Pennsylvania Truck Accident Lawyer

For over 65 years, our Pennsylvania truck accident attorneys have fought relentlessly for accident victims across the Commonwealth, taking on powerful trucking companies and their armies of attorneys. We’ve investigated countless truck crash scenes across all 67 Pennsylvania counties, cross-examined negligent truck drivers, and forced trucking companies to pay record-breaking settlements and verdicts that reflect the true devastation these accidents cause. When trucking companies try to deny responsibility, we hit back harder.

What truly sets Munley Law apart is our unmatched truck accident litigation expertise. We are the only law firm in Pennsylvania with three truck accident attorneys who hold board certification from the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Truck Accident Law. This specialized knowledge means we understand the complex federal regulations, industry standards, and Pennsylvania laws governing these cases.

If you or a family member were injured or killed in an accident involving a tractor trailer in Pennsylvania, contact our award-winning legal team for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we win your case.

Why Choose Munley Law for Your Pennsylvania Truck Accident Case

When you’ve been seriously injured in a truck accident in Pennsylvania, the legal team you choose makes all the difference. Truck accident litigation involves complexities that go far beyond ordinary car accident cases. Your attorney must understand the intricate web of state and federal regulations, know how to preserve vital evidence like data from the electronic logging devices, and have the resources to stand up against powerful trucking companies and their insurers.

Munley Law has been recognized as Pennsylvania’s leading truck accident law firm for decades. Our trucking accident attorneys don’t just follow best practices in truck accident litigation—we create them. Our founder, Robert W. Munley, revolutionized how personal injury lawyers litigate trucking accident cases, and attorneys still use the techniques he established to this day. Pennsylvania’s lawyers, judges, and industry experts recognize our firm’s truck accident expertise.

Our Pennsylvania truck accident attorneys regularly speak at legal conferences nationwide, teaching other lawyers how to handle these complex cases. We’ve held leadership positions in the American Association for Justice Trucking Litigation Group, and Daniel Munley and Marion Munley received the Robert W. Munley Award, which recognizes their work improving highway safety through legal work and advocacy.

When choosing Munley Law, you get a trucking accident team with a proven record of success representing truck accident victims throughout Pennsylvania—from Pittsburgh to Scranton, Philadelphia to Erie, and everywhere in between.

Damages Available to Pennsylvania Truck Accident Victims

Pennsylvania law allows truck accident victims to recover various types of compensation depending on the specific circumstances of their case. Our attorneys diligently pursue all available damages to help you rebuild your life after a serious truck accident.

Economic damages cover your financial losses, including:

• Past and future medical expenses, from emergency room visits to long-term rehabilitation
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
• Property damage
• Funeral and burial expenses in wrongful death cases

Non-economic damages address the profound personal impacts of your injuries:

• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of life’s pleasures
• Loss of consortium or companionship

In particularly egregious cases involving reckless disregard for safety, Pennsylvania courts may also award punitive damages designed to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior.

The value of your specific truck accident case depends on numerous factors, including the severity of your injuries, the clarity of liability, and the available insurance coverage. During your free consultation, our Pennsylvania truck accident lawyers will evaluate these factors to provide a realistic assessment of your potential compensation.

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How Pennsylvania Truck Accident Cases Differ from Car Accidents

Truck accident cases in Pennsylvania involve unique challenges that set them apart from typical car accident claims. When a commercial truck weighing up to 80,000 pounds collides with a passenger vehicle, the resulting injuries are often catastrophic, leading to complex damage calculations and higher insurance policy limits.

Pennsylvania truck drivers must adhere to specific federal regulations created by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that don’t apply to ordinary drivers. For instance, commercial drivers cannot exceed 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty—a rule that many truckers unfortunately disregard to meet tight deadlines or earn financial incentives from their employers.

Commercial trucks have extensive blind spots – often called “no-zones” – that extend up to 20 feet in front, 30 feet behind, and across multiple lanes on both sides. These massive blind spots create serious dangers on Pennsylvania’s highways, especially during lane changes or merges. Many passenger vehicle drivers don’t realize they’re completely invisible to the truck driver when traveling in these zones, significantly increasing collision risks.

Another difference is the number of potentially liable parties. In a typical Pennsylvania car accident, one or both drivers usually bear responsibility. However, truck accidents can involve numerous parties, including:

• The truck driver
• The trucking company
• The truck owner, if they are different from the company
• The cargo loading company
• Vehicle or parts manufacturers
• Maintenance providers

Our experienced Pennsylvania truck accident lawyers meticulously investigate every potential source of liability to maximize your compensation.

The Role of Your Pennsylvania Truck Accident Attorney

An experienced Pennsylvania truck accident attorney provides expertise beyond what a general personal injury lawyer can offer. At Munley Law, our trucking attorneys have developed deep knowledge of Pennsylvania’s courts, judges, and legal procedures related to commercial vehicle litigation.

When you retain our services, your Pennsylvania truck accident lawyer will:

• We conduct a comprehensive investigation of your accident, including examining the crash scene, securing electronic logging device data, and reviewing the driver’s history for Pennsylvania and federal regulations violations. We work quickly to preserve critical evidence before it disappears.
• Collaborate with trusted Pennsylvania-based accident reconstructionists, medical specialists, and trucking industry experts to build a compelling case. These experts help demonstrate how the accident occurred, the extent of your injuries, and how Pennsylvania regulations may have been violated.
• Handle all negotiations with the insurance companies involved, many of which specialize in defending commercial truck accident claims. Our reputation for success at trial gives us leverage in these negotiations.
• Prepare your case for trial in Pennsylvania state or federal court if a fair settlement cannot be reached. With decades of experience trying all types of truck accident cases in courtrooms across the Commonwealth, we understand how to present complex evidence to Pennsylvania juries effectively.

Our board-certified Pennsylvania truck accident lawyers notice critical details that other attorneys might miss, from subtle violations of hours-of-service regulations to maintenance issues contributing to your crash. This expertise ensures that every aspect of your claim is handled precisely and expertly, increasing your chances of a favorable outcome. Contact a Pennsylvania truck accident lawyer today at Munley Law to start the process.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Pennsylvania

Understanding the causes of truck accidents in Pennsylvania helps us build stronger cases for our clients. Through our extensive experience handling truck accident claims throughout the Commonwealth, we’ve identified several frequent contributing factors:

• Driver Fatigue: Driver fatigue remains a leading cause of truck crashes on Pennsylvania’s highways. Despite federal hours-of-service regulations, many truckers push beyond safe limits, particularly when traversing our state’s long interstate corridors like I-80 or I-76.
• Improper Loading: Improper loading has caused numerous accidents on Pennsylvania’s mountainous highways. When cargo shifts on steep grades or winding roads, even the most experienced driver may lose control of their vehicle.
• Mechanical Failures: Mechanical failures, particularly brake issues, become especially dangerous on Pennsylvania’s many hills and mountain passes. Regular maintenance is mandatory for commercial vehicles, yet mechanical problems continue to cause serious accidents throughout our state.
• Distracted Driving: Distracted driving affects truck operators like other motorists. The monotony of long drives on Pennsylvania’s rural interstates can lead drivers to check phones, adjust navigation systems, or engage in other dangerous behaviors like watching television.
• Speeding and Reckless Driving: Operating a truck at high speeds dramatically increases the risk of accidents. Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to stop or maneuver safely, particularly in adverse weather conditions or congested traffic areas. Reckless driving behaviors such as aggressive lane changes or failing to yield the right of way can also lead to serious accidents.
• Inadequate Driver Training: Driving a large commercial truck safely requires specialized training and skills. Inadequately trained drivers may not be equipped to handle the complexities of operating heavy vehicles, leading to judgment errors and road accidents.
• Poor Weather Conditions: Pennsylvania’s diverse weather conditions create hazardous driving situations. From dense fog in the Susquehanna Valley to heavy snowfall in the Poconos and Alleghenies, truck drivers must adjust their driving for conditions—and many fail to do so.
• Influence of Alcohol and Drugs: Although commercial drivers are subject to strict drug and alcohol regulations, incidents of driving under the influence still occur and pose a significant safety threat. Substance use impairs a motorist’s cognitive functions and reaction times, making safe driving nearly impossible.

Our Pennsylvania truck accident lawyers know how to identify these causes and gather the evidence needed to prove negligence. We conduct thorough investigations, review company safety records, and work with accident reconstruction experts familiar with Pennsylvania’s roads and traffic patterns.

There is no fee unless we win your truck accident case.

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Pennsylvania Truck Accident Statistics

Pennsylvania’s position as a major transportation corridor makes our highways particularly dangerous for truck accidents. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, approximately 7,000 commercial truck crashes occur annually across the Commonwealth, with hundreds resulting in serious injuries or fatalities.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike, I-80, I-81, and I-76 rank among the most dangerous highways for truck accidents in our state. These vital transportation arteries see heavy commercial traffic moving goods between the Northeast, Midwest, and beyond. The mountainous terrain in central and western Pennsylvania creates additional hazards, particularly during winter months when trucks navigate icy roads through the Alleghenies.

In counties like Allegheny, Philadelphia, and Lehigh, truck accidents frequently occur in urban areas where large trucks must maneuver through congested streets. Meanwhile, the rural areas in Pennsylvania, such as Potter County, the Bloomsburg-Berwick area, and the Poconos, present their dangers, with limited shoulders, two-lane highways, and less immediate access to emergency medical care after a crash.

Understanding these Pennsylvania-specific risks is essential when building a strong truck accident case. Our attorneys have handled cases on every major highway and in every region of the Commonwealth, giving us insight that general practice lawyers simply don’t possess.

Pennsylvania Truck Accident Laws and Regulations

Understanding Pennsylvania’s specific laws and regulations regarding truck accidents is crucial to building a successful case. Our Commonwealth follows several critical legal principles directly impacting your ability to recover fair compensation.

Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations gives victims just two years from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit. While this may seem like ample time, our experience handling truck accident cases throughout Pennsylvania has shown us that evidence can disappear quickly, especially the critical electronic data stored in the truck’s black box. That’s why we recommend contacting a Pennsylvania truck accident lawyer immediately after your accident.

Pennsylvania’s comparative negligence law allows victims to recover damages if they are less than 51 percent responsible for the accident. However, your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of fault. This makes it essential to have skilled legal representation to counter any claims that you contributed to the accident effectively.

Pennsylvania commercial trucks must comply with state regulations and the FMCSA rules. These include strict requirements for driver qualification, vehicle maintenance, hours of service, and cargo loading. When these regulations are violated, it often provides a clear path to establishing negligence in your case.

Our Pennsylvania truck accident attorneys stay current on all regulatory changes that might affect your case. We regularly attend specialized continuing legal education focused on Pennsylvania transportation law and federal trucking regulations to ensure we provide the most informed representation possible.

What to Do After a Truck Accident in Pennsylvania

The moments following a truck accident in Pennsylvania are critical for your health and potential legal claim. Taking these steps can protect your rights and strengthen your case:

• If possible, prioritize safety by moving to a secure location. Pennsylvania law requires you to remain at the accident scene, but you should get to safety if your vehicle is in a dangerous position.
• Call 911 immediately. Pennsylvania State Police or local law enforcement will document the crash and create an official report, which becomes vital evidence in your case.
• Seek immediate medical attention, even if you believe your injuries are minor. Many severe conditions, including traumatic brain injuries and internal bleeding, may not show obvious symptoms initially. Pennsylvania medical records will also establish a direct link between the accident and your injuries.
• Document the scene if you’re able. Take photos of vehicle positions, license plates, road conditions, and visible injuries. Note the trucking company name, DOT number, and other identifying information on the commercial vehicle.
• Exchange information with the truck driver, but avoid discussing fault or giving recorded statements to insurance representatives. Pennsylvania is a comparative negligence state, so anything you say could be used to reduce your compensation.
• Contact a Pennsylvania truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. The trucking company will immediately dispatch investigators and legal teams to the accident scene. Having your legal representation ensures critical evidence is preserved and your rights are protected from the start.

Contact Our Pennsylvania Truck Accident Lawyers Today

When facing the aftermath of a serious truck accident in Pennsylvania, you need more than just legal representation—you need advocates who understand what you’re going through and have the expertise to secure the compensation you deserve.

For more than 65 years, our Pennsylvania truck accident lawyers at Munley Law have been fighting for victims across our Commonwealth. Our board-certified attorneys bring unmatched truck accident litigation experience to every case we handle, from Scranton to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia to Erie, and all 67 Pennsylvania counties.

Don’t face this challenging time alone. Contact Munley Law today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your Pennsylvania truck accident case. Our attorneys will provide honest guidance about your options and explain how we can help you move forward. Remember, we work on a contingency fee—you pay nothing unless we win your case.

Schedule your FREE consultation with a winning Pennsylvania truck accident lawyer from Munley Law now.