Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers Back Ban on Cell Phone Use by Truckers

The Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys of Munley Law said today that they support a proposal by the National Transportation Safety Board to ban the use of all cell phones by truck drivers and other commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

“A prohibition on the use of cell phones and similar devices while operating tractor-trailers, buses or other commercial vehicles is simply the proper move for the safety of the public,” said J. Christopher Munley, a veteran Pennsylvania injury lawyer and managing partner of the Scranton-based law firm, which focuses on representing truck and car accident victims.

“The dangers of distracted driving, particularly the consequences of attention to the road being diverted by cell phones, has been made all too clear by recent fatalities,” said Daniel W. Munley, a partner in the law firm and chairman of the American Association of Justice's Trucking Litigation Group.

“At Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, we see this ban as a necessary safety regulation that would do a tremendous amount of good with no harm to the trucking industry,” the Pennsylvania trucking accident attorney said.

According to the New York Times, the NTSB proposed the ban this month on non-emergency use of all cell phones, including hands-free devices, by drivers of commercial motor vehicles, after a truck crash in Kentucky last March that killed 11 people was blamed on the driver's use of a mobile phone.

The U.S. Department of Transportation banned texting behind the wheel by truckers last year and is considering a rule to prohibit CMV drivers from talking on cell phones while driving.

Several states have moved in recent months to ban texting and other cell phone use while operating a motor vehicle, but Pennsylvania currently has no such law statewide. Local ordinances in the state may restrict use of cell phones while driving.

Pennsylvania laws do allow people injured in motor vehicle accidents caused by another person's carelessness or recklessness to recover damages for medical costs, property loss, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

“A crash that happens because the driver of an 18-wheeler was on his cell phone is one that we would certainly consider a matter of carelessness and recklessness, and we would encourage anyone injured in such a wreck to consider a personal injury claim as they weighed their losses and suffering,” Christopher Munley said.

The law firm's trucking accident attorneys have assisted hundreds of accident victims and the families of those who have died in truck crashes that have faced challenging recovery further complicated by complex Pennsylvania insurance laws and legal issues.

“Insurance companies work for their clients, not the accident victim,” Daniel Munley said. “Anyone injured in a truck crash or who is dealing with the death of a loved one in an accident will benefit greatly from the legal assistance of attorneys familiar with all of the techniques insurance companies use to obtain quick settlements for less money.”

“The expert legal team at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys has the experience necessary to properly investigate an accident victim's case, counsel them objectively about their options, and to stand beside them and fight for a proper and just settlement,” Christopher Munley said.