Tractor-Trailer Starts “Chain Reaction” Crash

Most people think of tractor-trailer accidents as involving no more than two vehicles, but sometimes, crashes can affect many others using the roadway. For example, in late March 2025, a tractor-trailer headed down I-75, near MM 262, failed to stop for cars that were stopped “or driving slowly in heavy traffic.” The tractor-trailer struck the back of a Nissan, which started a ‘chain reaction’ – the Nissan struck another vehicle, and that vehicle struck another, and so on. Four different cars were affected by the tractor-trailer driver’s failure to stop.

How Injuries Happen

Collisions involving three or more vehicles are less common than one might think, but they do happen, and they can cause serious injury even when a tractor-trailer is not involved. However, when a tractor-trailer or other large vehicle plays a role, the sheer size and increased stopping distance often mean that the crash itself is stronger than it would be otherwise. As a result of that size, we see a higher percentage of fatalities in accidents involving large trucks and buses than we do in car-to-car accidents.

The report from the Florida Highway Patrol states that only the Nissan’s driver was injured, thankfully, which means that the Nissan driver would be the only one with a potential claim against the tractor-trailer driver (or their employer) for negligence. One might wonder why only that driver was harmed, but the answer lies in simple physics. Force is dissipated as it strikes something; in the I-75 accident, the tractor-trailer in motion struck the stopped Nissan, which meant that the Nissan received the full brunt of the tractor-trailer’s force, as if the vehicle had been a brick wall.

Filing Suit

If a driver or passenger is injured in a multi-vehicle accident in Florida, they first must file a claim through their personal injury protection insurance in order to try and recover for their medical bills. Florida is a no-fault insurance state, meaning that only injuries that are “significant and permanent” will allow a person to file suit for negligence; more minor injuries are expected to be covered by the $10,000 in PIP coverage that all Florida drivers are expected to carry.

If your injuries meet the severity threshold, you may be able to file suit not only against the tractor-trailer driver, but also their employer, under a legal theory known as vicarious liability. In certain situations, an employer can be held liable for the actions of their employees, and given that employers tend to have far deeper pockets than their workers, it may be a valid strategy if the criteria are met. You deserve to recover for the harm you have suffered.

Call A Tampa Tractor-Trailer Accident Attorney

While the injuries from the I-75 crash appear to have been minimal, not every multi-vehicle accident ends so well. If you have been involved in this type of crash, enlisting a Tampa truck accident attorney from the Rinaldo Law Group to protect your rights can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call our office today at (813) 831-9999 to schedule a free consultation.

Source:

abcactionnews.com/news/region-hillsborough/chain-reaction-crash-on-i-75-leaves-one-injured-shuts-down-traffic