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Why Hire an Aventura Truck Accident Attorney After a Serious Commercial Vehicle Crash?

Truck accident cases can become significantly more complicated than ordinary two-car collision claims.

The person driving the truck may have caused the collision, but the driver may not be the only legally responsible party. Depending on the evidence, potential responsibility may extend to a motor carrier, trucking company, vehicle owner, trailer owner, maintenance contractor, cargo loader, shipper, freight broker, manufacturer, or another business involved in the transportation operation.

Commercial vehicles can also generate evidence that does not ordinarily exist in a passenger-car case. Electronic logging devices, engine or event data, GPS and telematics systems, dash cameras, dispatch communications, inspection reports, maintenance records, driver qualification files, delivery records, bills of lading, and other business records can help reconstruct what occurred.

The investigation should therefore ask more than who received a traffic citation. It should determine who controlled the transportation operation, what safety duties applied, what the companies knew before the collision, what electronic and corporate records exist, and what insurance is available.

How Are Aventura Truck Accidents Different From Ordinary Car Accidents?

A typical car accident may primarily involve two drivers and their automobile insurers. A serious commercial truck collision may involve an entire transportation enterprise.

The tractor and trailer may have different owners. The driver may work for a motor carrier or operate under another business arrangement. Another company may have arranged the freight. A shipper or loading company may have loaded or secured the cargo. Maintenance may have been performed by a separate contractor. Multiple liability, excess, umbrella, trailer, or other insurance policies may potentially apply.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations may also become relevant depending on the truck, carrier, cargo, route, and operation.

These differences make early identification of the businesses involved especially important. The name painted on the side of the truck does not necessarily identify every company whose conduct or insurance must be investigated.

For a detailed discussion of federal trucking regulations, hours-of-service requirements, driver qualification files, maintenance requirements, electronic truck evidence, commercial insurance, and other Florida truck-accident issues, see our Florida Truck Accident Lawyer and Commercial Truck Claims Guide.

Who May Be Liable for a Florida Truck Accident?

Liability depends on what actually caused or contributed to the collision. A careful investigation should identify each participant in the transportation chain and determine what that person or company controlled.

The commercial truck driver

A driver may be responsible for speeding, following too closely, distracted driving, fatigue, impairment, an unsafe lane change, an improper turn, failure to yield, failure to maintain a proper lookout, or other negligent operation.

The trucking company or motor carrier

The carrier may be responsible for the driver's conduct under applicable principles of agency or vicarious liability. When supported by the evidence, direct negligence involving hiring, qualification, retention, training, supervision, dispatch, maintenance, or entrustment may also require investigation.

The owner of the tractor or trailer

Ownership and leasing relationships can be important. The investigation may need to determine who owned the tractor, who owned the trailer, who had possession or control, and what contractual and operating relationships existed when the crash occurred.

Maintenance companies and repair contractors

Brake failures, tire problems, lighting defects, steering problems, and other mechanical conditions may raise questions about inspection, repair, and maintenance. Records can help determine when a condition was discovered, what work was performed, and whether the vehicle should have remained in service.

Cargo loaders, shippers, brokers, and other companies

An improperly loaded or secured shipment can affect braking, handling, stability, and rollover risk. Depending on the facts and applicable law, the conduct of a shipper, loader, broker, or another business involved in the shipment may require investigation.

Manufacturers

A defective tire, brake component, coupling system, steering component, underride guard, or other vehicle part can create a separate product-liability issue when supported by the evidence.

Identifying a company is only the beginning. Liability requires evidence connecting that person or business to a legal duty and to the conduct that caused or contributed to the crash.

Where Do Serious Truck and Commercial Vehicle Crashes Occur in Aventura?

Aventura has a distinctive transportation environment. The city sits between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, immediately east of I-95, with the Miami-Dade/Broward County line at its northern boundary. Biscayne Boulevard/US-1 is the principal north-south arterial through the city and carries local traffic alongside commercial, delivery, transit, commuter, shopping, and visitor traffic.

Biscayne Boulevard / US-1. This major multi-lane commercial corridor includes turning traffic, shopping-center entrances, condominium access points, buses, pedestrians, cyclists, delivery vehicles, and drivers moving between local destinations and the regional roadway network.

William Lehman Causeway / NE 192nd Street. The causeway and its approaches create merging, turning, lane-selection, and higher-speed traffic issues. A collision near a ramp or approach may require analysis of vehicle position, speed, traffic signals, lane changes, sight lines, and available roadway or business video.

Ives Dairy Road and access to I-95. Ives Dairy Road provides an important connection between Aventura and I-95. Commercial vehicles traveling between regional highways and Aventura businesses may transition from interstate travel into substantially denser local traffic.

NE 203rd Street and the Aventura Mall area. Mall entrances, retail deliveries, passenger vehicles, rideshare activity, buses, pedestrians, and other road users can create complicated traffic interactions around one of South Florida’s major commercial destinations.

West Dixie Highway and the Brightline Aventura Station area. Passenger pickups and drop-offs, transit connections, pedestrians, local businesses, and vehicles moving between West Dixie Highway and Biscayne Boulevard can create different evidence and traffic patterns from an interstate collision.

West Country Club Drive and condominium areas. Local commercial and delivery vehicles may encounter residential entrances, pedestrians, cyclists, service vehicles, and limited maneuvering space.

A genuinely local truck investigation should examine the actual roadway rather than merely inserting “Aventura” into a generic truck-accident claim. Intersection geometry, turning lanes, traffic signals, nearby businesses, surveillance cameras, delivery destinations, construction conditions, and the truck’s route into or through Aventura may all matter.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Aventura?

Serious commercial-vehicle collisions can result from driver conduct, company safety decisions, mechanical conditions, cargo problems, roadway conditions, or several causes operating together.

Potential causes include driver fatigue, excessive speed, following too closely, distracted driving, unsafe lane changes, failure to yield, improper turns, inadequate lookout, impairment, insufficient training or driver qualification, poor route planning, unsafe dispatch pressure, brake or tire failures, inadequate inspection or maintenance, overloaded or improperly secured cargo, and violations of applicable safety requirements.

A crash should not be attributed to one cause simply because it initially appears obvious. A rear-end collision, for example, may involve much more than following distance. The evidence may raise questions about speed, distraction, fatigue, braking performance, vehicle weight, traffic detection, maintenance, or whether dispatch and scheduling practices contributed to unsafe operation.

What Types of Truck Accidents Occur in Aventura?

Commercial-vehicle collisions can include rear-end crashes, intersection collisions, unsafe lane-change crashes, blind-spot or “no-zone” sideswipes, wide-turn accidents, underride collisions, jackknife crashes, rollovers, tire-blowout or mechanical-failure crashes, cargo spills, backing accidents, pedestrian or bicycle collisions, and crashes involving stopped or disabled vehicles.

The type of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) also matters. An Aventura commercial-vehicle claim may involve a tractor-trailer, semi-truck, 18-wheeler, big rig, box truck, delivery truck, moving truck, tanker, dump truck, construction vehicle, garbage truck, tow truck, car carrier, utility vehicle, fleet van, or another vehicle operated for business purposes.

Different vehicles generate different questions. A tractor-trailer crash may require analysis of hours of service and interstate motor-carrier records. A delivery-truck collision may focus heavily on route, dispatch, company supervision, parking, backing, pedestrian activity, and last-mile delivery pressure. Claims involving Amazon delivery vans and Delivery Service Partner vehicles can raise additional questions about the driver, delivery company, contracting relationships, and applicable insurance. A dump truck or construction vehicle may raise questions about load securement, vehicle condition, worksite relationships, or multiple contractors.

What Evidence Should Be Preserved After an Aventura Truck Accident?

Truck evidence can disappear long before the deadline for filing a lawsuit. The appropriate preservation request depends on the vehicle and operation, but potentially important evidence can include:

• electronic logging device data;

• engine control module, event, or other vehicle data;

• GPS and telematics information;

• dash-camera and inward-facing camera footage;

• dispatch messages and trip records;

• driver qualification and safety records;

• hours-of-service records;

• driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIRs), brake and tire inspection records, repair records, and maintenance histories;

• post-crash inspection materials;

• cargo and load-securement records;

• bills of lading and delivery documents;

• cellphone or other communication evidence when legally discoverable;

• photographs and measurements of the tractor and trailer;

• insurance-company or trucking-company investigation materials when discoverable;

• roadway, business, condominium, shopping-center, transit, or surveillance video; and

• physical evidence from the vehicles and crash scene.

The purpose of preservation is not to assume that every record proves wrongdoing. It is to prevent potentially important evidence from disappearing before the competing explanations for the collision can be tested.

What Are ELD, ECM, GPS, and “Black Box” Records in a Truck Accident?

There is no single universal truck “black box” that records everything about a collision.

Depending on the truck and equipment installed, electronic systems may contain information concerning speed, braking, throttle position, engine operation, GPS location, duty status, route activity, collision warnings, or other vehicle events.

An electronic logging device (ELD) primarily records driver duty-status information used for hours-of-service compliance. An engine control module (ECM) or other vehicle system may contain different operating information. Telematics providers and fleet systems may separately preserve GPS, dispatch, route, or vehicle-performance information.

The important question is not simply whether the truck had a “black box.” The investigation should identify which systems existed on that particular vehicle, who controlled the data, what was recorded, how long it is retained, and whether it can be compared with physical evidence, video, witness testimony, dispatch records, and the driver’s account.

How Does an Aventura Trucking Accident Attorney Investigate the Trucking Company?

The investigation should extend beyond the driver.

A trucking company may possess information concerning driver hiring and qualification, prior driving history, medical qualification, training, supervision, dispatch, hours of service, safety violations or driver disqualification, vehicle inspections, maintenance, previous mechanical complaints, post-crash testing, and communications surrounding the trip.

Federal regulations require many motor carriers to maintain particular safety records. Whether a specific federal regulation applies depends on the carrier, vehicle, route, cargo, and operation.

The firm’s broader Florida Truck Accident Guide addresses hours-of-service rules, driver qualification files, inspection and maintenance requirements, federal financial-responsibility requirements, and other regulatory issues in greater detail.

How Can Local Evidence Help Prove an Aventura Truck Accident?

Local evidence can be especially important when a commercial-vehicle collision occurs on a heavily developed roadway.

A crash on Biscayne Boulevard may have been observed by other drivers, pedestrians, businesses, condominiums, buses, or surveillance systems. A collision around Aventura Mall may involve retail or parking-area cameras. An accident near the Brightline station may create different potential sources of video or witnesses. A crash involving a truck entering or leaving a delivery location may generate delivery records, gate records, receipts, dispatch information, or employee witnesses.

The investigation should identify these sources quickly because privately maintained video is often retained for a limited period.

Roadway evidence also matters. Lane configuration, signal phases, turning paths, sight obstructions, skid or tire marks, debris, construction conditions, and the location where vehicles came to rest can help test conflicting accounts. The firm’s Aventura Car Accident Lawyer guide addresses the broader local crash and insurance framework for collisions in Aventura.

What Injuries Can Result From an Aventura Truck Accident?

The size and weight difference between a commercial truck and a passenger vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, or pedestrian can result in catastrophic injuries.

Truck crashes may cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal-cord injuries, cervical and lumbar injuries, fractures, crush injuries, internal-organ damage, burns, amputations, permanent scarring, neurological injuries, and other conditions requiring surgery or long-term rehabilitation.

Some people cannot return to their prior occupation or require future medical care, assistive devices, home modifications, or help with activities they previously performed independently.

Fatal truck crashes can also give rise to wrongful-death claims by the estate and qualifying survivors under Florida law.

The medical investigation should document not only the diagnosis but how the injury affects the person’s work, mobility, independence, family responsibilities, and future needs.

What Compensation Can an Aventura Truck Accident Lawyer Pursue?

Recoverable damages depend on the facts, applicable law, insurance, and available proof. A serious truck accident claim may include past medical expenses, reasonably necessary future medical treatment, lost income, reduced earning capacity, disability, disfigurement, pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, property damage, and other legally recoverable losses.

A spouse may have a loss-of-consortium claim when supported by the facts and law. A fatal collision may permit damages under Florida’s Wrongful Death Act.

Punitive damages may become an issue in limited cases involving the required level of misconduct, but they are not automatically available simply because a commercial truck caused serious injuries.

The value of a claim cannot reliably be determined from the size of the truck or an online settlement calculator. It depends on liability, medical causation, permanency, future needs, earning loss, comparative fault, responsible defendants, available insurance and assets, and the quality of the evidence.

How Does an Aventura Truck Accident Attorney Identify Commercial Insurance Coverage?

Commercial truck accidents may involve substantially different insurance issues from an ordinary passenger-car crash.

The investigation may need to identify the motor carrier’s primary liability policy, excess or umbrella coverage, insurance associated with the tractor or trailer, coverage applicable to additional insureds, self-insurance, and policies connected with other responsible businesses.

Federal financial-responsibility requirements may apply to some interstate motor carriers, but a statutory or regulatory minimum does not establish the total amount of insurance actually available.

Coverage analysis should therefore begin with accurate identification of the driver, carrier, tractor, trailer, ownership and leasing relationships, USDOT or motor-carrier information, cargo, and companies involved in the trip.

When available liability coverage is insufficient, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may also require analysis under the injured person’s own policy or another applicable policy.

When available liability coverage is insufficient, uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may also require analysis under the injured person’s own policy or another applicable policy.

Florida follows a modified comparative-fault system for negligence actions.

If an injured person is found partly responsible, the percentage of fault can affect the amount recovered. Under current Florida law, a person found more than 50 percent at fault for his or her own harm is generally barred from recovery in an ordinary negligence action, while a person 50 percent or less at fault may have damages reduced according to the assigned percentage.

That makes early evidence particularly important when fault is disputed.

A trucking company or insurer may argue that another driver changed lanes, stopped suddenly, entered a blind area, failed to yield, was speeding, or otherwise contributed to the collision. Those allegations should be tested against vehicle data, photographs, video, roadway evidence, witnesses, physical damage, commercial records, and reconstruction evidence when appropriate.

How Long Do You Have to File an Aventura Truck Accident Lawsuit?

For many Florida negligence claims arising under current law, the statute of limitations is two years. Florida wrongful-death actions are also generally subject to a two-year limitations period.

The correct deadline, however, depends on the specific claim, crash date, parties, legal theory, and any special notice or accrual rules. The deadline should therefore be calculated for the particular case.

The lawsuit deadline is also not the only reason to act promptly. Video may be overwritten, electronic information may be lost, vehicles can be repaired, and witnesses become harder to locate long before the statute of limitations expires.

What Should You Do After a Serious Truck Accident in Aventura?

Obtain appropriate medical care and report the collision. If it can be done safely, preserve photographs or video showing the vehicles, truck markings, USDOT number, tractor and trailer numbers, license plates, roadway, traffic signals, debris, damage, and visible injuries.

Obtain witness contact information when possible. Preserve your own photographs, messages, dash-camera footage, receipts, medical paperwork, employment information, and other records connected with the crash.

Do not place yourself in danger attempting to collect evidence on Biscayne Boulevard, an I-95 approach, the William Lehman Causeway, or another active roadway.

If an injury or ambulance transport prevented you from obtaining the truck’s identifying information, the claim is not necessarily lost. Police reports, witnesses, photographs, video, commercial databases, insurance disclosures, and later discovery may identify the truck and carrier.

When Should You Contact an Aventura Truck Accident Attorney?

Consider speaking with a truck accident lawyer promptly when the injuries are serious, fault is disputed, the collision involves a commercial carrier or fleet vehicle, multiple businesses may be involved, an insurer requests a recorded statement or early release, or evidence controlled by the trucking company needs to be preserved.

Early investigation does not mean rushing to settle the case.

Its purpose is to preserve evidence, identify responsible parties and insurance, and protect the claim while the medical condition develops. A serious injury case generally should not be valued before the prognosis, future treatment, functional limitations, earning consequences, insurance structure, and liability evidence are sufficiently understood.

Why Hire Dan Reinfeld as Your Aventura Truck Accident Lawyer?

Dan Reinfeld has more than 25 years of Florida litigation experience and has represented injured people since 2009 after previously working in insurance defense.

That background matters in a truck case because commercial carriers and insurers may dispute much more than who caused the collision. They may challenge medical causation, the need for treatment, prior medical conditions, damages, company responsibility, insurance coverage, or the injured person’s own conduct.

Understanding how claims are defended helps identify those issues early and develop evidence before they become obstacles to recovery.

Former Insurance-Defense Experience

Before representing injured people, Dan worked on the defense side of civil litigation. That experience provides insight into how insurers and defense attorneys evaluate liability, medical evidence, damages, expert testimony, discovery, and trial risk. The goal is not merely to submit medical bills to an adjuster. It is to build the evidence necessary to answer the defenses that can reduce or defeat a serious commercial-truck claim.

Jury Trial-Tested

Dan has jury-trial experience and obtained a $1.6 million unanimous jury verdict in a motor-vehicle injury case recognized by TopVerdict among Florida’s Top 100 Personal Injury Verdicts and Top 10 Pedestrian Accident Verdicts of 2024. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. They do demonstrate experience taking a contested motor-vehicle injury case through a jury verdict when settlement did not resolve the dispute.

One Attorney From Beginning to End

Dan personally handles the cases accepted by Daniel B Reinfeld, PA. Clients can communicate directly with the attorney responsible for the case rather than having the claim primarily managed through a high-volume call center or transferred to another lawyer when litigation becomes necessary.

The firm’s office is at 2450 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, convenient to Aventura and the South Broward/northern Miami-Dade area. Telephone and video consultations are available, and hospital or home visits may be available when appropriate.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Aventura Truck Accident Lawyer?

The initial consultation with Daniel B Reinfeld, PA is free.

For accepted personal-injury cases handled on a contingency-fee basis, there is no attorney fee unless compensation is recovered, subject to the written fee agreement and applicable Florida rules.

You can speak directly with Dan about what happened, the injuries involved, the trucking companies and insurers, and what evidence may need to be preserved before deciding whether to hire the firm.

Frequently Asked Questions About Aventura Truck Accident Claims

What should I do immediately after a truck accident in Aventura?

Get medical care, report the crash, and preserve evidence if you can safely do so. Photograph the truck, company markings, USDOT number, tractor or trailer numbers, license plates, vehicle positions, damage, debris, roadway conditions, traffic controls, visible injuries, and nearby cameras. Obtain witness information when possible. Do not put yourself at risk attempting to gather evidence on Biscayne Boulevard, the William Lehman Causeway, Ives Dairy Road, or another active roadway.

How can I identify the trucking company if I did not get the driver’s insurance information?

The carrier may be identified through the company name, USDOT number, tractor or trailer number, license plate, photographs, police crash report, witness images, delivery documents, or other commercial records. The company displayed on the truck may not be the only responsible business. Ownership, leasing, dispatch, cargo, maintenance, and insurance relationships may also require investigation.

Should I give the trucking company’s insurer a recorded statement?

Do not give an opposing trucking company or liability insurer a broad recorded statement before understanding who is requesting it, whom the insurer represents, and how the statement may be used. You should provide truthful information when legally or contractually required, but an adverse insurer’s request is different from your own insurer’s potential cooperation requirements. Your actual policy and circumstances should be reviewed.

What is a truck-accident preservation letter?

A preservation letter directs a trucking company or other evidence holder to preserve identified physical and electronic evidence relevant to the crash. Depending on the case, it may cover ELD and vehicle data, GPS or telematics, video, dispatch communications, driver records, maintenance documents, cargo records, and the tractor or trailer itself. Prompt action matters because some information can be overwritten or lost during ordinary business operations.

What can a truck’s black box or ELD prove?

There is no universal truck black box. Different systems preserve different information. An ELD generally concerns driver duty status. Engine, event, GPS, telematics, dash-camera, or collision-warning systems may contain different information concerning the truck’s operation or location. The investigation should identify the systems actually installed on the vehicle and compare their information with the physical evidence and witness accounts.

What if the truck driver is called an independent contractor?

The label does not automatically determine responsibility. The investigation should examine the actual relationships among the driver, motor carrier, equipment owners, dispatch operation, insurance program, and other companies involved. Contracts, control, federal motor-carrier relationships, leasing arrangements, and the conduct that caused the crash may all matter.

What if a delivery truck hits a pedestrian or bicyclist in Aventura?

A commercial vehicle striking a pedestrian or bicyclist can cause catastrophic injuries. The investigation may focus on turning path, blind areas, right of way, traffic signals, visibility, speed, lookout, lighting, video, and the driver’s route or delivery activity. For issues unique to vulnerable road users, see the firm’s pedestrian accident guide and bicycle accident guide. The commercial claim should also investigate the driver’s employer or motor carrier, vehicle ownership, applicable insurance, electronic data, and relevant company records.

What if the commercial truck leaves the scene?

Call 911 and preserve any information you have, including a partial plate, company name or markings, USDOT number, vehicle description, direction of travel, photographs, video, debris, paint transfer, and witness information. Nearby businesses, residences, roadway systems, shopping centers, or other cameras may help identify the vehicle. If the truck cannot be identified, uninsured-motorist coverage may become important depending on the applicable policy and facts. See the firm’s hit-and-run accident guide for the separate identification, evidence, and coverage issues that can arise when a vehicle leaves the scene.

Who pays medical bills after an Aventura truck accident?

The trucking company’s liability insurer does not necessarily pay medical expenses as they are incurred. Depending on the circumstances, medical bills may initially involve Florida PIP, health insurance, medical-payments coverage, workers’ compensation for a work-related collision, and ultimately liability or UM/UIM recovery. Coverage depends on the people, vehicles, policies, and circumstances involved.

What if the trucking company’s insurance is not enough?

Do not assume the first policy disclosed is the only potential source of recovery. A serious truck case may require investigation of other responsible businesses, additional insureds, excess or umbrella coverage, self-insurance, trailer or other commercial policies, and the injured person’s own UM/UIM coverage when applicable.

Can I recover if I was partly responsible for the truck accident?

Possibly. Florida’s modified comparative-fault law can reduce damages according to an injured person’s percentage of responsibility. A person found more than 50 percent at fault for his or her own harm is generally barred from recovery in an ordinary negligence action under current Florida law. Fault allegations should be tested against the available physical, electronic, roadway, witness, and commercial evidence.

How much is an Aventura truck accident case worth?

There is no reliable value based only on the fact that a commercial truck was involved. Case value depends on provable liability, injury severity, medical causation, permanency, future treatment, lost income and earning capacity, comparative fault, responsible defendants, insurance and assets, and the quality of the evidence.

How long does a serious truck accident case take?

There is no standard timeline. A case may resolve after medical treatment stabilizes and liability and insurance issues are sufficiently developed. A contested case involving catastrophic injuries, multiple defendants, experts, disputed medical causation, or litigation can take substantially longer. Investigation may need to begin immediately even though final valuation should often wait until the medical prognosis and future losses are better understood.

How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in Florida?

Many Florida negligence claims arising under current law have a two-year limitations period, and wrongful-death actions are also generally subject to a two-year period. The actual deadline depends on the specific claim and parties. Evidence can disappear much sooner, so the filing deadline should not be treated as the timetable for beginning an investigation.

How do I choose among Aventura truck accident lawyers?

Ask how the lawyer will investigate the commercial aspects of the crash, who will personally handle the case, how trucking-company and electronic evidence will be preserved, how responsible companies and insurance policies will be identified, and whether the lawyer is prepared to litigate disputed liability, causation, and damages. Dan Reinfeld has practiced in Florida since 1999, previously represented insurers and insured defendants, personally handles the cases accepted by his firm, and has jury-trial experience. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

What should I ask an Aventura truck accident attorney before signing a fee agreement?

Ask who will personally handle the case, whether you will have direct access to that lawyer, how the contingency fee and case expenses work, what evidence should be preserved immediately, which businesses and insurance policies will be investigated, and what happens if the insurer will not make a fair settlement offer. Daniel B Reinfeld, PA offers free consultations. For accepted personal-injury matters handled on a contingency-fee basis, there is no attorney fee unless compensation is recovered, subject to the written fee agreement and applicable Florida rules.

​​Speak Directly With Aventura Truck Accident Attorney Dan Reinfeld

​Injured in a truck accident? Call Dan directly for a free consultation.

No attorney’s fee unless compensation is recovered. You decide where your case goes. 

📞 CALL Dan: (954) 923-6110​