When a commercial truck weighing up to 80,000 pounds collides with a passenger vehicle, the results are often devastating. Jacksonville’s busy highways, including I-95, I-10, and US-1, are major corridors for truck traffic, and accidents involving 18-wheelers, delivery trucks, and other commercial vehicles happen far too often.
Victims of truck accidents face life-altering injuries, staggering medical bills, and a tough legal battle ahead. At Amanda Demanda Injury Lawyers, our Jacksonville personal injury lawyers are fearless in holding negligent trucking companies and truck drivers accountable. We will leave no stone unturned to recover the largest possible compensation for you.
Commercial Truck Accident Laws in Jacksonville, FL
Truck accidents involve a complex intersection of state laws and federal regulations issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). At Amanda Demanda Injury Lawyers, our Jacksonville truck accident attorney will use the full force of these regulations to build your case for maximum damages.
FMCSA Liability Insurance Minimums
Commercial motor carriers are required to carry substantial insurance coverage due to the high risks posed by their vehicles. The FMCSA mandates minimum liability insurance amounts, including:
- $750,000 for general freight carriers
- $1 million for oil transporters
- $5 million for hazardous materials transporters
These high insurance minimums reflect the catastrophic damage trucks can cause. However, obtaining rightful compensation usually involves aggressive legal battles against well-funded insurers.
HOS (Hours of Service) Rules
To prevent driver fatigue—a leading cause of truck accidents—the FMCSA limits how long drivers can operate commercial vehicles:
- 11-hour driving limit after 10 consecutive hours off duty
- 14-hour limit within a duty shift
- 30-minute break after eight hours of driving
- 60/70-hour limit over seven/eight consecutive days
Violations of these rules are common when trucking companies pressure drivers to meet unrealistic delivery deadlines. Proving such violations is critical to building a strong truck accident claim.
Types of Truck Accidents in Jacksonville, FL
Truck accidents can happen in many different ways, with severe consequences:
- Jackknife Accidents: When a trailer swings out at an angle, causing multi-vehicle collisions.
- Underride Collisions: Cars slide under the rear or side of a trailer, often causing fatal injuries.
- Rollover Accidents: Trucks tipping over due to speeding, overloading, or unsafe maneuvering.
- Tire Blowouts: Leading to loss of control and devastating crashes.
- Blind Spot Accidents: Trucks have massive blind spots where smaller vehicles disappear from view.
- Wide Turn Accidents: Trucks swinging wide and colliding with adjacent vehicles.
Profit-Driven Trucking Companies in Jacksonville May Compromise Safety
Despite regulations, many trucking companies in Jacksonville prioritize profits over safety:
- Imposing Unrealistic Delivery Deadlines: Pressuring drivers to exceed speed limits or work beyond safe driving hours
- Neglecting Maintenance: Skimping on critical inspections to cut costs
- Hiring Inexperienced Drivers: Filling positions without adequate training or background checks
- Turning a Blind Eye to Logbook Violations: Encouraging falsification to maintain aggressive schedules
When trucking companies cut corners, innocent motorists pay the price. Our job is to expose these unsafe practices and demand accountability.
Why You Need High-Powered Representation
Truck accident cases are far more complex than standard car accidents, and without a skilled, battle-ready attorney, critical evidence can be lost and corporate defendants can escape full liability. At Amanda Demanda Injury Lawyers, our truck accident attorneys have the experience and resources to take on powerful truck companies and large insurance carriers on your behalf.
Commercial Truck Accident Claims Are Complex
Trucking companies may claim that their drivers are “independent contractors” to escape liability. We dig deeper to prove:
- Vicarious Liability: Holding companies accountable for drivers’ actions.
- Negligence Per Se: Showing violations of FMCSA and state laws that directly caused the crash.
We investigate:
- HOS Violations: Uncovering driver fatigue by analyzing logbooks, electronic logs, and GPS data
- Pressure Tactics: Evidence that companies imposed unrealistic deadlines
- Falsified Logbooks: Comparing electronic data to handwritten logs to uncover discrepancies
- Negligent Hiring: Reviewing personnel files for hiring violations
Each layer of complexity requires legal precision that only experienced truck accident attorneys can provide.
Stakes Are Higher with High FMCSA Insurance Minimums
Because commercial vehicles carry insurance minimums ranging from $750,000 to $5 million, the stakes are much higher. Insurers know that losing a jury trial could mean a multimillion-dollar verdict. That’s why they deploy aggressive defense strategies from day one—and why you need equally aggressive representation from Amanda Demanda Injury Lawyers.
Evidence Must be Preserved Early
Truck accidents involve complex evidence:
- Black Box Data (Electronic Control Modules): Records speed, braking, engine performance, and driver actions leading up to the crash. Trucking companies may attempt to erase or “lose” this data.
- Surveillance Footage: Nearby businesses or traffic cameras often capture critical moments of the crash.
- Accident Reconstruction Experts: We hire top-tier engineers to reconstruct the crash and provide expert testimony about causation and fault.
Swift legal action is critical to securing and preserving this evidence before it’s altered, deleted, or distorted.
Trucking Companies and Insurers Deny and Deflect
Trucking companies and their insurers will routinely:
- Deny Liability: Claiming the accident was the fault of the injured party
- Shift Blame: Using Florida’s Modified Comparative Negligence Rule (where recovery is barred if you’re found more than 50% at fault) to reduce or deny compensation
- Distort Evidence: Offering biased “independent” reports to minimize payouts
Without strong legal representation, these tactics can severely limit your compensation. Our team moves immediately to counter these strategies, protecting your rights every step of the way.
Trial Readiness Levels the Playing Field
Powerful corporate defendants respect strength and fear trial-tested attorneys. At Amanda Demanda Injury Lawyers:
- We prepare every truck accident case as if it will go to trial.
- Our trial reputation and a formidable record of financial recoveries force trucking companies and insurers to the negotiation table.
- When necessary, we present compelling cases to juries, backed by indisputable evidence and top-tier expert witnesses.
Our ability to bring the fight to the courtroom often results in better settlements because defendants would rather avoid facing a well-prepared trial team.
Get Our Jacksonville Truck Crash Lawyers on Your Side
Truck accident cases in Jacksonville involve high stakes, complex regulations, and powerful adversaries. To win against trucking companies and their insurers, you need lawyers with deep industry knowledge, aggressive trial skills, and the resources to match corporate defendants blow-for-blow. At Amanda Demanda Injury Lawyers, we level the playing field for truck accident victims and fight hard for full compensation. To schedule your free consultation, call us 24/7 at 1-844-DEMANDA or contact us online.
