After a FedEx Truck Crash, Your Family Deserves Clear Answers

FedEx Truck Accidents in Jacksonville: What Injured Families Should Know

If a FedEx or FedEx-contracted delivery truck hurt you or someone you love on a Jacksonville road, you may have a claim against the parties responsible. Florida sets filing deadlines, and the first days after a crash often decide what evidence is still available.

Whether you’re headed to a Jaguars game or stuck in traffic on I-95, a big delivery truck can change your day in seconds. Facing a trucking company’s insurer alone can feel like playing on the road with no playbook. CHG Personal Injury Lawyers is a Florida-based personal injury firm that serves people throughout Florida, including Jacksonville.

A FedEx Truck Crash in Jacksonville: What to Do in the First Days

Getting medical care comes first, and you should follow your doctors’ advice. Once you’re safe, gather the facts while they’re fresh.

Ask for the crash report number. Florida requires a Florida Traffic Crash Report, Long Form, after crashes that cause injury or complaints of pain, or that involve a commercial motor vehicle. It must be completed and submitted within 10 days after the investigation ends (Fla. Stat. § 316.066). The report also lists witness names and each party’s insurance company.

Take photos of the vehicles, the scene, and your injuries. Write down witness names and phone numbers. Keep damaged clothing and any broken parts.

Insurers often ask for a recorded statement soon after a crash. Talk with a lawyer first, so you understand your options before you speak.

Who Can Be Responsible When the Truck Carries FedEx Branding

Responsibility can reach the driver, the company that hired the driver, and others, depending on how the truck was operated. The FedEx name on the truck is only a starting point.

A FedEx-marked truck may be driven by a FedEx employee. It may also be driven by an independent contractor, a driver who works under a contract rather than as a regular employee. Details like these can matter when figuring out who may be responsible for an injury. Every crash is different, and the specific details of what happened, and who was involved, are worth reviewing carefully with a lawyer.

Other parties may also be involved. These can include the driver, the company that employed or contracted the driver, the vehicle’s owner, and any company that maintained or loaded the truck. Lawsuits may allege that a company hired or kept an unsafe driver.

Federal law can matter too. A lawyer can review the records to sort out who may be responsible.

Why Delivery Truck Crashes Happen on Jacksonville Roads

Delivery trucks share Jacksonville’s busiest roads with commuters and visitors. Lawsuits often ask whether fatigue, schedule pressure, or distraction played a role.

Traffic on I-95, I-10, I-295, and surface streets across Duval County mixes commuters, tourists, and delivery vehicles. Heavy rain and congestion can make rear-end and lane-change crashes more likely.

Federal hours rules limit how long a commercial driver can drive. A driver generally may drive up to 11 hours within a 14-hour period that starts after 10 consecutive hours off duty (49 C.F.R. § 395.3). Under 49 C.F.R. § 395.3, driving is not permitted if more than 8 hours of driving time have passed without at least a consecutive 30-minute interruption in driving status, except for drivers who qualify for either of the short-haul exceptions in § 395.1(e)(1) or (2).

Drivers must record their duty status, and no driver or company may make a false report about it (49 C.F.R. § 395.8). Lawsuits may allege that tight delivery deadlines led to speeding, skipped breaks, or long hours. Those are allegations. They must be supported by evidence.

Evidence That Can Disappear Quickly After a Truck Crash

The most useful evidence in a truck crash is often company records. An early written request helps make sure those records are kept.

Trucks and trucking companies create records such as duty-status logs, dispatch messages, GPS data, and inspection and maintenance files. Some records have federal minimum retention periods. Driver qualification files must be kept while a driver is employed and for three years after (49 C.F.R. § 391.51). Negative controlled substances test results must be kept for at least one year (49 C.F.R. § 382.401).

After certain truck crashes, federal rules require the employer to test surviving drivers for alcohol and drugs; that testing rule is in § 382.303, while § 382.401 requires the employer to maintain records of its alcohol misuse and controlled substances use prevention programs. If an alcohol test is not given within two hours, the employer must record why (49 C.F.R. § 382.303).

Keep your own evidence too. Save damaged clothing, photos, medical records, bills, and a written timeline of symptoms, appointments, and missed work.

Florida Deadlines and Fault Rules to Know

Florida sets filing deadlines, and missing one can bar a claim. Contact a lawyer promptly so no deadline slips by.

Florida’s limitations statute, Fla. Stat. § 95.11, sets time limits for many kinds of actions. It also lists a separate limit for wrongful death actions. Don’t wait for insurance talks to finish before you act. Those talks can take a long time.

Florida divides fault by percentage. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81, the court enters judgment against each liable party based on that party’s percentage of fault.

When a Jacksonville Family Loses a Loved One in a FedEx Truck Crash

Florida’s Wrongful Death Act lets surviving family members seek damages when another person’s wrongful act or negligence causes a death. Grief comes first, and the law gives families a path forward when they’re ready.

The Act is cited as the Florida Wrongful Death Act, Sections 768.16 through 768.26 (Fla. Stat. § 768.16). Under Fla. Stat. § 768.19, the responsible party is liable for damages when a death is caused by a wrongful act, negligence, default, or breach of contract or warranty, and the injured person could have sued had death not followed.

Under Fla. Stat. § 768.21, each survivor may recover the value of lost support and services. A surviving spouse may recover the loss of companionship and protection, plus mental pain and suffering. Minor children, and all children of the decedent if there is no surviving spouse, may recover lost parental companionship, instruction, and guidance, plus mental pain and suffering (adult children cannot recover these in medical negligence claims). A survivor who paid medical or funeral bills may recover them.

Keep receipts, bills, and notes about how the loss has changed daily life. Speak with a lawyer before you accept any insurer offer.

How CHG Personal Injury Lawyers Helps Injured Families in Jacksonville

CHG Personal Injury Lawyers handles truck accidents, wrongful death, and other personal injury cases for people throughout Florida, including Jacksonville. Igor Hernandez is the responsible lawyer for this page, and he is admitted to The Florida Bar. Our team supports families through each step.

Some cases may be referred to, or handled together with, another law firm. CHG charges no attorney’s fees and no case costs unless there is a recovery. The first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue.

If you’re deciding whether to speak with the trucking company’s insurer again, or wondering what your family can do after a loss, contact us for a free case evaluation at our contact page.