Wilkes-Barre Truck Accident Lawyer

Our truck accident lawyers in Wilkes-Barre are dedicated to providing expert legal representation to those injured in truck accidents. Relying on 65 years of experience, our trucking accident attorneys know how complex these cases can be and are not afraid to stand up against the trucking companies. We have three attorneys on staff who are board-certified in Truck Accident Law, the only law firm in Pennsylvania with this distinction. Our peers and prestigious organizations have recognized our trucking accident attorneys for their work in truck litigation. We will work hard to get you the compensation you deserve.

When you choose us as your truck accident lawyer in Wilkes-Barre, you choose a firm deeply rooted in the Wilkes-Barre community with the experience needed to go head-to-head with the trucking companies. If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident, contact the truck accident lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys for a free consultation.

How A Wilkes-Barre Truck Accident Attorney Can Help Injury Victims

In the aftermath of a truck accident, victims often find themselves overwhelmed with financial losses and the emotional trauma associated with such a catastrophic event. This is where a truck accident lawyer steps in to provide invaluable assistance. By leveraging their specialized knowledge and experience, a Wilkes-Barre truck accident attorney can help injury victims navigate the complex legal landscape, ensuring they receive the compensation they deserve.

A Wilkes-Barre truck accident lawyer primarily advocates for the victim’s rights. They understand the intricacies of trucking laws and regulations, which are often more complex due to the involvement of commercial entities. This expertise allows them to identify liable parties, ranging from the truck driver to the trucking company or even the manufacturer of faulty truck parts.

One of the key roles of truck accident attorneys is to gather and analyze evidence meticulously. This can include police reports, witness statements, trucking logs, and data from the truck’s “black box.” By piecing together this information with the help of expert witnesses, they can construct a compelling case that demonstrates the other party’s negligence.

Negotiating with insurance companies is another aspect of a truck accident lawyer’s job. Since multiple parties can be at fault for the Wilkes-Barre truck accident, you may be dealing with several insurance companies for a truck accident in Wilkes-Barre.  The insurance adjusters will attempt to minimize payouts, but a skilled truck accident law firm can effectively negotiate to ensure victims receive a fair settlement that covers their medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. In cases where a fair settlement cannot be reached, a truck accident lawyer is prepared to take the case to court. They will present the evidence, argue the case, and strive to convince the jury of the victim’s rightful claim to compensation.

Finding a local truck accident lawyer can be particularly beneficial for injury victims in Luzerne County. A Wilkes-Barre truck accident lawyer will not only be well-versed in national trucking laws and have the resources needed to fight the insurance companies but also be familiar with local regulations and court procedures.

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Why You Need a Truck Accident Attorney in Wilkes-Barre

Wilkes-Barre is situated near several heavily traveled roads that experience significant truck traffic, including Interstate 81, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Route 11, and the Cross Valley Expressway. The number of truck accidents in these areas has steadily increased in recent years as commercial transportation through the region has grown.

The industrial parks and warehouse districts along Highland Park Boulevard and in the I-81 corridor represent another concentration of truck-related incidents, particularly during loading and unloading operations where trucks must navigate tight spaces and interact with other industrial equipment.

Truck accident claims present unique challenges. They often involve multiple responsible parties and require swift and thorough investigation. The trucking company will dispatch its lawyers and investigators to the scene immediately after the crash to collect evidence to show that you are responsible, not their driver. You need someone on your side to do the same.

An experienced Wilkes-Barre personal injury attorney familiar with state and federal trucking laws, commercial driver’s license (CDL) rules, the Luzerne County court system, and commercial truck insurance company tactics can help you recover compensation for medical bills, rehabilitation, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. You will need a law firm that has the knowledge, resources, and a strong track record to handle your claim so you can focus on healing.

Compensation Available for a Wilkes-Barre Truck Crash

The compensation you can receive following a truck accident in Wilkes-Barre falls into economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages will compensate you for any financial losses you may have incurred. This includes current and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, and property damages. You may also receive compensation for funeral expenses if you lost a loved one.

Non-economic damages provide compensation for any non-financial losses. These losses are subjective and can include pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of consortium, and loss of enjoyment in life.

In rare cases, punitive damages may be available to the injury victim. Punitive damages are awarded when the defendant’s actions are deemed malicious or reckless. They are used as a punishment to deter this behavior from occurring again.

Why Are Truck Accidents Different?

Sadly, wrongful deaths trucking accident are not uncommon. According to the most recent data from the Institute for Safer Trucking, 4,965 people had died in large truck crashes, and over 100,000 people suffered an injury in the United States. Of those who had died in large truck crashes, 68 percent were occupants of cars or other passenger vehicles. The number of people who have been killed in big rig crashes is 31% higher than it was 10 years ago.

Besides the fact that a truck can outweigh an average passenger vehicle by more than 25 times, there are multiple differences between getting into an accident with another car and getting into an accident with a tractor trailer.

• More Parties Can Be Held Liable: In a car crash, chances are only two parties are involved – you and the other driver. But this is rarely the case in a truck accident claim. Not only can the truck driver be held responsible, but also the negligent trucking company that employed the driver and may own the truck, the truck manufacturer for any faulty parts or mechanical failure, and third-party brokers that had connected the driver and their trucks to haul their cargo.
• Truck Drivers Follow Stricter Regulations: Truckers are subject to specific federal regulations, including the length of time they are allowed on the road. Unfortunately, many trucking companies push drivers to beat their deadlines so the next delivery can be made. This causes truck drivers to drive longer, ignoring the rules to protect us from harm.
• The Insurance Policy is Larger: Commercial trucks have insurance policies often 50 times larger than an average car insurance policy. With a multi-million dollar policy at stake, insurance carriers will do whatever they can to prevent paying out the claim after a truck accident. Typical insurance company tactics include offering a settlement way below how much your claim is worth.
• The Type of Injury is Catastrophic: The bigger the vehicle, the more likely the injuries you’ve sustained will be life-threatening. Catastrophic injuries can take years to recover from. You could face multiple medical treatments, including surgeries, rehabilitation, and long-term care. You will need compensation to pay these bills and continue your life.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Wilkes-Barre Truck Accident Attorney?

At Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, we believe cost should never be in the way of justice. Therefore, we do not charge a fee for our services until the case has been settled or reached a verdict. This is called a contingency fee model, where we take on all the risk to get you the compensation you deserve.

As our client, you will not pay any upfront or out-of-pocket fees until your truck accident lawyer has finished the investigation and reached a settlement. Once the accident case has been resolved, we will take a small percentage of your reward. If we are unsuccessful, then you do not owe us a fee.

Responsible Parties For a Truck Accident in Wilkes-Barre, PA

In cities like Wilkes-Barre, truck accidents can have devastating consequences, often resulting in severe injuries. Determining liability in these accidents is important for victims seeking compensation and holding those at fault accountable. Unlike a car accident where you and the other driver may be the only ones involved, there can be multiple parties responsible for the truck crash in Wilkes-Barre, such as:

Truck Drivers: Truck drivers play a critical role in determining liability in truck accidents. Factors such as driver fatigue, inattention, distracted driving, speeding, or driving under the influence can directly contribute to accidents. If a truck driver’s negligence or recklessness is found to be the primary cause of the accident, they may be held liable for the damages.

Trucking Companies: Trucking companies can also be held responsible for accidents in certain situations. If a company fails to maintain its fleet properly, neglects to enforce safety regulations, or pressures drivers to exceed legal limits on driving hours, it may be liable for the accident. Additionally, trucking companies can be held responsible for the actions of their employees under the legal principle of “respondent superior,” which states that an employer can be held accountable for the actions of its employees if those actions occur within the scope of their employment.

Vehicle and Equipment Manufacturers: In some cases, truck accidents may be the result of a manufacturing defect in the truck or its components. If a faulty part, such as defective brakes or a malfunctioning steering system, is found to have caused the accident, the truck or its components may be held liable. Victims may pursue a product liability claim against the manufacturer in these cases.

Cargo Loaders and Third-Party Contractors: Improperly loaded or secured cargo can cause truck accidents by affecting the vehicle’s stability or falling onto the road and creating hazards for other drivers. In such cases, the party responsible for loading and securing the cargo, a third-party contractor or the trucking company, could be liable for the accident.

Other Drivers and Road Users: In some truck accidents, other drivers or road users may share liability for the accident. If another driver’s negligence or recklessness contributed to the accident, they may be held partially or fully responsible for the damages. In these cases, determining liability may involve a comparative negligence analysis, which considers the degree to which each party contributed to the accident.

Establishing liability in a Wilkes-Barre truck accident is a complex process involving carefully examining various factors and the roles of multiple parties. Through a thorough investigation, our Wilkes-Barre truck crash attorneys can hold those at fault accountable and get you the compensation you deserve.

How is Negligence Established in Wilkes-Barre Truck Accidents?

In order to establish negligence, the following elements must be met:

• Duty of Care: The truck driver had a duty to keep the other drivers on the road safe from harm. A trucker who is following the FMCA regulations and taking rest breaks is following the duty of care.
• Breach of Duty: The truck driver was negligent, causing a breach in their duty of care. A driver who had been drinking, for example, gets behind the wheel to drop off their cargo.
• Causation: Due to the trucker’s negligent actions, an injury occurred. Using the scenario above, an accident occurs after the truck driver falls asleep. The other driver is diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.
• Damages: The injury resulted in damages for the victim. The injured driver in the above scenario is now facing long-term financial debt as they cannot return to work because of the injury.

Trying to establish negligence cannot be done on your own. What you need is an experienced truck accident attorney in Wilkes-Barre to guide you through the process and make sure you get the compensation that you deserve.

Why Choose Our Wilkes-Barre Truck Accident Lawyer?

Truck accidents in PA can be extremely complex. Sometimes the weather can affect the street. It takes tons of resources and knowledge to try these cases. Not only does a truck accident lawyer need to have the resources available to handle large trucking cases, but they need to have the experience. Not many attorneys in Luzerne County have experience dealing with these types of cases. If you are involved in a tractor trailer accident, be sure to contact us immediately.

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys has and will continue to take on the truck companies when their drivers injure other truckers and motorists. When it comes to trucking accidents, our law firm stands apart from other personal injury lawyers:

• Experience – We have more than 65 years of experience in truck injury cases. Our law firm has a long track record of representing injured victims in truck accidents. We have gone up against the major trucking companies and their lawyers and know their tactics to get out of paying your claim. When it comes to truck crash cases, experience counts.
• Credentials – Our Pennsylvania truck accident attorneys are routinely asked to speak locally and nationally at trucking law seminars. We are the only firm in the country to have two lawyers lead the American Association for Justice’s prestigious Trucking Litigation Group. In addition, both Marion and Dan Munley are among the few personal injury attorneys in the U.S. to be board-certified in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
• Results – We have some of the largest settlements and verdicts in the area for truck accident cases. For example, we recently secured a record-breaking $26 million settlement for our client, who had suffered a traumatic brain injury in a devastating truck accident that happened in Northeastern Pennsylvania. We will fight for the maximum settlement and go to trial for you if necessary.
• Resources—Our legal team utilizes the latest news technology in preparing your truck accident case and in the courtroom. We work with leading industry investigators and engineers to present a winning case for you.

Our semi-truck accident attorneys understand that after such a catastrophic accident, you need the time to heal and not worry about what comes next. If you have severe injuries from a truck wreck, Munley Law will send our truck accident lawyer to speak with you about your accident – whether it’s at our Plains office off of Route 315, to Gesigner Wyoming Valley, where your loved one may be recuperating, or even come to your home anywhere in the Wyoming Valley. Our top priority is to help and protect our clients. We will be tough fighters on your behalf. If you were involved in a car accident with a commercial truck or have questions about an accident, call today for a free case evaluation.

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys

1170 PA-315
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
(570) 399-0406