When a commercial truck accident claims the life of someone you love, your family faces several legal challenges that differ from both standard truck accident cases and other types of wrongful death situations. At Munley Law, our Allentown truck accident attorneys provide specialized representation for families who have lost loved ones, specifically in crashes involving tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, and commercial vehicles in Allentown and throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Combining commercial trucking regulations, multiple corporate defendants, and complex wrongful death laws requires focused legal expertise. Contact Munley Law today for a free consultation about your family’s legal options after losing a loved one in a commercial truck crash.
How Fatal Truck Accident Cases Differ from Other Wrongful Death Claims
While all wrongful death cases in Allentown share certain elements, fatal truck accident claims involve unique complexities:
Complex Federal Regulations: Commercial trucks operate under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations that don’t apply in other fatal accident cases. These regulations create specific standards of care and compliance requirements that become evidence in establishing liability after a fatal truck crash.
Multiple Defendants: Unlike car accidents or other wrongful death scenarios, fatal truck crashes often involve corporate carriers, shipping companies, maintenance contractors, and insurance providers—all with their legal teams fighting to minimize liability.
Specialized Evidence: Commercial vehicles contain electronic control modules, logbooks, and maintenance records that must be immediately preserved after a fatal accident. This evidence differs significantly from what’s available in other wrongful death cases.
Catastrophic Forces: The physics of 80,000-pound vehicles colliding with passenger cars creates fatal injury patterns that require specialized expert analysis to document and present properly.
Our fatal truck accident attorneys understand these distinctions and adapt our approach specifically for families who have lost loved ones in commercial truck crashes.
Speak with an Allentown trucking accident lawyer near me.
Evidence Needed in Allentown Fatal Truck Accident Cases
When a truck accident results in death, certain types of evidence become vital when proving fault:
Hours of Service Records: Driver fatigue is a leading factor in fatal truck crashes. We immediately secure electronic logging device data and driver logs to determine if federal hours-of-service regulations were violated.
Black Box Data: Most commercial trucks have electronic control modules (ECMs) that record critical pre-crash data, including speed, braking patterns, and engine performance. This data often reveals information about the circumstances of fatal crashes.
Post-Accident Drug and Alcohol Testing: Federal regulations require drug and alcohol testing of commercial drivers following fatal accidents. These results can provide critical evidence of impairment.
Truck Maintenance Records: Mechanical failures that lead to fatal accidents often stem from inadequate maintenance. We investigate whether required inspections were performed and if known defects were addressed.
Qualifications File: The truck driver’s training, certification, medical clearance, and driving history can reveal whether the trucking company negligently put an unqualified driver behind the wheel.
Our Allentown truck accident lawyers understand how to secure, preserve, and interpret this specialized evidence in the context of fatal truck accident claims.
Corporate Liability in Fatal Truck Crashes in Allentown
Fatal truck accident cases often involve corporate responsibility that extends beyond the driver. Our investigation focuses on identifying all potentially liable parties:
The Trucking Company: We examine whether the company failed to enforce safety policies, encouraged violations of hours-of-service regulations, or negligently hired or retained drivers with poor safety records.
Shipping and Loading Companies: Improperly loaded cargo can shift during transport, causing fatal crashes. We identify when third-party loading companies bear responsibility for these errors.
Maintenance Contractors: Many trucking companies outsource vehicle maintenance. When maintenance failures contribute to fatal accidents, these contractors share liability.
Vehicle and Parts Manufacturers: Defective components such as tires, brakes, or steering systems can cause catastrophic failures, leading to fatal crashes.
This comprehensive approach to liability ensures that all responsible parties are held accountable after a fatal truck accident.
Calculating Damages in Fatal Commercial Truck Accidents
The valuation of damages in fatal truck accident cases differs significantly from standard personal injury claims in Allentown and even from other wrongful death scenarios due to several factors:
Commercial Insurance Policies: Trucking companies typically carry much higher insurance coverage than individual drivers, often with minimum liability policies of $750,000 to $1,000,000 and additional umbrella coverage that can reach $5 million or more.
Corporate Resources: Unlike cases against individual drivers, trucking companies often have substantial corporate assets beyond their insurance coverage that may be available to compensate victims’ families.
Complex Economic Calculations: When the deceased was the family’s primary provider, economic experts must calculate decades of lost future income, benefits, retirement contributions, and household services.
Our Allentown wrongful death lawyers work with specialized economists and life care planners who understand the unique factors in commercial truck cases to ensure your family receives full compensation for your loss.
The Investigation Process After a Fatal Truck Crash in Allentown
When we represent families who have lost loved ones in commercial truck accidents, our investigation process includes specialized steps:
Immediate Evidence Preservation: We send spoliation letters to the trucking company, requiring them to preserve the truck, its electronic data, and all relevant records before they can be altered or destroyed.
Accident Reconstruction: We work with engineers who specialize in commercial vehicle crashes to analyze the physics of the collision, often using computer modeling to demonstrate how the fatal injuries occurred.
Corporate Practice Investigation: We examine the trucking company’s history of regulatory violations, previous accidents, hiring practices, and safety protocols to establish patterns of negligence.
Witness Interviews: We locate and interview not just accident witnesses but also former trucking company employees who can testify about internal practices and safety culture.
This thorough investigation builds a compelling case that connects corporate negligence to the fatal outcome in your loved one’s case.
Supporting Families Through the Legal Process
Families who lose loved ones in truck accidents face unique challenges during the legal process. Our approach includes specialized support:
- Single Point of Contact: We assign a dedicated team member to manage all communications with insurance companies and corporate representatives, shielding your family from stressful interactions during grief.
- Coordination with Authorities: Fatal truck accidents often involve ongoing investigations by state police, the National Transportation Safety Board, or the FMCSA. We coordinate with these agencies to share information while protecting your family’s legal interests.
- Regular Case Updates: We provide consistent updates on your case in whatever format works best for your family—whether that’s in-person meetings, phone calls, emails, or written correspondence.
- Preparation for Statements: If family members need to provide statements or testimony, we thoroughly prepare you for these experiences with sensitivity to the emotional challenges involved.
Our goal is to manage the legal complexities while allowing your family the space to grieve and begin healing.
Contact Our Allentown Fatal Truck Accident Attorneys Today
If your family has lost a loved one in a commercial truck accident in Allentown or the Lehigh Valley, our specialized attorneys are here to provide the focused legal representation you need. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the specific circumstances of your case and explain how our experience with fatal truck accident claims can benefit your family.
All cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we secure compensation for your family. Contact us today to speak with an attorney who specializes in the unique intersection of commercial trucking regulations and wrongful death law.
Reviewed by Bernadine Munley, Esq., Personal Injury Attorney at Munley Law, on May 22, 2025.
