Hurt in a Truck Crash in Fort Lauderdale? Here Is What to Do Next

Truck accidents in Fort Lauderdale can cause serious injuries and lasting losses. Getting medical care and keeping a clear record of what happened are steps many people take after an accident. Evidence in a truck case can disappear quickly, so timing matters.

Whether you’re driving along Las Olas Boulevard or stuck behind a loaded trailer on I-95, you share the road with some of the largest vehicles on it. This guide explains the next steps in plain language.

What Should You Do First After a Truck Crash in Fort Lauderdale?

Get medical care first, then start a simple record of the crash while the details are fresh. Your health comes before everything else on this list.

Some injuries don’t show their full effects for hours or days. Follow your doctors’ care, keep every appointment, and save every bill, receipt, and visit summary. Those records matter for insurance too.

If you can do so safely, take photos of both vehicles, the truck’s company name and markings, road conditions, and any signs or skid marks. Write down the names and phone numbers of witnesses while you still remember them.

Keep a short daily journal of pain, missed work, and tasks you can’t do. Small details add up over time.

Be careful with the trucking company’s insurer. Going up against an insurance team by yourself can feel like crossing a busy road without a crosswalk. Talk with a lawyer before you give a recorded statement or post about the crash online.

Where Do Truck Crashes Happen Around Fort Lauderdale?

Truck crashes around Fort Lauderdale often happen on the freight routes that run through Broward County. Interstate 95 and Interstate 595 carry heavy traffic through the county every day.

Florida’s Turnpike, U.S. 1, Broward Boulevard, and Sunrise Boulevard are also common routes for commercial trucks and local deliveries. Freight tied to Port Everglades and nearby distribution centers adds truck traffic near homes and businesses.

Merging lanes, heavy congestion, and construction zones leave less room for error. A truck driver’s mistake in those conditions can seriously hurt people in passenger cars, on motorcycles, or on foot. Knowing the route helps you explain where your crash happened, and that detail matters when the report is reviewed.

How Do You Get a Florida Crash Report?

See Fla. Stat. § 316.066.

The same statute makes crash reports available to the people involved, their legal representatives, their licensed insurance agents, and their insurers. Ask for your copy as early as you can.

The report lists names, vehicles, insurers, and witnesses. That helps you and your family keep track of the facts. A report is a record of the investigation, though. It is not the final word on who was at fault. If you spot an error, raise it promptly.

Who Can Be Responsible for a Fort Lauderdale Truck Crash?

The truck driver, the trucking company, and sometimes other businesses can share responsibility, depending on the facts. Each one may be linked to a different part of the crash.

• The driver, if fatigue, distraction, speeding, or an unsafe lane change played a role.
• The trucking company, if the claim involves how it hired, trained, dispatched, or supervised the driver.
• The vehicle owner or maintenance company, if brakes, tires, or other equipment problems are alleged.
• Brokers and shippers, if cargo loading or the choice of carrier is alleged to have contributed.

Courts may examine who selected the carrier when deciding whether a claim against a broker or shipper can proceed under federal law.

What Evidence Can Disappear After a Truck Crash?

Records from the truck and the trucking company are often the most important evidence. They can be lost if no one asks for them to be kept.

• 49 C.F.R. § 395.8 shows the requirement. 49 C.F.R. § 395.8 shows the requirement. These logs can show where the driver was and when.
• 49 C.F.R. § 379.7 covers this. Electronic files still need to be requested and saved.
• Dispatch, fuel, and maintenance records. These can show what the truck was doing and how it was kept.
• Once they’re gone, they’re often hard to recover.

A written preservation request asks the trucking company and its insurer to keep these records. Sending it early helps protect the evidence that may matter most.

What Happens in a Florida Hit-and-Run Crash?

Florida law requires a driver in a crash to stop at the scene and stay until the required steps are done. Leaving the scene carries serious criminal penalties, and those penalties depend on the harm caused. See Fla. Stat. § 316.027.

If a crash causes an injury that is not serious bodily injury, a person who willfully leaves the scene commits a third-degree felony. If a crash causes a death, a person who willfully leaves the scene commits a first-degree felony. That person must also receive a mandatory minimum of 4 years in prison, unless the defendant moves to depart and the court finds that a factor, consideration, or circumstance clearly demonstrates that imposing the mandatory minimum would constitute or result in an injustice; that motion is not allowed if the violation was committed while driving under the influence.

The criminal case and your injury claim are separate questions. A criminal case does not decide your civil claim.

If the truck driver can’t be found, your own uninsured motorist coverage may matter. Florida law ties those limits to the bodily injury limits you buy. See Fla. Stat. § 627.727.

Report the crash to police right away. Write down what you remember about the truck, including the company name, unit number, and license plate.

What Are Florida’s Deadlines for Truck Crash Claims?

For most negligence claims that accrued after March 24, 2023, Florida generally gives two years to file a lawsuit. Actions other than for recovery of real property must be started within the time periods set out in Fla. Stat. § 95.11. Other deadlines can apply depending on the claim and who is being sued.

Florida also uses a shared-blame rule. See Fla. Stat. § 768.81(6). Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81(3), in a negligence action the court enters judgment against each liable party based on that party’s percentage of fault, not on joint and several liability.

Insurance adjusters may suggest a quick settlement. Before you sign anything, talk with a lawyer about what a release covers.

Deadlines apply to every claim, so contact a lawyer promptly. Waiting for treatment to end or for paperwork to arrive can use up time you need.

What Should a Family Know After a Fatal Truck Crash in Fort Lauderdale?

Florida’s Wrongful Death Act lets certain family members and the estate bring a claim when another person’s wrongful act causes a death. In Florida, the wrongful death statutes run from section 768.16 through section 768.26, and together they may be cited as the “Florida Wrongful Death Act” (Fla. Stat. § 768.16).

Under Fla. Stat. § 768.19, the party who would have been liable if the death had not happened can be liable under the Act. Florida law also lists the damages survivors may seek.

Section 768.19 makes the liable party liable for damages as specified in this act; the surviving spouse’s recovery for loss of companionship and protection, and for mental pain and suffering, is listed in Fla. Stat. § 768.21. Section 768.19 makes the liable party liable for damages as specified in this act; under Fla. Stat. § 768.21, minor children, and all children if there is no surviving spouse, may recover for lost parental companionship, instruction, and guidance. Each parent of a deceased minor child may recover for mental pain and suffering. A survivor who paid medical or funeral expenses may recover them. See Fla. Stat. § 768.21.

Families often face funeral plans, lost income, and questions about the investigation all at once. A lawyer can handle the legal details so you can focus on one another.

What Are Catastrophic Injuries From Truck Crashes?

Truck crashes can cause catastrophic injuries that change daily life for years. These include spinal cord injuries, paralysis, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, and severe burns.

Florida law describes serious bodily injury as a physical condition that creates a substantial risk of death, serious personal disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of a bodily member or organ. See Fla. Stat. § 316.027, which defines ‘serious bodily injury’ as an injury to a person, including the driver, which consists of a physical condition that creates a substantial risk of death, serious personal disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ.

Long-term care, rehabilitation, adaptive equipment, and home changes can become part of recovery planning. Your medical team decides your treatment. A lawyer can help you understand the legal side of your claim.

For more on these injuries, read our catastrophic truck accident injuries page.

How Can CHG Personal Injury Lawyers Help After a Truck Crash?

CHG Personal Injury Lawyers is a Florida-based firm. It represents people hurt in accidents throughout Florida. Igor Hernandez is the responsible lawyer for this page. The firm’s lawyers are licensed attorneys admitted to The Florida Bar.

The firm offers a free, confidential initial consultation with no obligation to continue. CHG charges no attorney’s fees and no case costs unless there is a recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions