Litigation

What is Litigation?

Litigation is the process of taking legal action and filing a lawsuit.

According to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute (LII), litigation is defined as “the process of resolving disputes by filing or answering a complaint through the public court system.” As such, a judge or jury examines the evidence and makes a legally binding decision. This process can include various stages such as filing pleadings, conducting discovery, engaging in pre-trial motions, going to trial, and potentially appealing the court’s decision.

Litigation is beneficial because it allows for a formal resolution of disputes based on laws and legal precedent. However, litigation can be time-consuming and costly, as well as prolonged periods of uncertainty. Understanding litigation is crucial for individuals, businesses, and legal professionals navigating legal disputes and seeking to protect their rights and interests within the judicial system. It involves a comprehensive understanding of legal procedures, strategic decision-making, and effective advocacy to achieve favorable outcomes in court.

More information about Litigation

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Ranked as One of the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Law Firms for 2017

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys once again ranked for personal injury, product liability, and workers’ compensation in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Law Firms for 2017.

When you need legal help, you want to know that you and your family are in the best possible hands. So how do you know which firm is “best”? The legal guide Best Lawyers and U.S. News and World Report publish annual rankings to help you do just that. For the last seven years, the two publications have teamed up to evaluate lawyers and law firms from all over the United States.

What Makes a “Best Law Firm”

Rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes peer and client reviews. Firms included in the 2017 “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. […]

Munley Gets 2nd Highest Settlement in PA

We are pleased to announce that a case we settled earlier this year was one of the top 25 highest settlements in the U.S. in 2015, according to a list published annually by the National Law Journal. It was also the 2nd highest settlement reached in Pennsylvania this year. Check out the digital version here.

In May, 2015, Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys reached a $3.97 million settlement on behalf of the family of Mark Kowalski, a truck driver who was killed in a tractor trailer accident in 2011. It is our hope that this settlement will bring some security to the Kowalski family, and will put pressure on the trucking industry to improve safety measures to prevent such accidents.

Mr. Kowalski, from New York state, was traveling east on I-80 in Columbia County, PA, when he encountered defendant Patrick Webb, […]

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys named to Best Law Firms 2016 by U.S. News and World Report

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys has been named to the 2016 list of Best Law Firms, compiled by Best Lawyers and U.S. News and World Report. The annual report of law firm rankings is based on client reviews and peer evaluations of attorneys from all over the country in 74 practice areas. Law firms are evaluated on expertise, responsiveness, integrity, experience, cost-effectiveness, and whether a client or fellow lawyer would refer someone to that firm.

In order to be eligible for inclusion in the list of Best Law Firms, at least one attorney from the firm must also be ranked by Best Lawyers. Currently, five of our partners are listed by Best Lawyers, including Robert W. Munley, Marion Munley, Daniel Munley, Robert W. Munley III, and J. Christopher Munley.

Our firm is ranked in Tier One for Personal Injury Litigation in the Allentown metro area. […]

Robert W. Munley named to the 2015 Irish Legal 100

We are so pleased to announce that our father and founder, Robert W. Munley, has been selected to the Irish Legal 100, an annual honor recognizing the top 100 American lawyers of Irish descent.

Robert W. Munley founded our firm in 1959. Since then, he has had a powerful influence on the legal field in Pennsylvania. A trail-blazer for future attorneys, he was among the very first attorneys in the state to adopt a focus on cases involving injuries and death caused by commercial trucks, and he has been instrumental in the development of the field of truck accident litigation as we know it today.

Among the most important legacies our founder has passed on is his commitment to helping those who need it most. As a plaintiffs’ firm, we are dedicated to obtaining justice for victims of injury and loss. But Robert Munley has always extended his advocacy for the powerless beyond the courtroom. […]

Dan Munley speaks at AAJ College on truck crash litigation in Dallas, TX

DAN-TRUCK-ACCIDENT-LAWYER On Thursday, October 8, Attorney Daniel Munley, partner at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, spoke at the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Advanced Trial Advocacy College on Litigating Truck Collision Cases, held in Dallas, TX. Dan’s presentation was titled, “The Mechanics of the Mechanical Case – From Intake Through Trial.”

Attorney Dan Munley is a member and former chairman of the AAJ’s Trucking Litigation Group, a group dedicated to providing lawyers with the tools and resources to successfully litigate trucking cases and improve highway safety in the United States. Munley frequently travels around the country to speak on issues and trends surrounding truck accident cases in an effort to increase the collective body of legal knowledge on the subject.

He speaks with considerable first-hand experience on the subject. Munley recently reached a $3.97 million settlement on behalf of the family of a truck driver who was killed in a trucking accident. […]

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America; Lawyer of the Year

We are very pleased to announce that four of our partners have been named to the 2016 list of Best Lawyers in America, and our own Chris Munley was named workers’ comp lawyer of the year!

Attorney J. Christopher Munley, partner at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, has been named the 2016 Lawyer of the Year in the field of workers’ compensation law in the Allentown metro area by Best Lawyers. Munley has been representing individuals and families who have suffered due to injury for 21 years. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and named among the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania by the National Trial Lawyers Association. He currently resides in Clarks Summit with his wife Dr. Maria Yager Munley and their two children.

In addition, four more members of the Munley firm were listed in the 2016 edition of Best Lawyers in America. […]

Dan Munley Speaks Up for Victims of I 380 Tractor Trailer-Bus Crash as Investigation Continues

tractor trailer accident Yesterday, Interstate 380 was shut down by a deadly crash between a tractor trailer and a charter bus in Monroe County. According to the state police, the tractor trailer crossed the median and hit the bus head on. Three people, including the bus driver, were killed, and 13 more were taken to area hospitals to be treated for injuries. Nine were taken to Pocono Medical Center, and the rest were treated at Geisinger trauma centers.

According to WNEP, The Academy Viaggidea charter tour bus was carrying a group of Italian tourists on their way to visit Niagara Falls. The driver of the tractor trailer has been identified as Franklin Wyatt from Oklahoma. His truck is registered to XTRA Lease Trucking of St. Louis.

Attorney Dan Munley, former chairman of the American Association for Justice’s Trucking Litigation Group and current member of its public relations committee, […]

Amtrak Investigation Continues, Lawsuits Begin

amtrack train

Deadly Amtrak crash still under investigation, attorneys concerned over 1997 damages cap of $200M

Four passengers and one of the conductors on board the derailed Amtrak train 188 have filed lawsuits against Amtrak as the investigation continues. Amtrak service between Philadelphia and New York resumed this morning with Michael Nutter, mayor of Philadelphia, there to see passengers off.

Speculation as to the official cause of the crash is still going on

Was an object hurled at the train moments before the crash? Does it matter? While the object may not have done damage to the train itself, some say it could have alarmed, distracted, or even wounded the conductor, who says he has no memory of the crash or the final moments leading up to it. A“black box” data recorder will give a more accurate reading of the train’s speed, […]

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Attorneys Named to 2015 Best Lawyers® in America List

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys is pleased to announce that five partners have been named to the 2015 Edition of Best Lawyers. Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys has also been listed among the 2015 “Best Law Firms” by U.S. News & World Report.

Robert W. Munley, Sr., Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs
Marion Munley, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs
Daniel W. Munley, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Robert W. Munley III, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
James Christopher Munley, Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys was ranked in the top tier of Personal Injury Litigation law firms in the annual ranking by U.S. News & World Report, based on peer and client reviews. […]

Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer: More accidents may be tied to GM faulty ignition switch

In what the New York Times reported as the most concrete movement yet that GM intended to compensate victims and their families, the lawyer hired by GM to determine compensation of victims of GM cars with faulty ignition switches met last week with lawyers representing hundreds of people and their families who claim they were affected by accidents involving the vehicles.

This may mean that that the potential number of those affected is much larger than the 13 deaths and 32 crashes that GM has previously admitted are linked to the faulty ignition. The Los Angeles Times reported in March that there could be as many as 303 deaths linked to those faulty ignition switches. This was based on a new report commissioned by the Center for Auto Safety, an independent watchdog group. GM vigorously challenged the report, stating that other issues could also have caused the 303 deaths. […]

Attorney Marion Munley’s Article on the Vanishing Jury Trial in The Scranton Times

As seen in The Scranton Times. America’s long and proud history has been shaped by lawyers and judges who made lasting contributions to the preservation of individual liberties guaranteed by the Constitution. To the Founders, the right to jury trial, secured by the Seventh Amendment, was on par with the right to vote and the right to free speech. In the initial draft of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson’s litany of abuses by the king included, prominently, “depriving us of the benefits of trial by jury.”

Jefferson considered “trial by jury as the only anchor ever yet imagined by man that holds the government to the principles of its Constitution.” Jurors are true public servants who commit their time, critical thinking and impartiality to their fellow Americans. Jurors serve as checks and balances on our judicial system, and a jury trial is a fundamental right critical to our democracy. […]

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Attorneys Selected for 2014 Best Lawyers in America

Five attorneys from the Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys firm have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2014. Best Lawyers is the oldest and most highly-respected peer review guide to the legal profession worldwide. Robert W. Munley, Sr. and Marion Munley were selected in the fields of Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, and Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs. Robert W. Munley, III and Daniel W. Munley were selected in the field of Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. James Christopher Munley was selected in the field of Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants.

History Speaks For It’s Self

For more than 55 years, the family of lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys have been helping clients all over the country with their claims. Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys has proven time and again to be leaders in truck accident litigation, […]

Allstate’s $950,000 Blunder

Allstate required to pay out nearly a million dollars after delaying insurance coverage of fatal car crash

Attorney Daniel W. Munley, a partner in the law firm of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, negotiated a $950,000.00 settlement on behalf of the family of a teenager killed in an automobile crash in 2001.

The defendant, who received his driver’s license just weeks before, was driving his mother’s Camaro at an excessive speed when he crossed double yellow lines to pass another vehicle and lost control of his automobile. The plaintiff’s son was thrown from the vehicle and suffered a fatal wound.

The defendant’s insurance company, Allstate, failed to pay its obvious driver’s liability and delayed the case for a number of years. Attorney Munley offered Allstate numerous opportunities to act in good faith, essentially requiring them to pay out the policy limit of $25,000.00. After a time extension and several attempts to contact Allstate, […]

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Ranked Among 2013 ‘Best Law Firms’ by U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers®

The Pennsylvania law firm of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, has received a Metropolitan Tier 1 ranking in the practice area of Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs (Allentown) in the newly released 2013 “Best Law Firms” rankings from U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers.®

The firm has also received a Tier 2 ranking in the area of Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants (Allentown) in the third edition of the rankings, which can be found online at http://bestlawfirms.usnews.com.

The U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in their field and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process.

In addition to the firm’s practice area rankings, four lawyers from Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, […]

Air Bag Malfunction Prompts Ford Fiesta Recall

Ford recalls 150,000+ Fiesta models due to added danger caused by air bag deployment error

Ford is recalling more than 150,000 of its popular Fiesta subcompacts because the passenger side air bag does not work properly.

Air bags are one of the most important safety features in cars.

Ford says it is unaware of any crashes that have resulted from this defect, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The Pennsylvania injury lawyers at Munley, Munley & Cartwright represent victims in personal injury litigation, including those injured in accidents caused by auto defects. We are here to answer your questions and concerns. Call us toll-free at 877-763-2343 or use our online contact form.

According to the recall notice posted with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

“The passenger side curtain air bag will not deploy in the event of a side impact collision when the front passenger seat is empty. […]

Pennsylvania State Trooper Dies in Accident

State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan announced the tragic death of 47-year-old Trooper First Class Blake T. Coble of Troop D, Beaver Station after he was killed in an automobile wreck last Thursday. Coble was on duty Oct. 4 when he was struck by a semi at 10 a.m. at Black Hawk Road near Route 168 in South Beaver Township.

According to news reports, Coble’s patrol car was struck by the tractor-trailer when the truck driver went through a stop sign at the intersection. No charges have been filed against the driver of the truck, who has been cooperating with investigators, state police said.

In a press release announcing Coble’s death, Noonan said:

“He [Coble] died serving the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the men and women of the Pennsylvania State Police mourn his loss and extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends. […]

Take the Time During National Fire Prevention Week to Protect Your Family Against Fires

Residents of Pennsylvania are urged to take the time this week to participate in National Fire Prevention Week. Fire Prevention Week, celebrated Oct. 7-13, has been set aside through a Presidential Proclamation as a time “to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities from fires, and we honor the courageous first responders who put their lives at risk to keep us safe.”

According to the National Safety Council, in 2010, there were 3,100 unintentional deaths related to fire, smoke and flames. Many of these fires resulted in death, serious injuries and destroyed homes.

The National Safety Council offers the following steps for families to take to prevent fires:

Have properly working smoke alarms
Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors monthly and change the batteries at least once a year
Place smoke alarms on each floor of your home and in each bedroom
Plan a family escape route and practice it once a month
Install a home sprinkler system
Place fire extinguishers throughout your home and make sure everyone in the house knows how to use them

One key theme of the week is to “Have 2 Ways Out!” According to Firehouse.org, […]

Pennsylvania Celebrates International Walk to School Month

PennDOT is joining forces with other organizations across the United States, and the world, in supporting International Walk to School Month throughout October. Using the motto “Get up, Get out, and Get Moving!” the organizers are focusing on demonstrating the role walking and bicycling to school can play in improving health, safety and community life.

According to iWalk, the official website of International Walk to School Month:

“International Walk to School Month gives children, parents, school teachers and community leaders an opportunity to be part of a global event as they celebrate the many benefits of walking. Walkers from around the world walk to school together for various reasons — all hoping to create communities that are safe places to walk.”

“Every child should have the opportunity to walk to school safely,” said Transportation Deputy Secretary John Porcari. “Walk to School Day [held Oct. […]

Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer Joins Call to Ban Use of Hand-Held Cell Phones While Driving

Scranton, PA, September 27, 2012 — Pennsylvania car accident attorney Caroline Munley said today that she supports efforts to broaden the state’s distracted driving laws to include a ban on using hand-held cell phones while behind the wheel.

A law prohibiting texting while driving in Pennsylvania became effective earlier this year. However, because it is still legal to talk on a cell phone or search for contacts on a phone while behind the wheel, police say it is difficult to detect drivers engaged in text messaging and enforce the ban, according to a recent Scranton Times-Tribune report.

“If the goal of the law is to deter drivers from engaging in conduct that is dangerous and puts others at risk of distracted driving accidents, injury and death, then a full ban on the use of hand-held cell phones while driving a motor vehicle is an entirely appropriate, […]

Teens Learn Poor Driving Habits from Their Parents

Our Pennsylvania car accident attorneys previously reported that over the past five years in Pennsylvania, distracted driving led to nearly 4,000 crashes involving 16- and 17-year-old drivers and resulted in 18 deaths. We often ask parents to impress upon their teen drivers the importance of staying focused while driving and not using their cellphones. However, according to a new study, parents may actually be the cause of their childrens’ poor driving behaviors.

In the survey from Liberty Mutual and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), researchers found that an overwhelming number of the young drivers reported they get their poor driving habits from their parents. Of the 1,700 teens surveyed, over 90 percent of them report their parents talk on the cell while driving, 88 percent of their parents speed, and 59 percent reported their parents have sent a text while driving. Still worse, […]