Multi-Vehicle Accident on I-75 in Ocala Sends Two to Hospital: How Victims Can Pursue a Personal Injury Claim in Florida

On August 13, 2025, a serious multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 75 Northbound near Mile Marker 352 in Ocala, Florida brought traffic to a standstill and left two people hospitalized with serious injuries. According to local news reports, the crash occurred when an overturned semi-truck, originally traveling southbound, suffered a tire failure that caused the driver to lose control, cross the median, and veer into oncoming northbound traffic. Tragically, the semi landed on top of a Honda Civic traveling northbound. Both occupants of the Civic sustained traumatic injuries, were classified as trauma alerts, and were rushed to the hospital for emergency care.

While no fatalities have been reported at the time of writing, the injuries sustained in this type of crash can be life-altering. The force of impact from a fully loaded semi-truck can cause catastrophic injuries, requiring long-term rehabilitation or resulting in permanent disability.

Tire blowouts or failures are a leading cause of serious commercial vehicle accidents. When a semi-truck tire fails:

• Loss of Control: The driver may immediately lose the ability to maintain lane position, especially at highway speeds.
• Jackknifing or Overturning: The sudden shift in balance can cause the truck to jackknife or tip over.
• Cross-Median Incidents: As in this case, a loss of control can send a truck across medians into oncoming lanes, creating a high risk of head-on or rollover collisions.
• Multi-Vehicle Pileups: Debris from the blowout and subsequent collisions can cause chain-reaction crashes.

Given the massive size and weight of commercial trucks—up to 80,000 pounds under federal law—any loss of control can lead to devastating consequences for smaller passenger vehicles.

Legal Options After a Truck Accident in Florida

Victims injured due to another party’s negligence have the right to file a personal injury claim. In this case, potential negligence could stem from the truck driver, the trucking company, a maintenance contractor, or even the tire manufacturer. A personal injury claim can seek compensation for:

• Medical expenses, including hospitalization, surgery, and ongoing therapy
• Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering, both physical and emotional
• Disability or permanent impairment

In trucking accident cases, liability is rarely limited to the driver alone. Multiple parties may bear responsibility:

• Truck Driver – For failing to inspect the vehicle properly or for improper handling during a blowout.
• Trucking Company/Carrier – For failing to maintain safe equipment, inadequate training, or pushing drivers to operate unsafe vehicles.
• Maintenance Contractors – If an outside company serviced the truck but failed to identify or fix a dangerous tire condition.
• Tire Manufacturer – If the blowout was caused by a design or manufacturing defect.
• Freight Shippers or Brokers – In some cases, if they pressured the carrier to operate under unsafe conditions.

Determining fault requires a thorough investigation, including review of maintenance logs, inspection records, tire purchase receipts, and the truck’s electronic control module (“black box”) data.

Trucking accident cases are complex and time-sensitive. Commercial carriers often dispatch rapid-response teams to investigate accidents immediately, and critical evidence, such as maintenance records, black box data, and dashcam footage, can be lost if not preserved.

An experienced truck accident attorney can:

• Conduct an independent investigation into the cause of the crash
• Secure and preserve maintenance logs, tire inspection reports, and event data recorder downloads
• Identify all potentially liable parties, including drivers, employers, and manufacturers
• Calculate the full extent of economic and non-economic damages
• Negotiate with multiple insurance carriers or litigate aggressively in court if necessary

If you or a loved one has been injured in a commercial truck accident, call us today at 305-638-4143 or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation.