March 4, 2024

You were just driving through Tampa like any other day. Then a commercial vehicle changed everything. Now you’re in pain, your car is wrecked, and the company’s insurance team is already building a file to limit what they pay you. Here’s what you need to know before you say another word to them. The Reyes Firm Hurt in a Commercial Vehicle Crash in Tampa? Get clear next steps after a serious commercial vehicle accident. Had a bad day? Contact Us Now 46,651 Florida CMV crashes in 2024 FLHSMV By the Numbers 2024 2 Years Florida statute of limitations Fla. Stat. 95.11(3)(a) $750K+ FMCSA min. liability coverage 49 C.F.R. § 387.9 315 CMV fatalities in Florida, 2024 FLHSMV By the Numbers 2024 Can you sue a commercial vehicle company after a Tampa crash? Yes, in most cases you can pursue a claim against the company behind the vehicle, not just the driver. Commercial vehicles in Tampa include delivery vans, box trucks, semi-trucks, dump trucks, freight haulers, and company fleet vehicles, and the business that owns, leases, or operates that vehicle can be held responsible for a crash its driver causes while on the job. This is what separates a commercial vehicle case from an ordinary car accident. When a private driver hits you, there is usually one insurance policy and one at-fault person. When a commercial vehicle hits you, there may be a corporate owner, an employer, a logistics or staffing contractor, a vehicle leasing company, and a maintenance provider all standing between you and fair compensation. Each one carries its own insurance and its own lawyers, and each one has a reason to point the finger somewhere else. ⚠️ Deadline Warning: Under Florida Statute § 95.11(3)(a), you have two years from the date of your crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this deadline almost always means losing your right to recover anything. Don’t wait to call a lawyer. Why do Tampa commercial vehicle crash cases move faster than you think? The evidence that proves your case starts disappearing almost immediately. Commercial vehicles generate digital records that a private car never does: GPS and telematics data, engine control module readings, electronic logging device (ELD) hours, dashcam video, dispatch messages, and maintenance histories. Much of that data is stored on systems that overwrite themselves on a rolling cycle, sometimes within a week or two. The company knows this. Their accident response team can be on site or reviewing footage the same day, while you are still in the emergency room. By the time many crash victims think about hiring a lawyer, key records have already cycled out or been quietly archived. A Tampa commercial vehicle accident attorney can send a spoliation (evidence preservation) letter within days, legally demanding the company hold every relevant record before it is gone. Speed here is not about being pushy. It is about protecting proof you cannot get back later. 💡 Did You Know? According to FLHSMV’s 2024 “By the Numbers” report, Florida recorded 46,651 commercial motor vehicle crashes in 2024, resulting in 315 fatalities. That’s nearly 128 CMV crashes every single day across Florida’s roads. Source: FLHSMV By the Numbers 2024, flhsmv.gov. Note: 2024 crash numbers are preliminary. Watch: What happens after a commercial vehicle accident in Tampa? This short overview walks through the first moves that protect your health and your claim after a commercial vehicle crash. If you have questions the video doesn’t answer, The Reyes Firm offers a free consultation any time at 833-4 BAD DAY. Who is actually liable after a Tampa commercial vehicle accident? Liability often reaches well beyond the person behind the wheel. Florida uses the doctrine of vicarious liability, which means an employer can be held legally responsible for the negligent acts of an employee driver acting within the scope of their job. On top of that, the vehicle owner can face exposure under Florida’s dangerous instrumentality doctrine (Fla. Stat. § 324.021) simply for entrusting a heavy vehicle to a driver who then causes harm. Depending on how your crash happened, the responsible parties may include the driver, the company that employs or contracts the driver, a separate company that owns or leases the vehicle, a maintenance shop that signed off on faulty brakes or tires, a cargo loader whose improper loading shifted weight, or a parts manufacturer whose defective component failed. One of the most common ways injured people lose money is settling with the first insurer who calls, before anyone identifies the other parties who should also be paying. If a tired or over-scheduled driver was involved, hours-of-service violations and driver fatigue can open up additional avenues of corporate responsibility. 🛡️ Your Rights Under Florida Law: Under Florida Statute § 768.81, your compensation is reduced by your share of fault, and you may be barred from recovery if you are found greater than 50% responsible for your own harm. An experienced Tampa commercial vehicle accident lawyer works to protect the facts, challenge unfair blame, and keep your percentage of fault as low as the evidence allows. What is a Tampa commercial vehicle accident case worth? There is no flat figure, because the value of your case depends on the severity of your injuries, how the crash has changed your life, and the insurance coverage available. That said, commercial vehicle cases often carry higher value than standard car crashes for two reasons: the injuries tend to be more serious because of the size and weight of the vehicle, and the policies behind commercial vehicles are far larger. Many interstate carriers are required to carry at least $750,000 to $1 million in liability coverage under federal rules, and you can learn more about how these Florida delivery company insurance limits work. A complete claim accounts for past and future medical bills, lost wages, diminished earning ability, property damage, and the pain and disruption the crash forced into your daily life. When a serious injury keeps you from working at the level you used to, lost earning