless We Recover
Promise
What to do after a
truck accident in South Florida.
I-95, the Florida Turnpike, and the Palmetto see thousands of commercial trucks every day. When one is involved in a crash, the evidence window is short and the legal stakes are high. The first 48 hours often decide the case.
- 01
Get medical attention immediately
Truck crashes generate forces an ordinary car cannot. Even people who initially feel fine can have internal injuries, spinal injuries, or concussions whose symptoms emerge later. Prompt ER records are also the foundation of every future claim.
- 02
Do not let the truck leave the scene
The tractor, trailer, and load contain the most important evidence in the case — from electronic logs to the engine control module (ECM). Insist on a police investigation and photograph the cab, the DOT numbers, and the load.
- 03
Send a preservation letter (we handle this)
Some trucking evidence can be overwritten or lost quickly, while federal rules require certain records, including ELD records, to be retained for specified periods. The moment we’re retained, we send a written demand requiring all evidence be preserved.
- 04
Say nothing to the trucking insurer
Commercial carriers send rapid-response teams to the scene within hours. Their job is to lock in statements that reduce your claim. Politely decline, and route every call through your lawyer.
- 05
Call a lawyer before signing anything
Truck crashes can involve catastrophic injuries, multiple defendants, and substantial insurance coverage, making the stakes much higher than in many ordinary auto claims. Signing an early release generally closes the claim, even if injuries later turn out to be more serious than expected. A free consultation costs nothing.
— Evidence disappears fast in trucking cases
Get a lawyer on it today.
Why hire a truck accident
attorney in South Florida.
A truck case is not a bigger car case. Different rules, different defendants, different insurance, and far higher stakes. Going up against a trucking carrier without counsel built for these claims is how victims end up with pennies on the dollar.
Evidence preserved before it’s lost
Black-box data, dispatch records, and dashcam footage can be overwritten quickly, while ELD records are subject to federal retention requirements. Hiring counsel early triggers a spoliation hold that locks down evidence the carrier would rather forget existed.
Every defendant identified
Trucking claims often involve the driver, the motor carrier, the load broker, the leasing company, and the maintenance shop. Each may have separate insurance coverage. Missing one defendant can leave millions on the table.
Trial-ready against corporate defendants
Trucking carriers and their insurers settle quickly with firms that file suit and try cases. We’ve litigated against the largest fleets and the carriers behind them — that reputation pays dividends in negotiation.
What damages are available
in a truck accident claim?
Commercial trucking cases can involve substantially higher liability limits than a typical auto claim, with available coverage potentially reaching into the millions depending on the carrier, vehicle, cargo, and policies involved. Done right, they cover both today’s expenses and the lifetime cost of catastrophic injury.
Economic damages
Hospital bills, ICU stays, surgeries, rehabilitation, prosthetics, medical equipment, lost wages, and lost earning capacity. Truck-crash medical totals routinely run into six and seven figures — we document every dollar.
Non-economic damages
Pain and suffering, emotional trauma, loss of consortium, and the permanent changes a catastrophic injury brings to daily life. These damages often outweigh the medical bills in serious cases.
Punitive damages
When a carrier ignores hours-of-service rules, falsifies logs, or knowingly puts a dangerous driver on the road, the facts may support a claim for punitive damages designed to punish especially serious misconduct.
How we help you
win your truck case.
A truck claim is part personal injury, part regulatory case, part corporate litigation. Our four-stage process is built for the scale, speed, and stakes these claims demand.
01
Scene & Evidence Preservation
Foundation of every truck case
We send spoliation letters within hours, retain accident reconstructionists, download the truck’s ECM (black box), and lock down driver logs, dispatch records, dashcam footage, and maintenance files before the carrier can lose them.
02
FMCSA & Regulatory Review
Building violation leverage
We audit the driver qualification file, hours-of-service logs, drug-test records, and the carrier’s safety history with FMCSA. Documented regulatory violations turn into the strongest pressure points in settlement and at trial.
03
Identifying Every Defendant
Layered policies, layered recovery
The driver, motor carrier, load broker, leasing company, maintenance contractor, and sometimes the cargo shipper may each present separate liability and insurance issues. We name every responsible party so no policy is left untouched.
04
Trial-Ready Litigation
When the offer doesn’t reflect the harm
Commercial carriers know which firms file suit. We’ve tried truck cases in South Florida courts for over two decades, and we use that trial experience to push for full value in settlement.
Carriers settle fastest with firms that take cases to trial.
Start your free case reviewMost truck crashes
trace back to negligence.
Federal trucking regulations are designed to reduce preventable crashes by setting safety standards for drivers, vehicles, and motor carriers. When a driver, carrier, or maintenance contractor cuts corners on safety rules, the result is a catastrophic crash and a clear path to liability.
01 — Cause
Driver Fatigue
Hours-of-service violations and driver fatigue can significantly increase the risk of serious truck crashes. Falsified logs and hours-of-service violations can be critical evidence in catastrophic truck-crash cases.
02 — Cause
Distracted Driving
Texting, GPS use, and dispatch apps in a 40-ton truck cause crashes that no passenger vehicle can absorb. Phone records often tell the story.
03 — Cause
Improper Loading
Overweight loads, unsecured cargo, and unbalanced trailers can cause rollovers and jackknifes — and may create liability for the shipper, broker, carrier, or other parties involved in loading and transport.
04 — Cause
Maintenance Failures
Brake failures, tire blowouts, and lighting defects from skipped DOT inspections expose the carrier and its maintenance contractor to direct liability.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety violations can be powerful evidence of negligence and, in especially serious cases, may support a claim for punitive damages.
Every kind of
truck accident case.
From owner-operator pickups to national fleets, we handle every commercial trucking case South Florida sees — including the multi-defendant claims most firms decline.
Collision Types
How a truck strikes — or rolls — shapes the injuries and the evidence. We handle every collision pattern on Florida highways.
Jackknife Crashes
When the trailer swings past the cab, often a sign of brake failure, improper loading, or excessive speed in poor weather.
Rollover Accidents
High-center-of-gravity rollovers on curves and exit ramps can involve excessive speed, driver fatigue, or load and stability issues.
Underride Collisions
Passenger vehicles trapped beneath a trailer. These crashes are often catastrophic and can turn on the design, condition, and compliance of the trailer’s rear-impact guard.
Complex Cases
Many truck claims involve multiple companies, multiple policies, and federal regulations. The strategy — and the recovery — scales accordingly.
18-Wheeler & Big-Rig
Long-haul tractor-trailers governed by federal rules. Depending on their roles and conduct, the carrier, driver, broker, and shipper may each bear responsibility for the crash.
Delivery & Box Trucks
Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and last-mile fleets. Independent-contractor arrangements try to shield the parent — we know how to pierce them.
Tanker & Hazmat Trucks
Fuel, chemical, and waste haulers. Spills can add environmental-liability issues and may trigger higher federal financial-responsibility requirements, depending on the hazardous material involved.
— No matter how complex your case is
We’re ready to help.
What are common injuries
in truck accidents?
Truck-versus-car physics produce some of the most severe injuries in personal injury law. Even at the same highway speed, a fully loaded semi can carry many times the kinetic energy of a passenger vehicle.
01 — Injury
Traumatic Brain Injury
A collision with an 80,000-pound truck can generate forces capable of causing serious head trauma, from concussion to lifelong cognitive impairment.
02 — Injury
Spinal Cord Injury
Compression fractures, herniated discs, and paralysis are common in underride and rollover crashes involving big rigs.
03 — Injury
Multiple Fractures
Pelvis, femur, ribs, and skull fractures are routine. Open fractures often require multiple surgeries and months of rehabilitation.
04 — Injury
Internal Organ Damage
Crush injuries cause internal bleeding, ruptured spleens, and lung injuries that may not present symptoms for hours after impact.
05 — Injury
Burns & Scarring
Fuel and chemical spills make truck-crash fires especially severe. Permanent scarring carries its own compensable damages.
06 — Injury
Wrongful Death
Catastrophic truck crashes are too often fatal. Under Florida's Wrongful Death Act, the personal representative may pursue damages for qualifying survivors and the estate, including damages provided by Fla. Stat. § 768.21.
What compensation
can you recover?
Federal financial responsibility requirements for interstate motor carriers vary by the operation and cargo, with required coverage ranging from $750,000 to $5 million in covered categories; some carriers carry higher limits. A correctly built truck claim accounts for both today’s bills and a lifetime of follow-up.
The bills you see today.
Immediate, calculable losses in the days and weeks after the crash.
- Emergency room and ICU costs
- Surgeries, implants, and rehabilitation
- Damaged vehicle and replacement transportation
- Lost income during recovery
The cost that lasts a lifetime.
Catastrophic truck injuries trigger losses that compound for decades — and they all belong in the claim.
- Future medical care and lifelong therapy
- Loss of earning capacity and career change costs
- Pain and suffering, emotional trauma
- Loss of consortium and support for family
Find out what your truck case could be worth.
Speak with a lawyer about recoveryHiring the right law firm can make a significant difference in the amount of compensation you receive.
Five reasons
to hire OneCallLegal.
Truck claims demand a firm with the resources, expertise, and trial record to take on carriers and their insurers head-on. That’s what we’ve built over two decades in South Florida.
- 01
Resources to take on national carriers
Trucking insurers send rapid-response teams to the scene within hours. We have the expert network, accident-reconstruction budget, and litigation resources to match every dollar they spend defending the case.
- 02
Premier medical care up-front
Catastrophic truck injuries demand specialist care — neurosurgeons, orthopedic teams, pain management. We connect clients with the right doctors at little or no out-of-pocket cost while the case is pending.
- 03
Every defendant identified
The driver, the carrier, the broker, the leasing company, the maintenance shop, sometimes the cargo shipper. We name every responsible party so no policy is left on the table.
- 04
Negotiation leverage built over decades
Carriers and their reinsurers know the firms that file suit and try cases. We use our 25-year record in South Florida courtrooms to push for full value in settlement.
- 05
No fee unless we recover compensation
We work on a contingency fee. You pay nothing up-front, and our fee is a percentage of what we recover — if we don’t recover compensation, you owe no attorney’s fees.
Find out what your truck case is really worth.
Request a free consultationInsurance Impact
How insurance can
impact your truck claim.
Commercial trucking carriers send rapid-response teams to crash scenes within hours. Their job is to lock in statements, secure evidence on their terms, and pressure victims into low settlements before the full extent of injuries is known.
Federal financial responsibility requirements for interstate motor carriers vary by the operation and cargo, with required coverage ranging from $750,000 to $5 million in covered categories. Strategic representation makes sure that coverage is fully unlocked — not waived away in an early release.
$5M
Common policy ceiling
Hours
To act on evidence
All
Communication
How long do you have
to file a claim?
In Florida, many truck accident injury claims based on negligence are subject to a two-year statute of limitations under Fla. Stat. § 95.11, but the applicable deadline can vary depending on the claims and circumstances.
The practical deadline in a truck case is much shorter. Federal rules generally require motor carriers to retain ELD records of duty status and supporting documents for six months. ECM data may be overwritten or altered after a crash, depending on the vehicle and system, making prompt preservation important. Dashcam footage can be overwritten or deleted quickly, depending on the system and retention policy. Hiring counsel within the first week is what locks down the evidence that wins the case.
2yr
Statute of limitations
Days
ECM data window
Now
Best time to call
David Stuart Seltzer
Managing Partner
Millions+ recovered for truck-crash clients.
— A 25-year track record
Why choose OneCallLegal
for your truck accident lawyer.
— Resources to win. Reputation to settle.
Trucking carriers and their insurers are not afraid of unprepared firms. They are afraid of firms that file suit, try cases, and know FMCSA inside and out. Four reasons clients trust us with the most serious crashes of their lives.
- 01
FMCSA & Trucking Expertise
Deep familiarity with federal trucking regulations and carrier playbooks.
- 02
Resources To Match The Carrier
Accident reconstructionists, medical experts, and litigation budget on day one.
- 03
No Fee Unless We Recover
You don’t pay attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you.
- 04
Trial Record, Not Just Settlement
A documented record of taking truck cases to verdict when carriers refuse fairness.
Speak with a truck
accident lawyer today.
Have you or a family member been hit by a commercial truck in South Florida?
Contact our team for immediate legal assistance and evidence preservation. You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and the long-term cost of catastrophic injury. The clock on critical trucking evidence is already running.
The consultation is free. We come to the hospital, your home, or wherever works for you. Call now — before the carrier’s investigators get there first.
Free
Consultation
No
Obligation
24 / 7
Available
Frequently asked
questions.
Plain-English answers to the questions truck-crash clients ask most often in their first call with us. If yours isn’t here, the consultation is free.
Our truck accident cases are handled on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing up-front, and we only collect a fee if we recover compensation for you. The initial consultation is free.
Truck cases can involve federal regulations (FMCSA), substantial commercial insurance coverage, multiple potential defendants (driver, carrier, broker, maintenance shop), and unique evidence like ECM data and ELD records that must be preserved promptly. They demand a different playbook and far more resources than a typical auto claim.
Liability often extends well beyond the driver. Common defendants include the motor carrier, the load broker, the leasing company, the maintenance contractor, and in some cases the cargo shipper. Potential defendants may have separate insurance coverage, which is why identifying every responsible party matters.
Many negligence-based truck accident claims are subject to a two-year statute of limitations under Fla. Stat. § 95.11, but the applicable deadline can vary depending on the claims and circumstances. Critical trucking evidence, including ECM data and dashcam footage, can be lost quickly; driver logs and ELD records may be subject to separate retention requirements. Acting quickly is essential.
Carriers often try to use independent-contractor arrangements to shield themselves from liability. Depending on the relationship and conduct involved, a motor carrier may still face liability even when the driver is labeled an independent contractor.
Bring any documents you have related to the crash. We’ll work with the police and trucking company to obtain everything else.
- Police reports & crash exchange
- Medical records & bills
- Photos of vehicles & scene
- Insurance information
— Still have questions?
Speak directly with a truck-accident attorney. Your consultation is free.
We also handle
these cases.
Many of our truck-crash clients have claims that overlap other practice areas. We handle them all in-house, so your case never gets handed off.
Car Accidents
Crashes involving passenger vehicles across South Florida.
Learn more
Motorcycle Accidents
Defending riders against bias and aggressive insurers.
Learn more
Slip & Fall
Premises liability against negligent property owners.
Learn more
Pedestrian Accidents
Crosswalk and intersection cases — often catastrophic.
Learn more