Monthly Archives: October 2024
No-Fault Auto Insurance & Commercial Motor Vehicle Accidents
When it comes to auto insurance, Florida follows what is known as a no-fault system. What this means is that for most vehicle accident cases, instead of filing a lawsuit against the (allegedly) responsible driver, an injured person files a claim with their insurer to cover their medical bills. If a person is involved… Read More »
Riverview Man Injured After Tractor-Trailer Crash
While tractor-trailer accidents are common on Florida roads, this does not necessarily mean that people know the best practices to deal with them. In late September 2024, a Riverview man was injured when he was involved in an auto accident after a tractor-trailer crash on I-75. A tractor-trailer had jackknifed across the lanes of… Read More »
Federal Oversight Of Commercial Motor Vehicles
The state of Florida has an Office of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (OCVE), under the umbrella of the Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), whose mission statement is to regulate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operations in Florida. However, there is also a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which has the authority to… Read More »
Wrongful Death In Florida Tractor-Trailer Accidents
There is always a chance, however small, of being involved in an accident while driving, particularly on expressways, with their greater rates of speed and more common heavy vehicles like tractor-trailers. Sometimes, events simply happen in a way that results in injury or death to one or more drivers – but sometimes, injury or… Read More »
Civil Suits & Criminal Charges In Tractor-Trailer Accidents
Many people in this day and age still persist in the mistaken belief that if someone is charged with a crime, they cannot then be sued in civil court, or vice-versa. In reality, it is possible in the U.S. to seek civil damages from a person even after they have been criminally tried for… Read More »
Who Else May Be Liable In A Commercial Motor Vehicle Accident?
If you are involved in a road accident with a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in Florida, it is reasonable to assume that the CMV driver may bear a share of any liability. However, what many injured plaintiffs are unaware of is that it is often possible to file suit against multiple defendants in this… Read More »
Tractor-Trailer Involved In Multi-Vehicle Accident On I-10W
In early August 2024, a four-vehicle crash on I-10W left one person dead and several people hospitalized after a minivan driver lost control of his vehicle, striking a truck, an SUV, and finally a tractor-trailer before winding up in the median. Law enforcement personnel described the minivan’s path as totally out of control, eventually… Read More »
Florida’s Dangerous Instrumentality Doctrine Applies To Commercial Vehicles
Florida’s dangerous instrumentality (DI) doctrine is a legal theory which holds that the owner of a vehicle is responsible for any harm it causes if the vehicle is being operated with their permission. Motor vehicles did not originally fall under the “dangerous instrumentality” heading, but in a case decided in 1920, they were added… Read More »
Distracted Driving Affects Tractor-Trailer Drivers, Too
For many years now, distracted driving has been a top target for Florida law enforcement, given its dangers and potential to harm so many others on the road. However, most of the focus has been on distracted car and SUV drivers – but distracted driving in those who operate tractor-trailers and other commercial vehicles… Read More »
Causes & Effects Of Commercial Motor Vehicle Accidents
Commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) are a particular class of vehicle used exclusively in interstate commerce (or, if used exclusively within one state, in intrastate commerce). They must be of a particular weight and have a particular usage – but apart from these criteria, they behave much like other, smaller vehicles, and are just as… Read More »
