Hurt in a FedEx Truck Crash in Sweetwater? You Don't Have to Figure It Out Alone

FedEx Truck Accidents in Sweetwater, FL: What Injured People and Families Should Know

If a FedEx truck crash hurt you or someone you love in Sweetwater, you may have a claim for your losses. Florida sets firm deadlines, so early steps matter. This page offers general information to help you understand the steps many people consider after an injury.

Facing a delivery company and its insurer alone can feel like trying to stop the Miami Dolphins’ offense with a pickup-game defense. You don’t have to do it alone.

What Should You Do First After a FedEx Truck Crash in Sweetwater?

Get medical care right away, even if you feel fine. Some injuries, including brain injuries, can show up hours or days later. Follow your doctors’ care and keep every bill, record, and appointment note.

Then protect the evidence:

• Call 911 and make sure a police report is made. Write down the report number and the officer’s name.
• Note the FedEx or contractor name, the truck number, and the USDOT number on the truck’s cab.
• Take photos of the scene, the vehicle damage, the road, and your injuries.
• Collect names and phone numbers of witnesses.
• Save dashcam footage, phone photos, and any work or ride records.

Avoid posting about the crash on social media. Short comments can be taken out of context. Talk with our team before you give a recorded statement to any insurance company.

Why Can a FedEx Truck Crash Involve More Than One Company?

A FedEx truck crash can involve several businesses because deliveries often run through more than one company. The driver, the company that employs or contracts that driver, and the company that owns or maintains the truck may all be different.

Florida law makes commercial truck operators follow federal safety rules. Owners and drivers of commercial motor vehicles on Florida highways in interstate commerce must follow the federal rules in 49 C.F.R. parts 382-386 and 390-397 (Fla. Stat. § 316.302).

Those rules create records that can matter a great deal. Trucking companies must keep a driver qualification file for each driver they employ (49 C.F.R. § 391.51). Companies must also require drivers to log their duty status for each 24-hour period, except for a private motor carrier of passengers (nonbusiness) (49 C.F.R. § 395.8). After certain serious truck crashes, federal rules also require alcohol and drug testing of surviving drivers (49 C.F.R. § 382.303).

Some records have short retention periods. Companies must keep daily driver inspection reports for three months from the date the written report was prepared, but the rules in this section 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 (49 C.F.R. § 396.11). That is one reason prompt contact matters.

Who May Be Responsible for a FedEx Truck Accident?

Several parties may be responsible, and the answer depends on the facts. These can include the driver, the employer or contractor, and the owner or maintenance provider of the truck.

Claims may also look at how the load was secured, how routes or delivery schedules were set, and how drivers were trained and supervised. In a Florida negligence case, the court enters judgment against each liable party based on that party’s percentage of fault, not on joint and several liability (Fla. Stat. § 768.81).

Delivery chains can also include brokers.

Insurance for commercial trucks often differs from a personal auto policy. That is why the coverage question should be reviewed early.

What Are the Roads Like Around Sweetwater?

FedEx truck accidents in Sweetwater often happen on busy commuter roads in western Miami-Dade County. Tamiami Trail (US-41) and the Dolphin Expressway (SR 836) carry heavy traffic, including commuters and delivery vehicles.

Crashes often happen during lane changes, merges, and busy intersections. Large trucks have big blind spots and need much more distance to stop.

If you were hurt near SW 8th Street or NW 107th Avenue, note the exact intersection and your direction of travel. Tell the officer, too. Ask for your crash report. Florida law requires the long-form report to be completed and submitted within 10 days after the investigation is finished. The parties involved and their legal representatives can access it (Fla. Stat. § 316.066).

What Should a Family Know About a Fatal FedEx Truck Crash?

When a FedEx truck crash takes a life, Florida law allows the family to bring a wrongful death claim. The claim is brought by the decedent’s personal representative, the person appointed to manage the loved one’s estate. That person recovers for the survivors and the estate (Fla. Stat. § 768.20).

Florida law also sets out who may recover and for what. Each parent of a deceased minor child may recover for mental pain and suffering (Fla. Stat. § 768.21).

Families can keep the crash report, funeral and medical bills, and records of the loved one’s role at home and at work. Grief comes first. You can take time before you make any decisions.

What Are Florida’s Deadlines and Fault Rules?

Under Florida law, actions other than for recovery of real property must be commenced within the time periods listed in Fla. Stat. § 95.11, which vary by type of action. Deadlines are strict, so act promptly after a crash.

Florida also uses a shared-fault rule. In a negligence action to which this section applies, a person found more than 50 percent at fault for their own harm may not recover any damages, except in an action for personal injury or wrongful death arising out of medical negligence under chapter 766 (Fla. Stat. § 768.81). Fault can be split among several parties, so every fact about how the crash happened matters.

What Injuries Can Large Truck Crashes Cause?

Large truck crashes can cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, amputations, severe burns, and serious back and neck injuries. These are catastrophic injuries that can change a life.

Some people need lifelong medical care, rehabilitation, and equipment such as wheelchairs or prosthetics. These needs can affect work, income, and daily family life.

Medical bills, future care needs, lost income, and the effect on family life are all part of a catastrophic injury claim. Keep copies of every treatment plan, report, and receipt.

Talk With CHG Personal Injury Lawyers About Your FedEx Truck Crash

CHG Personal Injury Lawyers is a Florida personal injury firm. It handles car, truck, and other accident cases for people throughout Florida.

Igor Hernandez is the responsible attorney for this page. Our lawyers are admitted to The Florida Bar, and our team works with injured people and families from first contact onward. Your 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.

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