Hurt in a Truck Crash? You Do Not Have to Face the Next Steps Alone

Truck accidents in Hollywood can change a family’s life in seconds. If a truck hurt you or someone you love, you may have a claim against the people or companies responsible. Florida law sets clear rules and deadlines for these claims. This page explains who may be responsible, which injuries are most serious, and what to do next.

Why Truck Crashes on Hollywood Roads Can Cause Serious Injuries

Truck crashes cause serious injuries because a loaded truck is far heavier than the cars around it. The people in smaller vehicles, on motorcycles, or on foot usually take the force of the impact.

Picture a steady drive down Hollywood Boulevard. Traffic slows ahead, a box truck brakes hard, and the car behind it has no room to stop. In a few seconds, an ordinary trip becomes an emergency.

Hollywood sits where commuter traffic meets freight. Drivers share Sheridan Street, I-95, and Florida’s Turnpike with delivery vans, dump trucks, and tractor-trailers. Every lane change near a big truck carries more risk.

A truck can look only dented while a person inside a car is badly hurt. Some injuries are not obvious at the scene. Get checked by a doctor even if you feel only shaken.

Stroll the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk on a summer evening and you’ll see how busy our roads get. The same traffic that fills the Broadwalk fills the roads that lead to it.

Who Can Be Responsible After a Truck Accident in Florida

More than one person or company can share responsibility after a truck crash. The driver is only one possible party. Others may include the trucking company or employer, the vehicle owner, a maintenance company, a company that loaded the cargo, and a broker who chose the carrier.

Clooney v. Geeting is one Florida case that applies this principle. Employers can also face claims in some cases for hiring or keeping an unfit driver.

Federal trucking rules set limits that investigators often compare against. A driver may not drive after 14 consecutive hours that follow 10 consecutive hours off duty (49 C.F.R. § 395.3). Loads must be secured so they do not leak, spill, blow or fall from the vehicle on public roads, and cargo must be secured to prevent shifting to such an extent that the vehicle’s stability or maneuverability is adversely affected (49 C.F.R. § 393.100).

In May 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II that a state-law claim against a broker for negligently hiring an unsafe carrier was not preempted by federal law. Amazon and FedEx delivery trucks raise the same questions: who employed the driver, who owned the truck, and who maintained it. Read more about Amazon truck accidents and FedEx truck accidents.

Catastrophic Injuries That Follow Serious Truck Crashes

Serious truck crashes can cause catastrophic injuries that change daily life for years. These injuries are severe, often lasting, and can limit work and family roles.

Spinal cord injuries can lead to paralysis, including paraplegia (loss of movement in the legs) and quadriplegia (loss of movement in the arms and legs). Traumatic brain injuries can change how a person thinks, speaks, and works. Amputation and limb loss change how a person moves and earns a living.

Severe burns can require many procedures and a long recovery. Serious back and neck injuries can cause ongoing pain and limit movement. Each person’s needs are different.

A claim should account for future care, medical equipment, home changes, and lost income, not only the bills received so far. Medical decisions belong to you and your doctors. Follow the care plan your doctors give you, and keep every record.

When a Truck Crash in Hollywood Is Fatal: What Families Can Do

When a truck crash causes a death, Florida law allows certain family members to seek damages. The claim is brought by the decedent’s personal representative, for the benefit of the survivors and the estate (Fla. Stat. § 768.20).

Florida law sets out the losses families can pursue. A surviving spouse may recover for loss of the decedent’s companionship and protection, and for mental pain and suffering from the date of injury. Minor children may recover for lost parental companionship, instruction, and guidance. Each parent of a deceased minor child may recover for mental pain and suffering. Survivors may also recover lost support and services (Fla. Stat. § 768.21).

Behind every claim is a person your family misses every day. Families can protect their options by keeping the crash report, medical and funeral bills, and records of the person’s work and daily life. Deadlines apply, so speak with a lawyer promptly.

What to Do After a Truck Accident in Hollywood

Right after a truck accident, your first steps are your safety, medical care, and the official record. Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Then take these steps in order:

1. Get medical care, even if you feel you only have minor pain.
2. Photograph the scene, the vehicle damage, and the road conditions.
3. Write down witness names and phone numbers.
4. Note the truck’s company name, unit number, and plate number.
5. Request the crash report from the responding law enforcement agency.

Florida requires a long-form crash report when a crash results in death, personal injury, or any indication of complaints of pain or discomfort; involves a violation of s. 316.061(1) or s. 316.193; renders a vehicle inoperable to a degree that required a wrecker to remove it from the scene of the crash; or involves a commercial motor vehicle. The report must be submitted within 10 days after the investigation is completed (Fla. Stat. § 316.066). Parties and their legal representatives can access it, but privacy limits protect certain personal details.

Federal rules also require a trucking employer to test surviving drivers for alcohol soon after certain crashes, including crashes that cause a loss of life (49 C.F.R. § 382.303). Before you give a recorded statement to any insurer or trucking company, talk with a lawyer first.

Florida Deadlines and How Fault Works in a Truck Accident Claim

Florida law generally requires that an action founded on negligence be commenced within two years (Fla. Stat. § 95.11). Other deadlines can apply depending on the facts, so don’t wait to get advice.

Florida uses a modified comparative negligence rule. In a negligence action, any party found greater than 50 percent at fault for his or her own harm may not recover any damages. Each liable party pays its own percentage of fault (Fla. Stat. § 768.81). Insurers and trucking companies often start their investigations quickly. A trucking company must keep its driver vehicle inspection reports, certification of repairs, and certification of the driver’s review for three months from the date the written report was prepared (49 C.F.R. § 396.11), except that these rules do not apply to a private motor carrier of passengers (nonbusiness), a driveaway-towaway operation, or any motor carrier operating only one commercial motor vehicle, so early requests matter.

How Our Firm Works With Injured People and Families in Hollywood and Throughout Florida

CHG Personal Injury Lawyers is a Florida-based firm. It focuses on car, truck, and other personal injury cases for people across Florida, including Hollywood and Broward County. The firm also handles catastrophic injury and wrongful death matters.

Igor Hernandez, one of our lawyers, is the responsible lawyer for this page. He is admitted to The Florida Bar. Our lawyers and our team handle the investigation, communication with insurers, and coordination with medical providers. When a case calls for it, the firm may handle it together with another law firm, or refer it to one.

No lawyer can promise a particular result in any case. Our role is to explain your options clearly and to act on your behalf.

Get a Free Consultation After a Truck Crash in Hollywood

Maybe the medical bills are stacking up, the insurance adjuster keeps calling, and you’re deciding whether to talk to a lawyer now. You don’t have to sort that out alone. The first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue. CHG charges no attorney’s fees and no case costs unless there is a recovery.

Reach out through our contact page and let our team review the crash, your injuries, and your next steps with you.