Fort Lauderdale Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyer

Serving Fort Lauderdale and Clients Throughout Florida
Millions Recovered for Accident Victims

Written and reviewed by Yana Kurzman, Esq.
Founder, Kurzman Law Group
Attorney since 1994 | Florida attorney since 2011 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Attorney Bio | Florida Bar Profile
Last reviewed: September 16, 2026

Hit by an 18-wheeler, delivery truck, box truck, Amazon, FedEx, UPS, or other commercial vehicle? Call Kurzman Law Group as soon as possible. We represent people involved in serious commercial vehicle crashes in Fort Lauderdale and throughout Florida and can begin investigating the driver, the company, the vehicle, and the available insurance coverage while you deal with the immediate aftermath of the accident. A collision involving a commercial vehicle can look like an ordinary car accident at first.

The other driver may hand you an insurance card. The police may identify one driver and one vehicle. You may assume that is all there is to the claim. Often, it is not.

When an 18-wheeler, delivery truck, box truck, commercial van, or company vehicle causes a crash, there may be businesses, vehicle owners, employers, contractors, fleet operators, and commercial insurance policies behind the driver. There may also be evidence that does not exist in an ordinary passenger-car accident: commercial dash-camera footage, GPS information, electronic driving data, delivery records, dispatch communications, vehicle-maintenance records, driver records, and company documents. Some of that evidence may be overwritten, lost, or become much harder to obtain with time. That is why we encourage you to call Kurzman Law Group as soon as possible—preferably from the scene if you are safely able to do so and before discussing the accident or your physical condition with an insurance adjuster.

Related resource: Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Lawyer

What Should I Do

After an Accident With an 18-Wheeler or Commercial Vehicle?

Your immediate concern should be safety. Collisions involving large commercial vehicles can cause substantial forces even when the occupants of the smaller vehicle initially believe they are fine. If emergency personnel recommend medical evaluation or transportation, make the decision based on your condition and safety rather than solely on concern about what the ambulance or emergency room may cost. Do not drive yourself if pain, dizziness, confusion, difficulty moving, or another symptom may make driving unsafe.

If you can do so safely, take photographs of the vehicles, company names and markings, license plates, damage, roadway, vehicle positions, debris, and anything else that may help identify what happened. Commercial vehicles can disappear from the scene and return to work quickly. A company logo, truck number, trailer number, DOT number, or other identifying information may later become important.

When speaking with police, provide accurate facts about what you actually remember. Do not guess, speculate, or make legal conclusions about who was at fault. And if you are able, call Kurzman Law Group from the scene. We can begin identifying the vehicle and business involved and determine what needs to be investigated and preserved.

Should I Speak With the Commercial Driver's Insurance Company?

Speak with Kurzman Law Group before giving an insurance company a detailed statement about the accident, your injuries, your medical history, or settlement. A commercial insurer may begin investigating the accident almost immediately. The company may already be speaking with its driver, reviewing photographs, inspecting the commercial vehicle, collecting electronic information, and notifying its insurance representatives while you are still dealing with your damaged car or deciding whether you need medical care. Insurance adjusters represent the insurer.

They do not represent you. Before giving a recorded statement, signing a medical authorization or release, discussing your physical condition, or negotiating a settlement, contact Kurzman Law Group. Your own insurance carrier may need prompt notice of the accident, but reporting a crash is different from giving detailed statements or attempting to negotiate the claim yourself. Kurzman Law Group can communicate with the insurance carriers on your behalf.

What Types of Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Does Kurzman Law Group Handle?

Commercial vehicle accidents can involve much more than traditional tractor-trailers. Serious cases may involve:

18-wheelers and tractor-trailers;
semi-trucks;
large delivery trucks;
Amazon-branded or Amazon-contracted delivery vehicles;
FedEx trucks and delivery vans;
UPS trucks and delivery vehicles;
box trucks;
moving trucks;
construction trucks;
commercial vans;
fleet vehicles;
company-owned cars and SUVs;
landscaping and equipment trucks;
service and utility trucks; and
other vehicles being operated for a business purpose.

What matters is not simply the logo on the vehicle. Kurzman Law Group investigates who owned the vehicle, who employed or engaged the driver, whose business was being performed, who controlled the work, and what insurance coverage may be available.

Who May Be Responsible

If I Was Hit by a Commercial Truck?

The person behind the wheel may be only one part of the case. Depending on the facts, an investigation may involve:

the commercial driver;
the driver's employer;
the owner of the truck or van;
a fleet operator;
a delivery company;
a company that hired or contracted for transportation;
a company responsible for inspecting or maintaining the vehicle; or
another business whose conduct contributed to the crash.

That does not mean every company connected with a vehicle is automatically legally responsible. It means the relationships need to be investigated rather than assumed. The same is true of insurance. A personal automobile insurance card shown at the scene may not reveal all of the insurance coverage connected with a commercial vehicle or business operation.

Kurzman Law Group investigates beyond the insurance card.

What If the Commercial Driver

Changed Lanes and Hit My Car?

This is an especially important issue on I-95 through Fort Lauderdale. A large truck or delivery vehicle may begin moving into another lane without seeing a smaller car beside it. The commercial vehicle may strike the side of the passenger car, push it out of its lane, pin it against another vehicle or barrier, or continue moving while the smaller vehicle is caught against the truck. Florida law specifically addresses safe lane changes.

Under Florida Statute §316.085, a driver may not move from a direct course until determining that another vehicle is not approaching or passing in the lane or on the side into which the driver intends to move and that the maneuver can be completed safely without interfering with another vehicle. Florida Statute §316.089 also requires a vehicle to remain as nearly as practicable within a single lane and not move from that lane until the driver first determines that the movement can be made safely. Those rules apply to commercial drivers too. But establishing exactly what happened can require more than pointing to the damage on the vehicles.

A serious lane-change commercial vehicle case may involve examining:

damage patterns on both vehicles;
the point of initial contact;
truck or trailer damage;
lane positions;
skid or scrape marks;
dash-camera footage;
commercial vehicle cameras;
GPS and telematics information;
nearby surveillance or traffic video;
witness statements; and
electronic records showing the commercial vehicle's route and movements.

If a commercial truck moved into your lane, clipped your vehicle, or dragged your car with it, contact Kurzman Law Group as soon as possible so we can begin investigating before evidence disappears.

What If the Truck Driver Says

He Didn't See My Car?

Large commercial trucks have substantial areas around them where other vehicles may be difficult for the truck driver to see. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration warns that commercial trucks have large blind spots and specifically identifies lane changes as situations in which a commercial driver may look but fail to see another vehicle. FMCSA refers to these blind-spot areas as the truck’s “No-Zone.” That limitation does not relieve a commercial driver of the responsibility to make a safe lane change. It makes careful observation especially important.

A passenger vehicle traveling beside a tractor-trailer or large box truck may be completely visible to surrounding drivers yet difficult for the commercial driver to see from the cab. That can create exactly the type of side-impact crash we see when a truck begins changing lanes and moves directly into a smaller vehicle.

Commercial Vehicle Accidents on I-95 in Fort Lauderdale

I-95 through Fort Lauderdale carries a constant mixture of local traffic, commuters, delivery vehicles, tractor-trailers, and other commercial traffic. The Fort Lauderdale corridor includes major interchanges at:

Those exit designations are confirmed by the Florida Department of Transportation. Traffic entering, leaving, and changing lanes around these interchanges can place large commercial vehicles next to much smaller passenger cars. One pattern we have encountered involves a commercial vehicle changing lanes on I-95, failing to see the car beside it, making contact with the passenger vehicle, and continuing to move while the smaller vehicle is clipped, pushed, or dragged. These are not accidents where we want to rely solely on the commercial driver’s later description of what occurred.

There may be vehicle evidence, commercial records, cameras, electronic data, and witnesses that help reconstruct the movement of both vehicles. If you are involved in a serious commercial vehicle collision on I-95, call Kurzman Law Group early so we can investigate while the evidence is still available.

What If an 18-Wheeler Hits Me From Behind?

Large trucks behave differently from passenger vehicles because of their size and weight. FMCSA warns that large trucks have longer stopping distances, significant blind spots, and more limited maneuverability than ordinary passenger vehicles. A rear-end crash involving an 18-wheeler can therefore cause devastating damage to a smaller vehicle. The investigation may need to look beyond following distance.

Questions may include:

Was the driver paying attention?
Was the truck traveling too fast for traffic conditions?
Was the driver fatigued?
Was the commercial vehicle overloaded?
Were the brakes or tires properly maintained?
Was there electronic or camera data documenting the driver's actions before impact?
Were company policies or federal commercial driving rules relevant?

Kurzman Law Group can investigate those issues while you focus on your medical care and recovery.

What If an Amazon, FedEx, UPS, or Delivery Vehicle Hit Me?

Do not assume the name on the side of the vehicle tells you every company or insurance policy involved. Delivery networks can involve different corporate structures, vehicle owners, contractors, fleet operators, and insurance arrangements. The legal analysis depends on the actual facts. Instead of asking you to determine whether the driver was technically an employee or contractor, Kurzman Law Group investigates the relationships behind the vehicle.

We may look at:

who employed or engaged the driver;
who owned or leased the vehicle;
whose packages or goods were being delivered;
who controlled the route or work;
what company appeared on the vehicle;
what insurance policies covered the vehicle and driver; and
what other businesses may have relevant records or legal responsibility.

If a delivery truck caused the accident, save any photographs showing the vehicle, logos, identifying numbers, or other markings and contact Kurzman Law Group promptly.

What Evidence May Exist

After a Commercial Vehicle Crash?

One of the biggest differences in a serious commercial case is the amount of evidence that may exist beyond the police report. Depending on the type of vehicle and company, evidence can potentially include:

onboard cameras;
dash-camera video;
GPS information;
electronic vehicle data;
telematics;
dispatch records;
delivery records;
route information;
driver logs;
inspection records;
repair and maintenance records;
employment or driver qualification records;
post-crash photographs;
company communications;
witness information; and
surveillance or traffic video.

Not every case contains every category of evidence. But the important point is that you may not even know the evidence exists unless someone investigates it. That is one of the reasons early legal involvement can be particularly important after a commercial vehicle accident.

Can Truck or Company Records Disappear?

Some information is retained only for particular periods or may be routinely overwritten. Vehicles can also be repaired, returned to service, sold, or altered. Video systems and electronic data may have limited storage. That is why a serious commercial vehicle crash should be investigated promptly.

When appropriate, Kurzman Law Group can identify evidence that should be preserved and take legal steps to seek preservation and production of relevant information. You should not have to know which records to request or which company possesses them. That is our job.

What If I Initially Told Everyone

I Was Not Injured?

That does not necessarily mean you are not hurt. Immediately after a serious collision, people may be focused on whether everyone survived, what happened to the car, speaking with police, getting off the highway, or figuring out how they will get home. They may be frightened or in shock. Pain, stiffness, headaches, numbness, tingling, or other symptoms may become more apparent after the initial stress of the collision subsides.

Do not ignore symptoms merely because you said “I’m fine” at the scene. And do not make definitive statements about your medical condition to an insurance adjuster before you actually know how you feel. Florida law generally requires you to receive initial medical care within 14 days after a motor-vehicle accident. If you do not see a medical provider within that 14-day period, you may lose access to PIP medical coverage for the accident.

If symptoms develop, contact Kurzman Law Group and obtain appropriate medical evaluation based on your condition. Related resources: What If Pain Starts Hours or Days After a Car Accident? · How Do I Get Medical Treatment After a Car Accident in Florida? · Who Pays My Medical Bills After a Florida Car Accident?

Who Pays for My Car, Rental Vehicle, and Towing?

Commercial vehicle accidents can leave a passenger vehicle badly damaged or completely totaled. While the injury claim is being investigated, you may also need answers about:

who pays to repair the vehicle;
whether you should use your own collision coverage;
where the vehicle can be repaired;
whether the car is a total loss;
who pays towing and storage charges; and
who pays for a rental vehicle.

Those issues may involve different insurance coverage from the bodily-injury claim. You do not need to negotiate all of those problems yourself while simultaneously dealing with medical care. Kurzman Law Group can communicate with the insurers and help guide you through the property-damage process as part of the overall case.

Related resources: Who Pays for Vehicle Damage After a Car Accident? · Where Can I Take My Car for Repairs After an Accident? · Who Pays for a Rental Car After a Car Accident? · Who Tows My Car After an Accident and Who Pays?

Is There Usually More Insurance in a Commercial Vehicle Accident?

Sometimes, but it should never be assumed. Commercial vehicles may be insured under policies very different from ordinary personal automobile policies. Depending on the circumstances, there may also be more than one relevant policy or insured party. That is one reason identifying the actual vehicle owner, employer, business relationship, and applicable policies is so important.

A serious commercial-vehicle claim should not be evaluated solely from the insurance information handed to you at the scene. Kurzman Law Group investigates available coverage before determining what sources of recovery may exist.

What If the Company Says the Driver Was Not Its Employee?

Do not assume that ends the investigation. Companies may use different business arrangements for drivers and delivery operations. Whether a company can be legally responsible does not necessarily turn on a single label used in a contract or on what an insurance adjuster tells you over the telephone. The facts can matter, including the relationship between the driver and the business, who controlled the work, who owned the vehicle, what the driver was doing at the time of the crash, and what insurance policies applied.

Kurzman Law Group investigates those relationships rather than asking you to sort them out yourself.

What If the Truck Driver

Blames Me for the Accident?

A commercial driver or insurer may dispute responsibility even when you believe the crash was clearly caused by the truck. They may claim:

you were in the truck's blind spot;
you changed lanes first;
you accelerated alongside the truck;
you cut in front of it;
traffic forced the truck to move;
the driver never made contact with your vehicle; or
your injuries could not have resulted from the collision.

Those are allegations—not necessarily facts. Vehicle damage, electronic information, photographs, camera footage, witnesses, roadway evidence, and commercial records may provide a much more complete picture. Do not try to argue the case with the insurance adjuster yourself. Call Kurzman Law Group so we can investigate and deal with the insurers on your behalf.

What If the Commercial Vehicle

Caused a Multi-Vehicle Crash?

A collision involving a large truck can affect several vehicles in seconds. A tractor-trailer may change lanes into one car, causing that vehicle to strike another. A truck may fail to stop in traffic and push several vehicles into one another. A commercial vehicle may lose control and affect cars in multiple lanes.

Those cases require determining the sequence of impacts and the conduct of each driver. They may also involve several insurance companies. Kurzman Law Group can investigate the chain of events and identify the people, businesses, and insurance policies that may be involved. Related page: Multi-Vehicle Crashes

What Injuries Can Commercial Vehicle Accidents Cause?

The size difference between a commercial truck and a passenger car can make these crashes particularly serious. Depending on the collision, injuries can include:

neck and back injuries;
disc injuries;
fractures;
shoulder and knee injuries;
head injuries;
traumatic brain injuries;
spinal injuries;
internal injuries;
nerve injuries;
permanent impairment; and
catastrophic or fatal injuries.

But a person does not need to know the medical name for an injury before calling us. Many people initially call because their vehicle is badly damaged and they do not yet know whether the soreness, stiffness, headache, numbness, or pain they are experiencing will resolve.

Call Kurzman Law Group early. You do not have to diagnose yourself before speaking with us.

What Compensation May Be Available

After a Commercial Vehicle Accident?

Every case is different. Potential damages may include medical expenses, future medical care, lost income, loss of future earning ability, property-related losses, and certain non-economic damages such as pain, suffering, disability, or physical impairment. In severe cases, the financial consequences may extend far beyond the initial emergency room bill. The amount recoverable depends on the evidence, legal responsibility, injuries, medical needs, financial losses, insurance coverage, and potentially responsible parties.

We do not evaluate a commercial vehicle case using a generic settlement calculator or artificial intelligence. Commercial vehicle cases require an understanding of the law, the insurance coverage, the business relationships, the available evidence, and the injuries involved. You need to know which questions to ask before you can determine what the case may actually be worth. Kurzman Law Group investigates the actual losses and available sources of recovery.

How Long Do I Have to Hire a Lawyer After a Commercial Vehicle Accident?

You do not have to hire a lawyer at the scene of the accident, but in a serious commercial vehicle case, waiting can make the investigation harder. Legal deadlines matter, but evidence often disappears long before the lawsuit deadline arrives. That is particularly important in a commercial case.

Electronic information may be overwritten. Vehicles may be repaired. Video may disappear. Drivers change jobs. Witnesses become harder to locate.

There are also insurance notice requirements and other time-sensitive issues. And, as discussed above, Florida generally requires initial medical care within 14 days after the accident for PIP medical coverage to remain available. The practical answer is therefore simple: Do not wait for a legal deadline before contacting a lawyer after a serious commercial vehicle accident.

How Can Kurzman Law Group Help After a Commercial Vehicle Accident?

A serious commercial vehicle accident can create problems almost immediately. You may be dealing with a destroyed vehicle, towing and storage charges, transportation problems, medical care, lost work, several insurance companies, and a commercial defendant that has already begun its own investigation. You should not have to manage all of that yourself. When Kurzman Law Group represents you, our goal is to take as much of that burden off your plate as legally and practically possible.

We can:

communicate with insurance carriers and commercial representatives on your behalf;
investigate how the collision occurred;
identify the commercial driver and businesses connected with the vehicle;
determine who owned, operated, leased, maintained, or controlled the commercial vehicle where relevant;
investigate whether the driver was working or performing services for a business;
identify available commercial and other insurance coverage;
preserve and seek relevant electronic, video, vehicle, and company evidence;
obtain police reports, photographs, witness information, and other available evidence;
investigate GPS, telematics, dispatch, delivery, maintenance, driver, and other commercial records when relevant;
help coordinate towing, storage, vehicle repairs, rental transportation, and property-damage issues;
guide you through the medical-treatment process;
assist you in locating appropriate medical providers near you, when legally permissible, if you do not already have a provider;
help ensure that accident-related medical care and bills are documented;
document lost income and other financial losses;
communicate with medical providers and insurers as appropriate;
evaluate settlement offers;
negotiate the claim on your behalf; and
file a lawsuit when litigation is necessary.

Our job is to guide you through the process, investigate the commercial side of the accident, protect your rights, deal with the insurance companies and other problems that arise, and take as much of the burden off you as possible so you can focus on recovering and getting your life back to normal. The earlier Kurzman Law Group becomes involved, the more opportunity we may have to identify and preserve important evidence.

Why Choose Kurzman Law Group for a Commercial Vehicle Accident?

Commercial vehicle cases can be more complicated than ordinary automobile claims because the driver, business relationships, vehicle ownership, evidence, and insurance coverage may all require investigation. Kurzman Law Group approaches these cases from the beginning with that broader investigation in mind. We do not simply accept the insurance card handed to you at the scene or assume the driver is the only responsible party. We investigate the accident, identify available insurance, communicate with the carriers on your behalf, help guide you through the medical and property-damage process, document your losses, negotiate the claim, and litigate when necessary.

Attorney Yana Kurzman has practiced law since 1994 and has been licensed in Florida since 2011. She is directly involved in the firm’s serious injury cases. Kurzman Law Group represents clients in Fort Lauderdale and throughout Florida and assists both English- and Russian-speaking clients.

Fort Lauderdale Commercial Vehicle Accident FAQs

Should I Call Kurzman Law Group From the Scene?

Yes. At Kurzman Law Group, we prefer that people call us from the scene when they are safely able to do so.

Early involvement gives us an opportunity to identify the commercial vehicle and company, understand what happened while the details are still fresh, determine what evidence may need to be preserved, and begin guiding you through the insurance, vehicle, and medical issues that follow.

If you are receiving emergency medical care or cannot safely call from the scene, contact us as soon as you reasonably can afterward.

Should I Speak With the Trucking or Delivery Company's Insurer?

Speak with an attorney before giving detailed statements about the accident, your physical condition, signing releases or authorizations, or discussing settlement. Kurzman Law Group can communicate with the insurance carriers on your behalf.

What If the Truck Changed Lanes and Hit My Car?

Florida law requires drivers to determine that a lane change can be made safely before moving into another lane. Commercial blind spots can make lane-change crashes especially serious, which is why vehicle evidence, cameras, witnesses, and electronic data may be important.

What If an Amazon, FedEx, or UPS Driver Caused the Accident?

The name on the vehicle does not necessarily identify every legally responsible company or insurance policy. Kurzman Law Group investigates the driver, vehicle ownership, business relationships, and available insurance rather than relying only on the logo or insurance card.

What If the Company Says the Driver Was an Independent Contractor?

That label alone does not tell you everything about potential legal responsibility or available insurance. The actual business relationships and facts should be investigated.

Large trucks do have significant blind spots, but that does not automatically make the passenger-car driver responsible for a crash. FMCSA emphasizes the importance of commercial drivers monitoring their blind spots when changing lanes.

What If I Felt Fine at the Scene but Started Hurting Later?

Symptoms may become more noticeable after the initial stress of a crash. Obtain appropriate medical evaluation based on your condition. Florida generally requires initial medical care within 14 days after a motor-vehicle accident or you may lose access to PIP medical coverage.

Does a Commercial Vehicle Usually Have More Insurance?

Commercial vehicles may carry different or greater coverage than ordinary passenger vehicles, but coverage should never be assumed. Kurzman Law Group investigates the applicable policies and potential insured parties.

What Evidence May Exist in a Commercial Vehicle Case?

Depending on the vehicle and company, evidence may include cameras, GPS, telematics, electronic driving information, dispatch or delivery records, maintenance records, driver records, photographs, witnesses, and other company documentation.

Who Pays to Repair or Replace My Car?

Property-damage coverage may come from the responsible party’s insurer or, depending on your policy, your own collision coverage. Kurzman Law Group can help guide the property-damage process while handling the overall claim.

Official Sources Referenced

Florida Statute §316.085 — Changing course: https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.085.html
Florida Statute §316.089 — Driving on roadways laned for traffic: https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.089.html
Florida Department of Transportation — I-95 Exit Numbers: https://www.fdot.gov/traffic/TrafficServices/exitnumb/i-95.shtm
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration — Commercial motor vehicle blind spots / inadequate surveillance: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/driver-safety/cmv-driving-tips-inadequate-surveillance
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration — Our Roads / truck safety information: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ourroads/talking-points

Visit Our Fort Lauderdale Office

By appointment only

Kurzman Law Group

Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Lawyer

500 E. Broward Blvd, Suite 1015
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394
(954) 406-6464

Kurzman Law Group is located in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale, just one block north of Las Olas Boulevard. Our office in the Broward Financial Centre places the firm in one of the city’s most established and recognizable business districts, with convenient access from Broward Boulevard, US-1, I-95, and the Las Olas corridor.

Contact Kurzman Law Group After a Commercial Vehicle Accident

If you were struck by an 18-wheeler, delivery truck, box truck, Amazon, FedEx, UPS, or another commercial vehicle in Fort Lauderdale or elsewhere in Florida, contact Kurzman Law Group as soon as you reasonably can. You do not need to know which company is responsible, what insurance applies, whether the driver was an employee or contractor, or whether your symptoms will become serious. That is what the investigation is for. Kurzman Law Group can begin communicating with the insurers, investigating the driver and companies involved, identifying available coverage, preserving evidence, and guiding you through the medical, vehicle, and claim issues that follow.

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