If you were hit by a tanker truck in Monroe County, contact the Stroudsburg tanker truck accident lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys for a free legal consultation
If you are in the Stroudsburg area, and have been injured in a tanker truck accident, Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys is here for you. A crash involving a fuel truck, water truck, or other large commercial vehicle should only be handled by a law firm with extensive experience and a strong record of success with these types of cases. Our attorneys have dealt with trucking companies and their insurance companies for decades; let us put our experience to work for you.
Get started with a free, no-obligation consultation.
First and foremost, we will answer your questions and help you navigate this difficult time. If you choose to hire our firm, we will get to work immediately to investigate your accident, preserve crucial evidence, and hold all negligent parties responsible. Call, chat live, or fill out our contact form today. There is never a fee to speak to a Stroudsburg truck accident attorney or advice unless we win your case.
Tanker trucks can cause deadly accidents
Tanker truck accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries and death. Tanker trucks are often used to haul hazardous, highly flammable liquid, which can erupt into flames and may cause an explosion in the event of a crash. Many people involved in car accidents with tanker trucks suffer severe burns and smoke inhalation injuries.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration(FMCSA), 499,000 tractor-trailers crashed last year. 107,000 of those collisions caused serious injuries. At least one death occurred in 4,415 truck accidents.
Injuries resulting from an accident with a tanker truck can be extremely expensive to treat and cause long-term pain and suffering. Injured tanker truck victims can face painful and expensive recovery. Broken limbs can leave a tanker truck accident victim unable to work for weeks or months. More severe injuries, such as paralysis or traumatic brain injury, can mean a lifetime of medical bills and physical therapy. The tanker truck accident may completely change daily life for the victim as well as their spouse, children and other loved ones.
What causes tanker truck accidents?
There are many reasons why tanker trucks and all large trucks cause truck accidents. The most common reason is that the truck drivers involved were driving negligently. This can result in driver error and cause tanker truck accidents. Another common reason cause of truck accidents is negligence on part of trucking companies that can lead to vehicle malfunction. Negligence or recklessness on the part of the truck driver or trucking company can include:
• Aggressive driving or tailgating
• Speeding and ignoring reduced truck speed limits
• Long work shifts / unrealistic travel schedule
• Driver fatigue
• Distracted driving, such as cell phone use
• Impaired driving (i.e., alcohol or drug abuse)
• Failure to inspect tires, brakes, and lights
• Failure to install blind-spot mirrors
Other contributing factors may include:
• An improperly filled tank
• High center of gravity for the truck
• Speeding around a curve
• Improperly trained drivers
If the tank is not filled properly, the liquid will move freely inside the tanker truck, and cause its weight to shift, which makes the truck very difficult to control. Tanker trucks must adhere to a specific set of regulations different from other tractor-trailers. Because of the hazardous nature of their loads, tanker trucks must meet strict engineering guidelines, and mechanics for these vehicles must be specially trained.
Negligence on the part of the driver or the people responsible for filling or maintaining the tanker truck tank can result in a tragic accident. Owners who hire the drivers or enforce training protocols can also be responsible for a tanker truck accident.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tanker Truck Accidents
Q: Is the Truck Driver Liable in a Tanker Truck Accident?
A: The truck driver may be liable in a truck accident if they were operating the tanker truck in a negligent or reckless way. This means the truck driver will be liable if he was the at fault driver. There are many others who may also be found liable in a truck accident lawsuit. These include:
- Trucking Company: If the driver of the commercial truck was employed by a trucking company, the company could be held liable. They are responsible for keeping track of truck drivers' information, including background checks, ensuring their schedule allows for rest periods required by trucking laws, and more.
- Third-party brokers: Many commercial transportation companies hire a third-party broker to connect them to truck drivers and commercial trucks to transport their cargo. This means, if you have been in a truck accident with a large truck hired by one of these brokers, your lawyer will want to know if they did their due diligence in hiring as well as investigating how much control they had over the truck drivers' schedule and more.
- Truck Manufacturers: If the truck accident was caused by a mechanical failure or some other issue with a part in the tanker truck, the truck manufacturer may be held liable. Beyond that, if the employer or independent truck driver did not routinely get the tanker truck inspected and repaired, they could be held liable for a faulty part as well.
Q: What Are Common Injuries in Tanker Truck Accidents?
A: Accidents with large commercial trucks like tractor trailers and tanker trucks are usually serious accidents. They often cause serious injuries and may be fatal to other motorists. Common injuries include:
- internal bleeding
- broken bones
- traumatic brain injury
- contusions
- neck injuries
- other catastrophic injuries
In addition, because tanker trucks often carry hazardous materials like gasoline, diesel, and other petroleum-based products, injuries can become more problematic or serious.
All these injuries require immediate medical treatment and can result in long-term medical care. They may require physical therapy and rehabilitation services. Our truck accident lawyers will make sure the insurance company will pay not only for your current medical bills but any future medical expenses as a result of ongoing care.
Q: What Compensation Can I Receive for Injuries in a Tanker Truck Accident?
A: When you need to recover damages for your losses after a tanker truck accident, you need an experienced truck accident lawyer to ensure you receive a fair settlement or verdict in court. You may be able to receive compensation for some or all of the following:
- Medical Bills. You may be able to receive compensation for past, present, and future medical bills. These medical bills may include hospital stays, physical therapy, or other ongoing medical treatment. Compensation for medical expenses can cover any cost that was due to the treatment or ongoing treatments of an injury.
- Lost Wages and Lost Earning Capacity. Your tanker truck accident may have put a halt to your normal life, and your injuries may have stopped you from working. Piling bills and lost wages only add to your stress. That's why an experienced truck accident lawyer can help you get compensation for your lost wages, so you can focus on and our efforts are solely getting you the proper compensation that you deserve from the insurance claim.
- Property damage. In an automobile accident between large commercial vehicles and other vehicles, damage to your car is likely to be significant. In a truck accident case, you may be entitled to receive compensation for damage or replacement of your vehicle.
Q: What Should I Do If Someone from the Trucking Companies Calls Me Before I've Chosen a Truck Accident Lawyer?
A: Do not agree to make a recorded statement to the trucking company's insurance carrier. Do not sign any forms sent to you by the trucking company and their insurance carrier. Immediately contact an experienced truck accidents law firm such as Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys to guide you through the legal process.
Q: What Does a Pennsylvania Truck Accident Lawyer Do?
A: Pennsylvania truck accident lawyer can handle all aspects of your truck accident civil suit and guide you through the legal process. A truck accident claim is a kind of personal injury lawsuit and requires a thorough investigation, the opinions of expert witnesses, and the creative use of discovery procedures after the suit is filed.
The law firm properly handling your legal matters will:
Gather Evidence at the Scene.
Prompt investigation of the accident scene is crucial. The truck company will quickly dispatch its own investigators right after it learns of the accident to collect evidence. This evidence can quickly disappear and you will need someone on your side who will gather crash scene photos, maintenance records, and other other kinds of evidence needed to prove your case.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys's on-staff team of investigators is quick to respond to truck accidents as soon as possible. Our team will document skid marks, accident debris, as well as oil, gas, and radiator fluid stains at the wreck scene. We will document whether hazardous materials are present.
Our investigators will also obtain police reports, motor carrier records, witness statements, photographs, and safety logs. We will secure the “black box” which contains vital information about large vehicles like tanker trucks. The sooner you engage an experienced law firm like Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys to represent you, the sooner we can get to work.
Work with Expert Witnesses to prove your case
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys's accident attorneys have long-established relationships with trucking industry experts and investigators. These expert witnesses can review the facts of your case and help us craft a winning trial strategy. Other experts including engineers, medical professionals, economists, and accident reconstructionists will work alongside us to put your strongest case forward.
Not all law firms have access to these types of experts. But since Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys has been helping innocent drivers injured in truck accidents for over 60 years, we have created relationships that stand the test of time.
Negotiate with the Insurance Company
The insurance company will do whatever it can to pay accident victims as little as possible. Its adjusters may try to bully you or persuade you to take the first amount offered. You'll need a strong negotiating team to help you with a settlement.
Go to Trial
If a settlement cannot be reached, you'll need an aggressive trial team to represent you in the courtroom. All our attorneys have experience in the courtroom and will fight on your behalf.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Is Experienced in Complex Trucking Accident Claims
Since truck accident cases differ greatly from car crashes and other types of personal injury claims, experience counts. Truckers and transportation companies must comply with a complex set of federal regulations and state laws enforced by government agencies. Many of these rules dictate how many truck drivers can drive and for how long. They also set standards for maintenance and inspection requirements, and other safety protocols.
The tanker truck accident attorneys at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys have in-depth knowledge of these (frequently changing) laws and regulations. We will determine whether a violation of this kind contributed to your crash, and hold the offending driver and/or company responsible.
Getting evidence for your claim on your own is impossible. Demand letters must be sent to get what's needed to prove your case. You are only able to do this with a trusted personal injury attorney.
Tanker Truck Accident Lawsuits Require Experienced Truck Accident Lawyers
You will need an experienced trucking law firm to help you to recover what you deserve. We know how to preserve and protect the evidence in your tanker truck accident case. We have handled so many trucking accident cases that we know the ins and outs of the trucking companies and understand the complicated nature of these cases. Let us help you and let's get to work today to protect your rights.
A Stroudsburg Tanker Truck Accident Lawyer at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help You
The tanker truck accident attorneys of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys have dealt with trucking firms and their insurance companies in Pennsylvania and nationwide for more than 50 years. We want to make sure you get the help you need.
Insurance rarely covers all the losses and expenses that result from a tanker truck wreck. Trucking, hauling and leasing companies often seek to minimize a victim's compensation payments by disputing victims' claims or denying driver error. Trucking firms and insurance companies often use tactics that can add to the trauma and expense of being in a tanker truck accident or crash.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a tanker truck, you may have a right to recover money for your medical costs and other losses. The Stroudsburg truck accident lawyers of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys welcome the opportunity to represent you and your family. We encourage you to call us today or use our online contact form. We provide FREE consultations and we only collect a fee if we win your case.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys
27 N 6th St,
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
(570) 338-4494
