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.
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.
Contact a Truck Crash Lawyer at Munley Law
Call Us At 844-686-5397 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. Tractor trailer accidents are often far more serious and more complex than other motor vehicle accidents. If you have been injured in a tractor trailer accident, you might have catastrophic injuries, looming medical expenses, and property damage. You will need experienced Wilkes-Barre attorneys with deep knowledge of truck accident litigation on your side to start collecting the necessary information about your case.
Your Wilkes-Barre truck accident lawyer will work tirelessly to determine negligence in your truck accident case. They will research, question all involved parties, witnesses, and law enforcement, obtain log books, electronic or “black box” data, and other vital evidence about your truck accident from the truck driver, the trucking company, and other parties. It is essential to determine what and who caused your accident.
Once we complete these crucial steps, we may determine who may be held liable for any losses and damages.
What are the Most Common Causes of Wilkes-Barre Tractor Trailer Accidents?
Wilkes-Barre truck accidents can have a variety of mechanical causes. A trucking company is responsible for maintaining, inspecting, and repairing its trucks to keep them in safe working order. If your fatal truck accident was caused by mechanical failures, such as faulty or unchecked tires and wheels, brakes, power train failure, an unsecured trailer, or overloaded trailers. According to PennDot crash and accidents data, vehicle defects ranked by frequency in relation to truck accidents include:
- Tire/Wheel-Related
- Brake-Related
- Unsecure Trailer/Overloaded
- Power Train Failure
- Total Steering System Failure
- Trailer Hitch/Improper Towing
- Other Failure
- Suspension
- Vehicle Lighting Related
- Windshield/Defective Wipers
Defects like these, along with other factors such as human error, played roles in the 7,312 heavy truck-related accidents and 22 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%.
Did Human Error Cause Your Wilkes-Barre Truck Accident?
In addition to mechanical causes, large truck accidents can be caused by driver error.
Accidents involving large trucks, big rigs, 18-wheelers, and tractor-trailers can prove devastating to the innocent victims involved. Common truck driver-error causes of truck accidents include:
Negligent Hiring/Training – A trucking company may have hired an inexperienced truck driver, performed no background check or an inadequate background check, and then did not provide adequate training for the trucker on the particular size and weight vehicle they would be driving. If a trucking company’s negligent hiring or training practices led to your truck accident injuries, you may have a case against the trucking company. Contact the Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys truck accident lawyers today.
Driver Negligence. Drivers who are negligent or careless on the road contribute to hundreds of accidents in Pennsylvania each year. Driving under the influence also notably increases the risk of fatal crashes. According to the 2024 Pennsylvania Crash Facts and Statistics report, drinking drivers caused 6,929 road accidents and 128 deaths in the state in 2024 alone. Drivers who tailgated other vehicles contributed to 5,456 crashes and nine fatalities, and careless or illegal maneuvers led to 5,247 accidents and 66 avoidable deaths.
Additionally, drivers who take unnecessary risks or drive negligently on certain portions of the road are at higher risk of causing accidents and of being injured or killed in crashes. In 2024, 26.3% of heavy truck accidents in PA occurred on interstate highways, and an even higher 26.4% on turnpikes.
Violation of Trucking Regulations – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations limit the hours a truck driver can drive, as well as limit the maximum amount of weight a truck is allowed to carry. The FMCSA provides rules for proper loading and tie-down requirements, truck maintenance and inspection procedures, licensing and driver testing, and restricts the use of drugs and alcohol.
Truck drivers and trucking companies must comply with all federal and state trucking regulations. When they don’t comply and their negligence causes a truck crash, they can be held liable for any injuries. Truckers and trucking companies are required to keep logs and shipping schedules, which need to be updated and contain the correct information.
Tractor trailers aren’t as responsive or maneuverable as passenger vehicles. Legally, tractor trailers, 18 wheelers or semi-trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Many are approximately 65 feet long. Due to their massive size, tractor trailers can’t stop, slow, or turn as easily as a smaller vehicle. Tractor trailers also have large blind spots, so while you may think truck drivers can see you as you drive behind or pass them, that is not always the case. All these factors lead to devastating results when a tractor trailer and a passenger car, bike, or pedestrian are involved in an accident, including life-threatening injuries and fatalities.
Driver Fatigue – Driver fatigue is to blame for many devastating tractor trailer accidents, with the Pennsylvania Crash Facts and Stats report noting that drowsy drivers caused 2,591 crashes and 15 deaths in 2024. Federal regulations limit how many hours truckers can stay on the road without taking a break.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Interstate Truck Driver’s Guide to Hours of Service, drivers must follow three maximum duty limits at all times. The 14-hour driving window limit (11 hours of consecutive driving, including lunch and breaks, in a 14 hour window in any given 24 hour period with at least 10 hours of rest between 14 hour periods), 11-hour driving limit, and 60-hour/7-day and 70-hour/8-day duty limits (a maximum of 70 hours driven over a floating 8 day period) However, drivers are often pushed to their physical limits by tight deadlines and financial need. It’s not uncommon for transportation companies to allow drivers to falsify their log books in order to make a profit.
Distracted Driving – Distracted driving also contributes to the increasing number of highway fatalities. In 2024, 9,687 accidents and 43 deaths were caused by distracted drivers alone. Technology and electronics improve our lives, but provide multiple reasons to divert a driver’s attention from the road. Even when following regulations, there is fatigue, and fatigue may lead to slower response, poor judgment, and, unfortunately, sometimes a driver may fall asleep at the wheel.
High-Risk Weather Conditions – Weather conditions are also a factor. Driving on wet, snowy, and icy roads is hazardous, and while many of us may be able to avoid long-distance driving in these conditions, goods still need to be transported, and tractor trailers are still on the roads. In Pennsylvania, 9.6% of fatal road accidents in 2024 happened during rainy or foggy conditions, and 2.6% were caused by snow or sleet.
Work zones can also be hazardous. With aging infrastructure and normal wear and tear, work zones are a daily occurrence. This requires slowing down, changing lanes, and giving others the right-of-way. To increase our safety, we all need to be alert to hazardous conditions and appropriately adjust our driving.
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.
“Munley Law is far more than just a law firm. We’re a family of attorneys who truly understand the meaning of family and bring deep compassion to every client we serve.”
J. Christopher Munley
Compensation Following a Wilkes-Barre Tractor Trailer Crash
Suppose you have been involved in a Wilkes-Barre tractor trailer accident. In that case, 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 tothe 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.
Call our office, start a chat, or fill out our online form for a free review of your case. Our Wilkes-Barre truck accident lawyers will advise you on your legal options for recovering money for the losses you have suffered. With Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys you will have the best possible representation. You need an expert in truck accident law, and our attorneys have that expertise. Don’t put this off. Contact us now to see how we can help you.
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 Trial 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.
Talk To a Truck Accident Attorney Now
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 Many Road Accidents Do Truck And Tractor-Trailer Vehicle Defects Cause?
There were 7,312 heavy truck and tractor trailer accidents reported in 2024 in Pennsylvania, as well as 22 deaths. Of those deaths caused by vehicle defects, tire and wheel defects were the most common issue, causing 35.1% of road accidents. Brake-related defects caused a further 29% of defect-driven accidents.
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 Wilkes-Barre, PA, the statute of limitations for filing a tractor-trailer accident injury lawsuit is two years from the date of the accident. Special rules exist for minors and claims made against government entities, so it’s essential to consult a tractor trailer accident attorney for accurate advice on filing your claim.
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. Call 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 over 60 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.
J. Christopher Munley
James Christopher Munley is an award-winning plaintiffs’ lawyer who has dedicated his career to fighting for accident victims and their families. As a board-certified civil trial advocate, Chris was named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers for Workers’ Compensation by Best Lawyers, and has been listed on Pennsylvania Super Lawyers since 2013.
Reviewed by Bernadine Munley, Esq., Personal Injury Attorney at Munley Law, on January 6, 2026.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys
1170 PA-315
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
(570) 399-0406
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