If you or a loved one has been injured in a tractor trailer crash, you need a skilled Wilkes-Barre tractor trailer accident lawyer to help you secure fair compensation. Munley Law has won millions in settlements to date, including $3.8 million for a man injured in a tractor trailer crash, and $3.97 million for the family of a man who tragically passed in a similar accident.
Our attorneys hold numerous certifications in truck accident law. Munley Law is the only Pennsylvania firm to have three NBTA-certified lawyers in Truck Accident Law. Partner Marion Munley was the first woman to head the American Association of Justice’s Trucking Litigation Group, and both Marion and Daniel Munley are members of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys’ Board of Regents and hold ATAA board certification.
If you hire a Munley Law Wilkes-Barre truck accident attorney, you will have no upfront costs. We work on a contingency basis and don’t get paid until we win your case. We represent injured drivers, passengers, truckers, motorcycle riders, and pedestrians. Call 844-806-2997, chat now, or submit our online form for a free review of your case.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer at Munley Law
Call Us At 844-686-5397 How Can a Wilkes-Barre Tractor Trailer Accident Lawyer Help?
An at-fault trucking company or its insurer will try to quickly and cheaply settle your case. They are motivated to move fast before you have found the right legal representation. Why? Because without an experienced tractor trailer lawyer representing your interests, a trucking company can usually get away with spending less money and getting a cheaper settlement.
As your attorneys, we will make sure that doesn’t happen to you. We document the scene of the accident and interview any witnesses. We contact the trucking company and their insurer with legal requests to preserve any evidence from your Wilkes-Barre tractor trailer accident. It is imperative that evidence is not altered, misplaced, or destroyed.
We work with forensic experts to detail and document the accident. We work with you and your care team to estimate all present and future costs associated with the tractor trailer accident, including medical, loss of wages, loss of work, equipment, and adaptations that may be required as a result of your accident.
Once we have the evidence, we develop a strategy and prepare your case.
Who Was Responsible for Your Tractor Trailer Accident in Wilkes-Barre?
At Munley Law, we know we need to get to work to immediately prove liability and fault in the event of a big rig accident.
If you have been injured in a tractor trailer accident, you might have catastrophic injuries, looming medical expenses, and property damage.
Tractor trailer crashes often involve more than one potentially responsible party. Depending on the circumstances, liability may rest with the truck driver, the trucking company, a maintenance contractor, the cargo loader, or a vehicle or parts manufacturer.
Determining liability requires reviewing maintenance records, driver logs, electronic data, inspection reports, and other evidence. Once we complete the review of all the evidence, we may determine who may be held liable for any losses and damages.
What Makes Tractor Trailor Accidents Different?
Tractor trailers present hazards that are unique because of their size, weight, and design. A fully loaded tractor trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and stretch more than 70 feet in length, increasing the risk of causing more serious injuries or fatal truck accidents. These vehicles require much more distance to stop, make wider turns than passenger vehicles, and have significant blind spots around all four sides. Some of the most common factors that contribute to tractor trailer crashes include:
- Jackknife Accidents: A jackknife accident occurs when the trailer swings outward and forms an angle with the tractor, often after sudden braking or loss of traction. Jackknifed trucks can block multiple lanes of traffic and leave surrounding drivers with little opportunity to avoid a collision.
- Cargo Shifts and Unsecured Loads: Improperly loaded or unsecured cargo can shift during transport, making a tractor trailer unstable. Uneven weight distribution increases the risk of rollovers, while cargo that falls from a trailer can create dangerous roadway hazards for nearby motorists.
- Wide Turns: Tractor trailers need considerably more room to complete turns than passenger vehicles. During right turns, a trailer may initially move left before turning right, creating a risk of striking vehicles, cyclists, or pedestrians traveling beside the truck.
- Mechanical Problems: A tractor trailer relies on complex braking systems, tires, trailer couplings, lighting, and other components that require regular inspection and maintenance. Brake failures, tire blowouts, defective trailer connections, or other mechanical problems can lead to serious crashes when these vehicles are traveling at highway speeds. There were 6,805 heavy truck-related accidents and 124 large truck fatalities reported in Pennsylvania in 2024. Tire and wheel-related defects were a leading cause, featuring in 35.1% of road accident cases, followed by brake-related issues at 29%.
- Driver Error: Even experienced commercial drivers can make mistakes. Speeding, distracted driving, fatigue, impaired driving, or violating federal hours-of-service regulations can all increase the likelihood of a serious tractor trailer collision.
Because tractor trailer accidents often involve multiple contributing factors, determining exactly what caused the crash requires a detailed investigation. Our attorneys work with accident reconstruction specialists and industry experts to examine electronic data, maintenance records, driver logs, inspection reports, and other evidence to identify what happened and who may be legally responsible.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Your Tractor Trailer Accident in Wilkes-Barre?
The negligent trucking company: Has the trucking company been disregarding important safety procedures, including timely inspections, maintenance, and repairs, putting their drivers and other motorists at risk?
Did they perform the necessary background checks on their drivers and give them the proper, legally required training?
Did the trucking company put their drivers and other motorists at risk by fostering a culture in which the truck driver feels compelled to falsify records, not take legally required rests and breaks, or keep their drivers on an unreasonable schedule, forcing them to speed and ignore traffic safety to keep to their schedules? Your truck accident attorney can use fact-finding to determine all of this and more.
The truck manufacturer: Defective machinery and truck parts can cause a serious truck accident. Was the tractor trailer accident you were involved in caused by faulty parts? Is the truck manufacturer liable for ignoring safety protocols by not announcing recalls of defective parts?
The truck driver: Truck drivers have the responsibility, also known as duty, to other drivers on the road. Sometimes, a tractor trailer accidents occurs when a truck driver is engaging in distracted driving habits, driving while fatigued, not securing their loads properly, when they don’t conduct their pre-trip safety inspections, when they drive too fast for the road or weather conditions, and many more. Any driver error that affects all motorists can affect a semi-truck driver, but due to the sheer size and weight of a big rig, the consequences can be far more serious.
Compensation Following a Wilkes-Barre Tractor Trailer Crash
If you have been involved in a tractor trailer accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation for economic and non-economic losses caused by the accident, such as:
- Repairs to your vehicle or a complete vehicle replacement
- Cost of rental vehicles or other transportation costs due to loss or damage of your primary vehicle in the truck accident
- Compensation for any lost wages due to the accident, such as lost time at work for injury, pain, or doctors’ visits
- Direct medical costs related to the injury caused by the accident
- Pain and suffering resulting from the accident
- Loss of or damage to property as a result of the accident
Other expenses that are related to the accident, such as:
- Cost of mental health treatment
- Cost of physical therapy following an injury caused by your truck accident
To discover what compensation you may be entitled to, contact the experts at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys for a free consultation. Our Wilkes-Barre truck accident lawyers will advise you on your legal options for recovering money for the losses you have suffered.
Why Choose Munley Law As Your Wilkes-Barre Tractor Trailer Accident Lawyers?
With so many personal injury law firms to choose from, it can be hard to tell the difference between them. The fact is that not all law firms are created equal, especially when it comes to tractor trailer accident cases. These cases involve large transportation companies and industry-specific regulations. You need a lawyer with a special focus on this area of the law and a solid track record of winning maximum compensation for truck wreck victims.
Expertise – We have extensive experience representing victims of tractor trailer accidents. We know the ins and outs of trucking industry regulations and the tactics trucking companies and their insurers will try to use to win their cases. Recognized as experts in the field of truck accidents, we are invited to speak about trucking laws all over the country. Marion Munley is chair-elect of the American Association for Justice Trucking Litigation Group, and Daniel Munley previously served as chair.
Both Marion Munley and Daniel Munley are board-certified by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys and are members of the ATAA’s Board of Regents, and Munley Law is the only Pennsylvania law firm that has three lawyers certified in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Marion Munley and Daniel Munley have three board certifications each, including Truck Accident Law, Civil Trial Law, and Civil Practice Advocacy, and Katie Nealon also holds a Truck Accident Law certification, while J. Christopher Munley and John Mulcahey have two certifications in Civil Trial Law and Civil Trial Advocacy.
All of our lawyers have been honored by Best Lawyers and our firm by Best Law Firms, with Marion Munley named Lawyer of the Year for Product Liability Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law, and Personal Injury Litigation; Daniel Munley featured as Lawyer of the Year for Product Liability Litigation; and J. Christopher Munley as Lawyer of the Year for Workers’ Compensation. All five of our partners also feature in the Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers list, including Marion Munley, who has been named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America list as well.
Record of success – We do what not all law firms can – we take on the big companies and win. Our truck accident attorneys won the 2nd largest settlement in Pennsylvania and the 25th largest in the country in 2015. Since then, we have recovered millions in settlements and verdicts for truck accident victims.
We live and work in the Wilkes-Barre area – We’ve represented thousands of people in this region. While we have all the resources of a large city firm, we offer the kind of personal service you can only get from a small local business. The people of Wilkes-Barre aren’t just our clients, they are also our neighbors. Since our firm was founded in 1959, it has been our mission to serve this community. We are your trusted, local Wilkes-Barre tractor trailer accident attorneys.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tractor Trailer Accidents in Wilkes-Barre
How Likely Is a Tractor Trailer Accident to Be Fatal?
Out of the 6,805 heavy truck crashes reported in PA in 2024 (a group that includes tractor-trailers), 124 crashes (11.7%) proved to be fatal. Judging by these estimates, a tractor-trailer accident has a roughly one-in-nine chance of causing deaths of the people involved.
How is a Tractor-Trailer Accident Different from a Car Accident?
Tractor trailers are far larger and heavier than sedans and small trucks, and can thus cause far more severe and life-threatening injuries in accidents. Tractor trailer accidents are also more legally complex, as they can involve many liable parties, meaning that they require expert legal representation. The potential compensation for these accidents is often higher as well, due to more severe injuries and higher limits for commercial insurance policies.
How Long Do I Have to File a Tractor Trailer Accident Injury Claim in Wilkes-Barre, PA?
In Pennsylvania, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524. However, exceptions may apply. If the injured person is an unemancipated minor, the period of minority generally is not counted toward the statute of limitations under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5533(b)(1). The filing deadline will be on the minor’s twentieth birthday. Different deadlines may also apply when claims involve government entities, which often allow only six months to file a claim. Speaking to an attorney as soon as possible is, therefore, a priority.
How Much Compensation Could I Win in My Tractor Trailer Accident Injury Case?
The value of your case and compensation will depend on the severity of your injuries, the total of your injury-related expenses, and non-economic factors such as pain, suffering, and loss of consortium as well. Munley Law has won settlements worth up to $3.8 million for clients injured in tractor trailer crashes, but your settlement could be worth less or more, depending on your specific situation.
Contact Our Wilkes-Barre Tractor-Trailer Accident Attorneys Now
Immediately after your truck accident, you might be contacted by the insurance company for the truck driver or the trucking company. Insurance companies are in the business of making money. It is not in their best interest to pay victims what they are owed for injuries or other losses. They might try to convince you to settle for a lot less compensation than what you are owed.
You need an experienced accident attorney who knows the trucking and insurance industries on your side to help you fight for what you are owed. Contact a Munley truck accident attorney today before you accept any settlement from the insurance company.
Our attorneys will provide a free review of your case and inform you of how you should proceed. With nearly 70 years of experience in trucking law, you can be confident in the advice you receive from the truck crash lawyers at Munley Law. If you choose to hire us, our Wilkes-Barre tractor trailer accident attorneys work on a contingency basis. That means no upfront or out-of-pocket costs for you. We pay all costs in getting you justice. And because we don’t get paid until we win your case, you can be confident we do not cut corners. We do everything in our power to get you the maximum compensation. The proof is in our track record.
You can be sure the trucking company and its insurer start building their case the minute they learn of the accident. To protect yourself, you need to do the same. Call, chat live, or fill out our online form.
Daniel W. Munley
Daniel W. Munley is a nationally recognized, leading truck accident lawyer. He has been board certified in Truck Accident Law by the NBTA as well as being a charter member for the American Association for Justice Trucking Litigation Group. Daniel often takes part in speaking engagements presenting the latest cutting-edge technology and trial techniques to help attorneys nationwide protect the rights of truck accident victims. Additionally, Daniel has secured numerous multi-million dollar settlements for victims, including the largest truck accident settlement for an individual plaintiff on record in Northern Pennsylvania, at $26 million.
Reviewed by Bernadine Munley, Esq., Personal Injury Attorney at Munley Law, on August 5, 2026.
