Delaware Truck Accident Lawyers

Personal Injury Lawyers / Nation’s Top Rated Truck Accident Lawyers – Munley Law® / Delaware Truck Accident Lawyers

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Delaware, you may be facing a long and difficult road to recovery. A truck accident can change your life. After seeking medical care, one of the first things you should do is to consult an experienced truck accident lawyer.

At Munley Law, our nationally recognized truck accident lawyers have decades of experience holding trucking companies and their insurers accountable. We know how to investigate these cases, uncover the truth, and fight for the maximum compensation our clients deserve. Whether your crash happened on I-95, Route 1, or a local Delaware roadway, we’re here to help. Contact Munley Law today for a free consultation with an experienced truck accident attorney.

Common causes of truck accidents in Delaware

In 2023,2,074 traffic crashes in Delaware involved a tractor trailer or other commercial truck, injuring nearly 500 people. From a speed-related wreck on I-95 to a rear-end collision on Route 113, many of the crashes that take place on Delaware roads are preventable. Understanding the most frequent causes of truck accidents in Delaware can help determine fault and prevent future collisions.

• Truck Driver Fatigue: Despite federal Hours of Service regulations, truck drivers are often under pressure to meet tight deadlines, and sometimes exceed the maximum legal time behind the wheel. Fatigue reduces reaction time and impairs decision-making, making drowsy driving a leading cause of serious truck crashes.
• Distracted Driving: Long hours on the road can lead to distractions behind the wheel, including texting, eating, adjusting GPS systems, or even using dispatch devices. A distracted truck driver may miss a red light, drift between lanes, or fail to react in time to slowing traffic.
• Speeding: Many truck accidents in Delaware occur when truck drivers exceed safe speeds, especially on highways or in construction zones. Speeding increases stopping distance and the force of impact in a crash, often resulting in severe injuries.
• Improper Lane Changes or Turns: Due to their size and limited visibility, trucks require ample space to change lanes or turn. Unsafe maneuvers, particularly in high-traffic areas like Wilmington or Newark, can easily lead to sideswipe or underride collisions.
• Poor Weather Conditions: Delaware’s weather, especially during winter months, can create dangerous conditions for heavy trucks. Rain, snow, and fog increase the risk of skidding, jackknifing, or losing control on narrow roads and bridges.
• Mechanical Failures: Tire blowouts, brake failures, and steering issues are often the result of poor truck maintenance or defective parts. Both the trucking company and vehicle manufacturer may be held liable in these cases.
• Unsecured or Overloaded Cargo: Improperly loaded trailers can shift weight during transit, causing trucks to tip, jackknife, or spill cargo onto the roadway. These incidents can lead to multi-vehicle pileups and serious injuries.

If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident in Delaware, it’s critical to understand the cause and who may be at fault. At Munley Law, our experienced truck accident attorneys know how to uncover the truth and hold all responsible parties accountable.

What does a Delaware truck accident lawyer do?

Commercial truck accident cases are unlike other types of personal injury cases. They often involve serious injuries, multiple liable parties, and large trucking companies with aggressive legal teams. A Delaware truck accident lawyer protects your rights, builds a strong case on your behalf, and works to recover the maximum compensation you deserve. Importantly, a truck accident lawyer possesses deep knowledge of trucking law and trucking regulations. Because truck accident cases present their own set of challenges that are different from a typical motor vehicle accident, they should only be handled by a law firm with truck-specific experience and credentials.

Here’s how a Delaware truck accident lawyer can help:

Investigate the Truck Accident Thoroughly

Winning a commercial truck accident case requires specific types of evidence, from physical evidence of the truck itself to digital evidence attached to the truck driver’s cell phone and trucking company records. A skilled attorney will launch an immediate investigation to gather critical evidence, such as:

• The truck’s black box (event data recorder)
• Driver logs and maintenance records
• Surveillance or dash cam footage
• Police reports and witness statements
• Photos from the scene and damage assessments

Determine Liability

Unlike typical car crashes, truck accidents often involve multiple potentially responsible parties, including:

• The truck driver
• The trucking company
• The cargo loader
• A third-party maintenance provider
• The truck manufacturer or auto part manufacturer

Your lawyer will identify all liable parties and hold them accountable.

Handle Communication with Insurance Companies

Insurance companies representing the trucking industry are highly skilled at minimizing payouts. Your personal injury lawyer will:

• Handle all communication with the truck driver’s insurance company on your behalf
• Advise you against saying anything that could hurt your claim
• Negotiate aggressively for a fair settlement

Calculate the Full Value of Your Damages

Your attorney will work with medical and financial experts to ensure you are compensated for:

• Medical bills (current and future)
• Lost income and reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• Permanent disability or disfigurement
• Wrongful death (in fatal cases)

Go to Trial if Necessary

If a fair settlement cannot be reached, a truck accident lawyer will file a lawsuit and take your case to court. At Munley Law, our truck accident attorneys are board-certified trial lawyers with a proven track record in complex truck accident litigation.

Compensation for Delaware truck accident victims

Truck accidents often leave victims facing overwhelming medical bills, time away from work, and long-term physical and emotional consequences. If you were injured in a truck accident in Delaware due to someone else’s negligence, you have the right to seek financial compensation for your losses.

In a truck accident claim, victims may seek compensation for economic and non-economic damages. The state of Delaware does not place a cap on damages in a personal injury claim, so your attorney will calculate the maximum value of your case and fight for every dollar you deserve. Economic damages for which you may receive compensation include medical bills, emergency medical treatment, physical therapy, surgeries, as well as any necessary medical equipment or devices you need as part of your ongoing recovery. Economic damages in a truck accident claim also include lost wages due to time missed from work and from any decreased earning power as a result of your injuries. Non-economic damages include things like pain and suffering, emotional distress, psychological effects, and diminished quality of life.

If you lost a loved one in a truck crash in Delaware, you may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim to hold the negligent party responsible and obtain compensation for funeral costs as well as loss of financial support. A Delaware truck accident attorney can determine what types of damages are applicable in your unique situation.

Do I need an attorney if I’ve been in a truck accident in Delaware?

While not every truck crash results in a truck accident lawsuit, there are some situations where it’s important to at least consult an attorney. If, for example, you and your passengers sustained no injuries in the collision, your vehicle damage is minor, and there is no dispute about who caused the crash, you may not need the help of an attorney. However, if any of the following circumstances apply to you, it may be in your best interest to contact a truck accident lawyer promptly:

• You suffered serious injuries or a loved one was killed. Contact a lawyer right away. High medical bills, long-term care, or a wrongful death claim require experienced legal help to secure the full compensation you deserve.
• The cause of the crash is unclear. Truck accidents often involve multiple parties and complex regulations. A lawyer can investigate thoroughly and determine who is liable.
• You’re being pressured by the insurance company. If the trucking company’s insurance company attempts to contact you for a recorded statement or offers a settlement, you need a lawyer to negotiate on your behalf.
• There are multiple vehicles involved. Multi-vehicle crashes are common in truck accidents and complicate liability and insurance claims.

If you’re unsure whether you need a lawyer, there’s never any harm in contacting an experienced truck accident lawyer for their professional opinion. Munley Law offers free, no-obligation consultations. We’ll review your case and give you honest advice about your legal options, so you can make an informed decision with confidence.

What should I do if someone from the trucking company calls me before I’ve picked a lawyer?

If someone from the trucking company or their insurance company calls you before you’ve hired a truck accident lawyer, proceed with extreme caution. While they may seem friendly or concerned, their goal is to protect the company’s interests, not yours. Here’s what to do:

• Don’t give a recorded statement: You are not required to speak with them or provide a recorded statement. Anything you say can be used to minimize your claim or shift blame onto you. Even innocent remarks like “I’m feeling okay” or “I didn’t see the truck coming” can be twisted against you later.
• Don’t accept any settlement offers: Sometimes, trucking companies will try to offer a quick settlement before you understand the full extent of your injuries or losses. These early offers are almost always far lower than what your case is truly worth—and once you accept, you may not be able to pursue further compensation.
• Don’t sign anything: Do not sign any documents, waivers, or releases without speaking to a lawyer first. You could be signing away your right to seek fair compensation.
• Politely decline and refer them to your attorney: Communications with the other party’s insurance company are best handled by your attorney.

If you haven’t chosen a lawyer yet, you can contact Munley Law for a free consultation with a Delaware truck accident lawyer.

Choosing the Right Truck Accident Lawyer

If you’ve been hurt or if you’ve lost a loved one in a truck crash in Delaware, you don’t just need an injury lawyer, you need a truck accident lawyer. There is a difference: while most injury lawyers handle car wrecks, very few have the necessary experience and specialized knowledge to win a truck case.

At Munley Law, we have dedicated a significant portion of our practice to truck cases alone, and we have decades of experience winning these nuanced cases. Munley Law is the only firm in the United States with two lawyers who have led the American Association for Justice Trucking Litigation Group. Marion Munley and Daniel Munley are among the few attorneys in the United States to become board-certified in truck accident law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, and they both have spent decades educating other lawyers on how to handle truck cases.

Free consultation with a Delaware truck accident lawyer

The team of truck accident lawyers at Munley Law have achieved numerous multi-million dollar settlements and have brought dozens of truck injury cases to trial. Learn more about how we can help you by scheduling a free consultation. We do not charge a fee for our services unless we win your case.