Miami Truck Accident Lawyers

Catastrophic Injury Representation for Commercial Vehicle Crashes in Miami

When an 18-wheeler, semi-truck, or other commercial vehicle collides with a passenger car, the consequences are rarely minor. Fully loaded commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) limits, roughly 20 times the weight of an average passenger car. That weight difference is why these crashes so often cause catastrophic, life-altering injuries.

Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli & Pratt has been handling personal injury cases in Miami and throughout Florida for over 40 years. Our managing partner, Jed Kurzban, concentrates his practice in personal injury, medical malpractice, and products liability. He has been selected to the Super Lawyers list, served as vice chair of the Dade County Bar Association Trial Section, and sat on the Board of Directors for the Florida Justice Association. He also authored How Justice Is Served, a manual on evaluating, preparing, and litigating cases. Our firm carries an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is included in The National Trial Lawyers Top 100.

Trucking companies and their insurers deploy rapid-response investigation teams immediately after major crashes to limit their exposure. Victims need a truck accident attorney in Miami who moves just as quickly to secure black box data, electronic logging device (ELD) records, driver logs, and physical evidence before it disappears.

Call our truck accident lawyer at (786) 788-8557, or complete our online form. We handle commercial vehicle cases in Miami, across Florida, and nationwide.

Serious Injuries From a Collision With a Truck

Crashes involving large commercial trucks routinely cause injuries that change lives permanently. We handle truck accident cases involving:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
• Broken bones
• Internal organ damage
• Severe lacerations and burns
• Wrongful death

Beyond the physical harm, victims face compounding financial losses: emergency hospitalization, long-term rehabilitation, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and ongoing care costs that can stretch for years. We pursue compensation for the full scope of these past, present, and future damages.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Miami

Most commercial vehicle crashes trace back to negligence at the driver level, the carrier level, or both. Identifying the cause is the first step toward holding every liable party accountable.

• Driver fatigue: FMCSA hours-of-service rules limit driving to 11 hours before a mandatory 10-hour off-duty period. Drivers pressured to meet tight delivery schedules routinely exceed these limits.
• Distracted driving: Phone use, GPS interaction, and eating behind the wheel all reduce reaction time significantly.
• Improper maintenance: FMCSA Part 396 requires periodic vehicle inspection and repair. Brake failure, tire blowouts, and lighting defects are among the most common maintenance-related causes.
• Overloaded or improperly secured cargo: Uneven weight distribution makes trucks difficult to control and increases jackknife and rollover risk.
• Reckless driving: Speeding, tailgating, and blind-spot failures create severe collision risk on Miami's congested highways. Commercial trucks have significant blind zones on all four sides.
• Substance use: FMCSA regulations prohibit alcohol use within four hours of operating a commercial vehicle and require post-accident alcohol testing within eight hours of the crash.
• Negligent hiring and training: Carriers can be held liable when they place inadequately screened or poorly supervised drivers on the road.

Verdicts, Evidence, & the Damages We Pursue

Our approach to commercial vehicle negligence cases is built around two principles: move fast and build for trial. From day one, we work to obtain black box data, driver logbooks, drug and alcohol test records, maintenance logs, and other critical records. We collaborate with medical professionals, financial analysts, and life-care planners who document what our clients have lost and what they may need going forward.

Our record includes a $3.6 million jury verdict in Miami against the Department of Transportation after a DOT truck driver fell asleep, swerved off the road, and killed a father of two who was standing on a sidewalk. We also secured a $1 million presuit settlement in Palm Beach County against a trucking insurer for a motorcyclist struck by an 18-wheeler that failed to yield. These are past results and not a prediction of any future outcome.

Compensable damages in Florida truck accident cases include:

• Hospitalization, surgery, and ongoing medical care
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Long-term care costs
• Wrongful death benefits, including funeral costs, loss of income, and loss of consortium

We litigate from the outset with trial in mind because our clients' long-term well-being may depend on courtroom results. Our firm handles tractor-trailer accident cases in Miami, throughout Florida, and nationwide.