Woman Ejected From Tractor Trailer In Miami Gardens Crash

In January 2025, a woman was riding in a tractor-trailer on the Turnpike, near Miami Gardens, when the vehicle was involved in a crash with another tractor-trailer and a sedan. It is unclear as to which specific vehicle the woman was riding in, but at some point during the course of the accident, she was ‘ejected’ from the tractor-trailer, coming to rest on the roadway. She was unfortunately pronounced dead at the scene, but if you manage to survive this type of injury, you may wonder who can be held liable in this situation.

Tractor-Trailers Are Dangerous Vehicles

Tractor-trailer accidents can occur in all types of ways, and cause all types of injuries, from cuts and bruises to death. They are primarily deadly because of their size and weight compared to a private vehicle – for example, a loaded tractor-trailer takes almost 200 feet to come to a complete stop, while the average car or truck will only take around 135 feet. In addition, a tractor-trailer has several blind spots – at least one on each side of the vehicle – in which another vehicle may not be seen.

The exact sequence of events in the Miami Gardens accident is not known, but given these potential limitations of the tractor-trailer, one can conjure several different scenarios as to exactly who might be liable for any injuries sustained (or for the woman’s passing). Florida’s Wrongful Death Act allows the family of a deceased person to recover damages from a party whose negligence was the direct cause of that person’s passing.

Who Is Liable?

While it may be difficult to determine just who may be liable for any injuries sustained in the Miami Gardens accident, it is worth it to note that both the drivers of the tractor-trailers and their employers may plausibly be held liable. A tractor-trailer driver’s actions may be the direct cause of an accident – but too often, they are not able to meet a jury award. If the driver was engaged in their employer’s business at the time of the accident, the employer may be on the proverbial hook as well, under a theory known as vicarious liability.

There are other potential defendants in many cases – for example, a cargo company may be liable for poorly loading the trailer. However, it is worth noting that in some cases, the deceased person may be held to bear a share of the liability for their own injuries. For example, it is sadly not unusual for those who pass away in auto accidents to not have been wearing a seatbelt. While it cannot be stated for certain, it is plausible that had she lived, the deceased woman would have been held partially liable for her own injuries if she was not wearing a seatbelt.

Contact A Tampa Tractor-Trailer Accident Attorney

It is always a good idea to drive defensively when sharing the road with tractor-trailers, given that they can cause so much damage in so short a time. While the woman was the only casualty of the Miami Gardens accident, those involved in a crash may not always be so lucky. A Tampa tractor-trailer accident attorney from the Rinaldo Law Group can help you determine your best path forward. Call our office today to schedule a free consultation.

Source:

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