Florida Truck Accident Lawyers

A commercial truck crash (including Amazon, delivery services, DoorDash, Walmart, etc.) is not just a bigger car crash. Different laws, different insurance limits, multiple potentially liable parties, and evidence that disappears within days. Our Central Florida truck accident lawyers move quickly to protect the people that commercial carriers have injured. No fee unless we win.

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How BCN Law Firm Helps After a Florida Commercial Truck Crash

If you’ve been hit by a commercial truck — semi, box truck, delivery van, dump truck, garbage truck, tow truck, or work truck (Amazon, or delivery services, DoorDash, Walmart, etc), anywhere in Lake, Sumter, Marion, Orange, or Polk County, BCN Law Firm represents injured drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, and pedestrians against trucking companies and their insurers.

Commercial truck cases involve federal motor-carrier regulations, larger insurance policies, and multiple potentially liable parties (driver, employer, broker, shipper, maintenance contractor). We move fast to preserve evidence, ELD data, dashcam, hours-of-service logs, and the truck’s onboard computer, before it gets lost or overwritten. We work on contingency. You owe nothing unless we recover.

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This Is Not a Car Crash

Why a Florida Truck Crash Is Not Just a “Bigger Car Accident”

A commercial truck weighs up to 20 times as much as a passenger car. The injuries are usually more severe, the insurance is higher, the rules are federal and state, and, critically, there are usually multiple parties who can be held responsible, not just the driver. Here’s why those differences change everything about how the case has to be handled.

Federal regulations apply, not just Florida law

Commercial trucks operating in interstate commerce are governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR), administered by the FMCSA. These rules cover driver hours, drug and alcohol testing, vehicle maintenance, cargo securement, and licensing. A truck driver who would be “merely careless” under Florida law may be in clear violation of a federal regulation, and regulatory violations are powerful evidence of negligence.

Multiple defendants — and multiple insurance policies

In a typical car crash, you sue the at-fault driver. In a truck crash, you may have claims against: the driver, the trucking company (vicarious liability and direct negligent-hiring/retention claims), the broker that arranged the load, the shipper that loaded the cargo, the maintenance contractor that serviced the truck, and sometimes the manufacturer of the truck or a defective component. Each of those defendants carries its own insurance. Identifying every potentially liable party, and every available policy, is where most truck cases are won or lost

Larger insurance limits

Federal regulations require commercial motor carriers to carry minimum liability coverage that ranges from $750,000 to $5,000,000 depending on cargo type. Many carriers carry more. This stands in stark contrast to Florida private auto policies, which often carry $10,000–$25,000 in bodily injury liability, or nothing at all, since Florida does not require BI coverage.

Evidence disappears fast

Modern commercial trucks generate enormous amounts of data: Electronic Logging Device (ELD) records, engine control module data, GPS tracking, telematics, dashcam footage. Federal rules require carriers to retain some of this data for as little as six months. Trucking companies do not have to keep evidence forever, and they don’t. The single most important early move in a truck case is a written spoliation letter demanding preservation of every relevant piece of evidence, sent within days of the crash.

Bottom line:

A truck accident is a federal case, a state case, a multi-defendant case, and a race against time, all at once. The earlier you involve an attorney, the more of those defendants and policies remain reachable.

What We Handle

Types of Commercial Truck Crashes We Handle

Different trucks bring different rules, different insurance, and different liability theories. Here’s how we approach the most common categories.

Semi-trucks / 18-wheelers / tractor-trailers

The classic catastrophic-injury case. Federal hours-of-service rules, ELD data, jackknife and underride dynamics, motor-carrier liability for driver hiring and supervision. See our dedicated Semi Truck Accidents page for the full breakdown.

Dump trucks and construction trucks

Common on Central Florida construction corridors and rural roads. Cargo spill, overloading, brake failure, and rollovers are typical fact patterns. Construction sites also bring third-party liability theories; general contractors, site owners, and subcontractors may all bear responsibility.

Tanker trucks

Gasoline, propane, chemicals, milk. Cargo type changes everything: federal minimum insurance jumps to $1M–$5M for hazardous cargo, and HAZMAT regulations add layers of duty.

Box trucks and straight trucks

U-Haul-style trucks, small delivery trucks, moving company trucks, and box trucks under 26,000 lbs. Some operate under federal rules, some don’t. CDL is not required below 26,001 lbs, meaning many box truck drivers have less training than semi drivers.

Garbage and waste collection trucks

Backing-up crashes, pedestrian strikes, and visibility issues. Municipal trucks bring special rules: sovereign immunity caps damages against Florida government entities under § 768.28 and require pre-suit notice.

Buses and shuttles

School buses, charter buses, hotel and airport shuttles, public transit. Common carrier doctrine raises the duty of care; sovereign immunity may apply to school buses and public transit.

Delivery vans and commercial vans

Amazon contracted delivery drivers, FedEx, UPS, and food delivery trucks (delivery services, DoorDash, Walmart, etc.). Distracted driving and rushed delivery schedules drive many of these crashes. Liability theories vary depending on whether the driver is an employee or a contractor, a fight that Amazon, in particular, has been very aggressive about.

Tow trucks and emergency / utility trucks

Stopped on the shoulder, lights flashing, struck by inattentive drivers. Florida’s Move Over Law (§ 316.126) figures in many of these cases.

Pickup trucks operated commercially

Lawn-care trucks, contractor pickups, work trucks. “It’s just a pickup” is the common defense, but if the driver was on the clock for an employer, the employer is on the hook.

Liability

Who Pays — Why Truck Cases Have Multiple Defendants

In most car crash cases, there is one at-fault driver and one insurance policy. In a truck case, there are usually several. Identifying every potentially liable party and every available policy is the single biggest difference between a fair recovery and a thin one.

Direct negligence, speeding, fatigue, distracted driving, failure to yield, regulatory violations. The driver’s personal assets are usually limited, but they are named in the lawsuit because their negligence anchors the employer’s liability.

Vicarious liability under respondeat superior for the driver’s negligence in the course of employment. Direct negligence theories also apply: negligent hiring, negligent retention, negligent supervision, negligent training, and negligent entrustment of the vehicle. Federal regulations create independent duties that the carrier can violate even if the driver is blameless.

Third-party logistics companies that match shippers with carriers. Brokers can be liable if they hired a carrier with a poor safety record. Brokers fight this theory hard; the case law is evolving.

If improperly loaded or unsecured cargo caused or worsened the crash, the entity that loaded the truck may be liable. Cargo shifts cause rollovers and jackknifes.

If a brake, tire, or steering failure caused the crash and the truck was last serviced by a third-party shop, that shop may be liable for negligent maintenance.

Defective brakes, tires, underride guards, or steering components. Product liability theory.

Common in for-hire trucking. Trailer leasing companies and intermodal carriers may bear separate liability for trailer condition.

Common Causes

Common Causes of Florida Commercial Truck Crashes

Driver fatigue

Long hauls, tight delivery windows, and hours-of-service violations. Fatigue impairs reaction time as severely as alcohol. ELD data reveals when a driver has exceeded permitted driving hours.

Impaired driving

Alcohol, prescription medication, recreational drugs, and the prescription stimulants some long-haul drivers use to stay awake. Federal post-crash testing requirements help build the record.

Inadequate training

Truck drivers receive far less training than the public assumes. Inexperienced drivers thrown into unfamiliar routes, weather, or equipment cause predictable crashes.

Distracted driving

Phones, GPS, in-cab paperwork, eating behind the wheel. Federal rules prohibit handheld phone use by commercial drivers, and cell records prove violations.

Improperly loaded cargo

Shifted loads cause rollovers and jackknifes. Overloaded trucks have longer stopping distances and compromised handling.

Speak To A Personal Injury Attorney

If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, contact BCN Law Firm today for a free consultation. We will review your case, answer your questions, and help you determine the best course of action to pursue compensation.

352-394-2103

Speeding for conditions

Florida rain. Florida construction zones. Florida traffic. A truck that’s safe at the posted speed on a clear day is dangerous in a storm at the same speed.

Inadequate maintenance

Brake failure, tire blowouts, and steering and suspension defects. Federal rules require routine inspection and repair, and carriers cut corners under cost pressure.

Aggressive driving and tailgating

Trucks need 20–40% more stopping distance than passenger cars. A truck driver who follows too closely cannot stop in time.

Critical Evidence

The Evidence Clock Starts the Moment the Crash Ends

Trucking companies are sophisticated repeat-players. Their internal procedures kick in within hours of a serious crash: a rapid-response team is dispatched, their own accident reconstruction expert is at the scene before tow trucks arrive, and witnesses are interviewed by company representatives. Meanwhile, the evidence you need is on a clock.

What we move on to within days

Spoliation/preservation letter to the motor carrier and any other potential defendants, demanding retention of every category of evidence.
Electronic Logging Device (ELD) data: federal retention rules are short, and some carriers “lose” data after a crash.
Hours-of-service logs and driver qualification file.
Engine control module (ECM) and event data recorder (EDR) downloads: speed, braking, throttle in the seconds before impact.
Dashcam footage from the truck and from any traffic, doorbell, or business cameras nearby.
Driver drug and alcohol test results (federally required after serious crashes, within 8 hours for alcohol, 32 hours for drugs).
The carrier’s safety record (FMCSA SAFER and SMS data, prior crash history, prior violations).
Maintenance records for the truck and its components.
Driver training and qualification records.
Cargo manifest and weight slips.

Injuries

Common Injuries from Commercial Truck Crashes

Truck-on-car crashes routinely cause catastrophic injuries. The size and weight disparity is brutal.

The cases we see most often:

Traumatic brain injury and severe concussion, often the central long-term injury, frequently missed at the ER.
Spinal cord injury, paralysis, and severe nerve damage.
Multiple fractures, including pelvic, femoral, and crush injuries.
Internal organ damage and internal bleeding.
Severe burns from fuel or cargo fires.
Severe lacerations and amputation.
Wrongful death.
Long-term PTSD and emotional injury, especially common after seeing a loved one severely injured or killed in the same crash.

Damages

What a Florida Truck Crash Case May Be Worth

Truck crash cases tend to value higher than typical car crash cases for three reasons: the injuries are more severe, the insurance limits are larger (federal minimums of $750K to $5M, versus Florida’s $10K minimum auto policy), and multiple defendants mean multiple insurance pools to recover against. That said, no two cases value the same. The number depends on injury severity, future care needs, lost earning capacity, liability strength, and how many defendants and policies are reachable.

Economic damages

Current and future medical care (truck-crash victims often require lifetime care), lost wages and lost earning capacity, vehicle damage, home and vehicle modifications, and replacement services. Life-care planners and forensic economists value future losses in catastrophic cases.

Non-economic damages

Pain and suffering, mental anguish, scarring and disfigurement, loss of consortium. Florida juries award substantial non-economic damages in serious truck crash cases when the impact on the victim’s life is clearly documented.

Punitive damages

Available when the trucking company’s conduct rises to gross negligence, knowingly hiring an unqualified driver, falsifying logs, ignoring known safety violations, or operating with a pattern of similar prior crashes. Florida caps punitive damages in most cases at the greater of 3× compensatory damages or $500,000, with exceptions.

Our Process

From Your First Call to Final Resolution

Free Consultation (Within 24 hours)

We listen, ask questions about the crash and your injuries, and identify the trucking company and likely defendants. No pressure. You sign nothing in the first call.

Immediate Evidence Preservation (Days 1–7)

Spoliation letters to every potentially liable party. Demands for ELD data, dashcam, hours-of-service logs, drug-test results, driver qualification file. Independent crash reconstruction if liability is contested.

Identifying All Defendants and Policies (Weeks 1–6)

Driver, motor carrier, broker, shipper, maintenance contractor, manufacturer. Pull every insurance policy that may apply. This is where truck cases are won or lost.

Treatment & Documentation (Weeks 1 to many months)

While your case builds, you focus on healing. For catastrophic cases, we engage life-care planners and economists during treatment, not after.

Demand Package (After maximum medical improvement)

Comprehensive demand with medical records, expert opinions, settlement brochure, and our valuation. Sent to every applicable carrier.

Negotiation or Litigation (Months to 2+ years)

Many truck cases settle pre-suit; serious ones often require filing. Litigation in Lake and Sumter Circuit Courts and the Middle District of Florida (for federal-question or diversity cases) typically runs 12–24 months.

Resolution & Disbursement (30–60 days after settlement)

Resolve medical liens (often substantial in catastrophic cases), deduct contingency fee and case costs, disburse funds.

Meet Our Dedicated Attorneys

Legal Team Ready to Fight for Your Rights

Wade Boyette, J.D., LLM.

Partner

Bankruptcy, Estate Planning, Foreclosure Defense, Probate

Wade Boyette, J.D., LLM, was born in Estill, South Carolina, in 1967 and has been a prominent figure in Lake County since 1994.

Heath B. Nailos, J.D.

Partner

Auto Accidents, Personal Injury

Heath B. Nailos, J.D. was born in 1969 in Atlanta, Georgia, and has resided in Florida since 1978. He received his B.A. in History from the University of South Florida in 1992 and his J.D. Degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1995.

Kristin Cummins Nailos, J.D.

O.F. Counsel

Real Estate

Mrs. Nailos has practiced law in Central Florida since 1996, and is a member of The Florida Bar, and the Lake County Bar Association and is admitted to practice in the Middle District of Florida and all State Courts in Florida.

Ken Costello, J.D.

Partner

Bankruptcy, Estate Planning, Foreclosure Defense, Probate

Ken Costello is an associate at Boyette, Cummins & Nailos, PLLC. His practice focuses on real estate, civil litigation, bankruptcy, debt defense, estate planning and probate.

Michelle C. Bottex, J.D.

Attorney

Criminal Law, Family Law

Ms. Bottex earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Stetson University and Master of Arts degree in Human Resources Development from Webster University.

Norman C. Cummins, J.D.

Legacy Partner

Was born in 1938 in Louisville, Kentucky. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Alabama in 1963 and a J.D. Degree from the University of Alabama in 1967.

Travis J. Stulz, Esq.

Attorney

Business Law, Estate Planning, Probate, Real Estate

Travis J. Stulz is a seasoned Florida personal-injury attorney representing clients across Central Florida, including Orlando, Winter Garden, Clermont, Ocoee, and The Villages.

Meet All Attorneys

5-Star Reviews from Satisfied Clients

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David Kelly

3 weeks ago

If you want an attorney who will actually meet with you face to face, BCN does that. If you want to be kept informed and in the loop throughout your case, BCN does that too. If you want to regret your choice of attorney, go with one of the other guys — because you won’t find that at BCN. BCN treats you like family while maintaining the professionalism and attention you deserve. Heath Lynette and the team are top-notch, knowledgeable, and always willing to listen and guide you in the right direction. From the welcoming facilities to the personal attention they give every client, BCN stands above the rest. If you need legal help, do yourself a favor and check them out.

Anthony Monteleone

4 weeks ago

Travis Stulz and his team were amazing to work with. His responsiveness and level of knowledge far exceeded my expectations. I was very happy with the resolution of my case and would reach out to his firm for any future needs. Thanks Travis!

Jessica Siefert

1 month ago

Travis and Sandy (Paralegal) were extremely helpful in my car accident case. I never worried about a thing and they worked very hard to advocate for me with my insurance company. Highly recommend for total peace of mind.

Dennis patriot

1 month ago

I cannot overstate my positive experience with Boyette, Cummins & Nailos, LLC. Mr. Stultz handled my case with the highest level of professionalism. Mr. Stultz always ensured I was informed with the status of the proceedings and delivered on the settlement.

charles dizenzo

2 months ago

Just excellent! They listen to my questions, then answered in a clear detailed response. I would recommend this firm to anyone.Just a satisfying experience.

Denise Minissale

2 months ago

I just had a Will, POA, and Living Will completed with BCN. My Attorney was Wade Boyette. He was very patient and thorough explaining the process and all the "Legaleez" ! I trust them with everything they did for me. I highly recommend them!

Maria Friscia

2 months ago

Atty Boyette was professional, informative, he explained everything in detail and simple terms so we could understand it. We will continue using him for our estate planning and any other future needs Thank you Christopher and Maria

Carol Hackman

3 months ago

Very professional, knowledgeable, and friendly. Quick, efficient, reasonably priced. I highly recommend.

Marianne Hoffman

3 months ago

Wade Boyette and his staff are very professional yet welcoming. They listen to my needs and get the done well!

Michael Williams

4 months ago

Most professional and understanding law firm i have used in a long time. Wade walked me through what I needed to understand and answered all of my concerns with reassurance. I highly recommend the services of the BCN Attorneys!

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Why Choose Us

Why Injured Floridians Choose BCN Law Firm for Truck Crashes

Decades of Central Florida courtroom experience

We know the judges, defense attorneys, and adjusters who handle these cases locally.

No fee unless we win

Free initial consultation. We advance case costs, including the substantial expert costs truck cases require.

You talk to your attorney

Not a paralegal. Not an intake worker. The attorney working your case is the one you call.

Two local offices, we travel to you

Clermont and The Villages. We come to your home or hospital when you can’t travel.

We treat truck cases as the federal/state hybrid they are

We work the FMCSA evidence the same week as the Florida-law evidence. Many firms don’t.

A full firm behind your case

Bankruptcy, estate, business, and probate practices in-house, useful when a catastrophic injury creates multiple legal needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Florida Truck Accident Questions, Answered

The questions we hear most often after a Florida truck crash. If yours isn’t here, call us.

Truck cases involve federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations in addition to Florida law, multiple potentially liable parties (driver, carrier, broker, shipper, maintenance contractor, manufacturer), and significantly larger insurance policies. They also involve unique evidence (Electronic Logging Device data, hours-of-service logs, dashcam footage, ECM/EDR data) that disappears quickly if not preserved.

Potentially several parties: the truck driver, the trucking company (the motor carrier), the broker that arranged the load, the shipper that loaded the cargo, the company that maintained the truck, and the manufacturer of the truck or a defective component. We identify every potentially liable party in the first weeks of the case.

Federal regulations require commercial motor carriers in interstate commerce to carry minimum liability coverage of $750,000 for general freight, $1,000,000 for oil, and up to $5,000,000 for hazardous materials. Many carriers carry more. This is far above Florida’s private auto minimums.

For crashes on or after March 24, 2023, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of the crash. Wrongful death claims also have a two-year deadline. Claims against government-operated trucks (municipal, school district, etc.) have shorter notice deadlines under § 768.28.

Photos of the crash scene, vehicles, and your injuries. The crash report. Names and contact info for every witness. Anything visible about the truck, DOT number, motor carrier name, USDOT or MC number, license plate, trailer identification. Most critically, hire an attorney quickly so that a spoliation letter is sent to the trucking company before evidence is lost.

Yes. Under federal regulations, commercial drivers must be tested for alcohol within 8 hours and for drugs within 32 hours of a crash involving fatality, citation plus injury, or citation plus disabling damage to a vehicle. Failure to test (or carrier’s refusal to disclose results) is itself evidence in the case.

We routinely handle cases against out-of-state motor carriers. Federal regulations apply uniformly nationwide. If the crash occurred in Florida, Florida courts have jurisdiction. We litigate in Florida state and federal courts as needed.

Under Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule (effective 2023), you can still recover if you are 50% or less at fault. Your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault. Above 50%, you cannot recover. Trucking companies argue fault aggressively, including blaming the driver they hit; that’s where an attorney matters.

Nothing up front. We work on contingency: no fee unless we recover. We advance case costs, including expert and reconstruction fees, which can be substantial in truck cases. If we don’t recover, you owe nothing.

Anywhere from a few months for clear-liability moderate cases to two-plus years for serious cases that go through litigation. Most truck cases involve more discovery, more depositions, and more experts than car cases, and the additional defendants typically push timelines longer.

Where We Serve

Central Florida Communities We Represent

Two offices, five counties, and clients across the I-75 and Florida Turnpike corridors. If you’ve been injured anywhere in Central Florida (or anywhere across the state of Florida), we’ll come to you when you can’t come to us.