Injured in a FedEx Truck Crash in Fort Lauderdale? You Don't Have to Sort It Out Alone

FedEx Truck Accidents Fort Lauderdale | CHG Law

If a FedEx Truck Hit You or Someone You Love in Fort Lauderdale

If a FedEx truck hurt you or a family member, you may have a claim. The claim may be against the people responsible for the crash. That can include the driver, the company that employed or hired the driver, and others whose actions helped cause it.

Many people in this position face hospital bills and missed paychecks. They also get calls from insurance adjusters. Often this happens before they understand their options.

This guide covers the steps, evidence, and deadlines that matter in Florida. It is general education, not medical advice. Please follow your doctors’ care. A claim does not change your treatment plan. Every crash is different, so the facts matter.

CHG Personal Injury Lawyers is a Florida-based personal injury firm. It handles cases of every severity. That includes everyday car accidents, catastrophic injuries, and wrongful death. The firm serves clients throughout Florida.

Anyone who has sat in Broward traffic on I-95 knows how fast a commute can change. A crash with a large truck can change everything in a moment. Insurers often call early. It helps to know what you can say before you say it.

Where FedEx Truck Accidents Happen in Fort Lauderdale and Broward County

FedEx truck crashes in Fort Lauderdale tend to happen on busy roads. These roads carry commercial traffic every day.

Local news reports have described FedEx trucks in crashes on I-95 at Commercial Boulevard. They have also described crashes on the Florida Turnpike near Interstate 595. Okeechobee Boulevard is another corridor where delivery trucks and passenger cars share lanes.

The crash location matters because it shapes the paperwork. Under Fla. Stat. § 316.066, a Florida Traffic Crash Report, Long Form, must be submitted for a motor vehicle crash that resulted in death of, personal injury to, or any indication of complaints of pain or discomfort by any of the parties or passengers involved in the crash, or that involved a commercial motor vehicle. It is due within 10 days after the investigating officer finishes the investigation. This applies to crashes that resulted in death, personal injury, or any indication of complaints of pain or discomfort, among other listed crashes.

Write down the report number and the agency that responded.

The location also affects what else can be found. Nearby cameras, roadway records, and witness accounts can help rebuild what happened. The sooner you identify these sources, the better.

Who May Be Responsible After a FedEx Truck Accident?

More than one party can be responsible after a FedEx truck crash. The driver may share fault. So may the company that employed or hired the driver. Parties who owned, maintained, or loaded the truck may also be part of the picture.

Who is responsible depends on the facts. Those facts include who employed the driver, who owned the vehicle, and how the crash happened.

Federal court decisions also shape these claims. Each claim needs its own review.

Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81, in a negligence action, a court enters judgment against each party liable on the basis of that party’s percentage of fault and not on the basis of the doctrine of joint and several liability. The judgment is based on that party’s percentage of fault.

Defendants may try to blame someone who is not in the lawsuit. If they do, the defendant must affirmatively plead the nonparty’s fault and identify that nonparty, as Fla. Stat. § 768.81(3)(a) requires. They must also prove that person’s fault at trial.

Evidence That Can Disappear Faster Than You Think

Digital truck records are often the most important evidence after a crash. They can be lost if no one asks for them early.

Many large trucks use electronic logging devices. These devices record driving hours and other trip details. Under federal electronic logging rules, the device automatically records the date, time, CMV geographic location, engine hours, vehicle miles, driver or authenticated user identification, vehicle identification, and motor carrier identification.

Driver duty records also matter. Under 49 CFR 395.8, each change of duty status must name the city, town, or village where it happened.

Testing timelines matter too. Under 49 CFR 382.303, the employer must test surviving drivers after certain crashes. If an alcohol test is not given within eight hours, the employer must stop trying. The employer must also keep a record of why. Controlled-substance testing has a 32-hour window.

Dispatch messages and dashcam video are not always kept forever. Federal rules allow records to be kept by any technology that accurately reflects all of the information and remains accessible in a form that can be accurately reproduced later for reference, per 49 CFR 379.7. A request should name the specific data you need.

Start with these steps:

• Take photos of the scene, the vehicles, and your injuries.
• Collect names and phone numbers of witnesses.
• Keep the police report number.
• Save every medical record and bill.

A lawyer can send a written preservation request. This is a formal demand that the trucking company and its insurer keep the evidence. Many people also talk with a lawyer before giving a recorded statement to any insurer.

Florida Deadlines and Fault Rules That Apply

Florida sets filing deadlines for these claims. They apply to every case. The time limits appear in Fla. Stat. § 95.11. That statute also covers wrongful death actions.

Missing a deadline can bar a claim. Contact a lawyer promptly. Do not wait.

Florida also uses a comparative fault rule. Comparative fault means each person’s share of blame is compared. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81, in a negligence action, a party found greater than 50 percent at fault for their own harm may not recover any damages. This rule does not apply to an action for damages for personal injury or wrongful death arising out of medical negligence pursuant to chapter 766. The section also does not apply to certain other actions, including actions to recover actual economic damages resulting from pollution and actions based upon an intentional tort. How that rule applies depends on the facts of each case.

Federal trucking rules on driver logs and post-crash testing, described above, are often reviewed as part of a claim.

Catastrophic Injuries and Families Left Behind

Some FedEx truck crashes cause injuries that change a person’s life for years. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, amputation, severe burns, and serious back and neck injuries are among the most serious harms. These injuries often need long-term care. That care can be costly.

When a crash causes a death, the family may bring a claim. This is called a wrongful death claim. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.19, the person who would have been liable if death had not followed can be liable for damages under the wrongful death law.

Under Fla. Stat. § 768.21, a surviving spouse may recover for loss of companionship and protection. The spouse may also recover mental pain and suffering.

Each parent of a deceased minor child may recover for mental pain and suffering. A survivor who paid medical or funeral bills may recover those costs.

Medical bills raise their own questions. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.0427, evidence of medical treatment already satisfied is limited. It is limited to the amount actually paid, no matter who paid it.

Keep every bill, insurer letter, and payment record in one place.

Follow the care plan your doctors set. A claim runs alongside your treatment. It does not replace that treatment.

Talk With CHG Personal Injury Lawyers About Your FedEx Truck Crash

CHG Personal Injury Lawyers is a Florida-based firm. It represents clients throughout Florida, including Fort Lauderdale and Broward County. Igor Hernandez is the responsible lawyer for this page. The firm’s lawyers are admitted to The Florida Bar.

The first consultation is free. It is confidential and comes with no obligation to continue. CHG charges no attorney’s fees and no case costs unless there is a recovery.

If a FedEx truck crash has left you facing hospital bills, missed work, or a family loss, contact CHG Personal Injury Lawyers now. Your evidence and deadlines can be reviewed while there is still time.

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