Author Archives: Jay Butchko
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 »
Electronic Logging Devices & CMV Liability
In 2015, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) instituted a final rule mandating the use of what are known as Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) in most commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). An ELD attaches to a commercial motor vehicle’s engine and records relevant data, such as hours of service and how many miles the… Read More »
Recovering Damages After A Tractor-Trailer Accident
While tractor-trailer accidents are not particularly common, they do occur more often than the average person would perhaps like to think – and the injuries that result can be extremely severe. If you have been injured in a crash involving a tractor-trailer in Florida, and suspect that negligence played a role, you may have… Read More »
Camera Footage As Evidence In Your CMV Accident Case
While no one wants to contemplate the fact, we are routinely surveilled in our day-to-day life. Cameras are everywhere, from our neighbors’ doorbells to the red light cameras run by your city or state. There are obvious privacy risks with living in this type of society, but there are some situations in which they… Read More »
Will There Be Consequences For A Negligent Tractor-Trailer Driver?
The most recent available data reported by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) states that around 4800 people died in accidents involving large trucks in 2022. In addition, the likelihood of severe injury is generally higher than in accidents between passenger cars, trucks, or SUVs. For as many accidents happen each day, there… Read More »
Is Part Of My Accident … My Fault?
When a person is involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer, it is perhaps an understandable assumption to believe that the other driver was negligent, and in many cases, this assumption is based in reality. Tractor-trailer drivers are often pushed to their limits, leading to their driving while fatigued or under the influence of… Read More »
What Defines A Commercial Motor Vehicle?
If you are involved in a crash with a large truck or other vehicle carrying cargo, you may assume that it is classified as a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). However, a vehicle that operates as a part of a commercial enterprise will not always have the legal classification of a CMV. This can make… Read More »
