Hurt in a FedEx Truck Crash? You Do Not Have to Face the Insurers Alone

When a FedEx Truck Crash Turns Your Day Upside Down

If a FedEx delivery truck hurt you or someone you love, you may have legal options under Florida law. This guide on FedEx truck accidents in The Hammocks explains the first steps, who may be responsible, and Florida’s filing deadlines in plain language. It is also available in Spanish.

Crashes with delivery trucks happen on busy roads and quiet residential streets alike. In The Hammocks and across southwest Miami-Dade, a large truck may turn into a neighborhood lane or back up near a sidewalk. Many injuries don’t show up right away. Neck pain, headaches, and back strain can grow over several days. Follow the care plan your doctors give you, even if you feel you can walk it off.

Whether you’re cheering for the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium or just getting through a long week, a crash can knock your schedule off course. Dealing with an insurance company while you recover can feel like playing a full game against a team with unlimited timeouts. You don’t have to play it alone.

What to Do in the First Hours and Days After the Crash

The first step is medical care. Getting checked out protects your health and creates a record of your injuries. Then take these steps as soon as you safely can.

Call the police and make sure a crash report is made. Florida requires a Florida Traffic Crash Report to be completed within 10 days after the investigating officer finishes an investigation of a crash involving injury or pain (Fla. Stat. § 316.066). The report lists witnesses and the insurance companies involved.

Write down the truck’s unit number, the company name on the vehicle, and the driver’s name if you can get it. Photograph the damage, skid marks, traffic signals, road conditions, and visible injuries. Collect names and phone numbers from witnesses.

Keep a simple written log of symptoms, appointments, prescriptions, missed work, and out-of-pocket costs. Be careful with recorded statements and quick settlement offers. An early offer may arrive before you know how much you’re hurt.

Why a FedEx Truck Crash Can Involve More Than One Responsible Party

More than one party may share responsibility, depending on the facts. A FedEx package may be delivered by a driver who works for a contractor rather than FedEx itself. Who employed the driver can change who may be liable.

A truck crash claim may look at several parties. These can include the driver, the company that employed or contracted the driver, the vehicle owner, and anyone responsible for maintenance or loading. Each may play a different role, so the list can change as the facts come in.

Commercial trucks also run under federal safety rules. Federal law lets the government set requirements for the qualifications and maximum hours of service of motor carrier employees, and for the safety of their equipment (49 U.S.C. § 31502). Records kept under those rules can matter in a claim.

Common Causes of FedEx Truck Crashes

Common causes examined in truck crash claims include distraction, fatigue, speeding, following too closely, unsafe lane changes, and backing maneuvers. Tight delivery schedules can add pressure to all of them. A claim examines these possibilities, but naming a cause is not a finding about any driver or company.

Fatigue is one area with clear federal rules. A property-carrying commercial driver may not drive without first taking 10 consecutive hours off duty. The driver may not drive after 14 consecutive hours following that break, and may drive only 11 hours in that window (49 CFR § 395.3). Weekly on-duty limits apply too, such as 60 hours on duty in 7 consecutive days or 70 hours on duty in 8 consecutive days, depending on whether the carrier runs trucks every day of the week.

Residential streets raise the stakes. Delivery trucks stop often on neighborhood roads, where pedestrians, cyclists, and nearby drivers share the space. In southwest Miami-Dade, road layout, traffic patterns, and visibility can all be part of the investigation.

Florida Deadlines and Rules That Shape a Truck Crash Claim

Florida sets a filing deadline, and a fault rule reduces what you recover in proportion to your own fault. You recover nothing if you are found more than 50 percent at fault for your own harm, except in a personal injury or wrongful death action arising out of medical negligence under chapter 766, to which this rule does not apply. Under Florida law, a lawsuit founded on negligence generally must be filed within two years. Wrongful death and other claims can follow different timing.

Fault matters too. Under Florida’s comparative fault law, a party found more than 50 percent at fault for his or her own harm may not recover any damages (Fla. Stat. § 768.81). Judgment is entered against each party based on that party’s percentage of fault.

Deadlines apply, so don’t wait to get your timeline checked. Speak with a lawyer promptly, so the dates are clear from the start.

What a Claim May Cover After a FedEx Truck Accident

A claim may seek compensation for losses the crash caused. Common categories include past and future medical bills, lost wages, reduced ability to earn in the future, and pain and suffering. Florida law limits proof of medical bills that have already been paid to the amount actually paid, regardless of the source of payment (Fla. Stat. § 768.0427).

Florida also sets a threshold for pain and suffering damages in motor vehicle cases. Those damages are recoverable only if the injury includes significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability (other than scarring or disfigurement), significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement, or death (Fla. Stat. § 627.737). Whether an injury meets that standard depends on the facts and your medical records.

Catastrophic injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, and severe burns, can require long-term care and lasting changes to daily life. The value of any claim depends on the facts, and no result can be promised.

For fatal crashes, Florida law allows a wrongful death claim when a death is caused by another person’s wrongful act, negligence, default, or breach of contract or warranty, and the injured person would have been able to sue and recover damages had death not occurred (Fla. Stat. § 768.19). Minor children may recover for lost parental companionship, instruction, and guidance (Fla. Stat. § 768.21). If you have lost someone, we are sorry. Our team can help your family understand what comes next.

How Our Team Handles FedEx Truck Cases for Hammocks Families

CHG Personal Injury Lawyers is a Florida-based firm that represents people hurt in accidents across Florida. The firm handles truck accidents, along with car crashes, slip-and-fall incidents, and other personal injury cases. Igor Hernandez is the responsible lawyer for this page.

The firm’s lawyers and support staff serve clients throughout Florida, including residents of The Hammocks and southwest Miami-Dade. Our attorneys are admitted to practice in Florida. Some cases may be referred to, or handled together with, another law firm, depending on the case.

A case usually moves in four steps. First comes an intake conversation about what happened. Next, we review the crash report and medical records. Then we look into who may be responsible, including the parties listed above. Last, we explain your options in plain language. We publish this guide in Spanish for families who prefer that language.

Talk With Us About Your FedEx Truck Crash Before the Deadline Passes

If a crash report, medical bills, and insurance calls have landed on your desk all at once, you don’t have to sort them out alone. Our 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 to start the conversation.