Bethlehem Truck Accident Lawyer
- 30+ Years of Experience Helping Victims Across Pennsylvania
- We Will Never Stop Fighting For You
This page has been written and edited by a team of experienced legal writers . This page was approved by Managing Partner, Michael Saile who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.
This page has been written and edited by a team of experienced legal writers . This page was approved by Managing Partner, Michael Saile who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.
- Last Modified:
- September 28, 2024
People in accidents with large, heavy trucks often experience significant short- and long-term physical, financial, and emotional harm, and they deserve a chance to pursue fair compensation from negligent drivers or trucking companies. The skilled Bethlehem truck accident lawyers from Cordisco & Saile LLC have the experience, network, and resources to investigate your case, determine liability, and fight for the damages you need to move on.
If you were recently involved in a crash with a semi-truck or tractor trailer, discuss your legal right to compensation with a Cordisco & Saile LLC Bethlehem truck accident lawyer. We can help you seek maximum damages from a negligent truck driver, trucking company, or other negligent party.
- Why Hire Our Bethlehem Truck Accident Attorneys
- Who Is Liable in a Truck Accident Injury Case?
- Damages Available for Truck Accident Victims
- Can I Still Recover Compensation if I Am Partially at Fault for the Truck Accident?
- How Much Is My Truck Accident Case Worth?
- We Handle All Types of Truck Accidents in Bethlehem
- When Should I Hire a Bethlehem Truck Accident Attorney?
- Secure Your Free Case Review for Your Bethlehem Truck Accident Claim
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why Hire Our Bethlehem Truck Accident Attorneys
We recognize that a truck accident can change your life in the short and long term. We also know that trucking companies and insurance carriers won’t make getting the compensation you deserve easy. Our award-winning legal team at Cordisco & Saile LLC is ready to put decades of combined experience behind fighting on your behalf.
It is essential to have a truck accident attorney who understands trucking laws, knows how insurance companies operate, and has the network and resources to take on complex claims. We will thoroughly investigate your case, gather necessary evidence, and consult with experts throughout your claim. We will also negotiate with the other parties and their insurance carriers. We will fight back against victim-blaming tactics used by insurers to deny or minimize claims. If necessary, we are ready and willing to go to court.
Several respected legal organizations have recognized us for the representation we provide our clients, including the following:
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars
- The National Trial Lawyers
- National Association of Distinguished Counsel Top One Percent
Attorney and Practice Magazine Top 10 Attorney - AVVO
- Martindale-Hubbell
For over 30 years, we’ve been fighting for victims of negligence in Bucks County, Montgomery County, Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and beyond. If you choose us to fight for you, we don’t take it lightly.
“When a person walks through our front door and chooses us to fight for them, we do not take that lightly, and we work every day to make their experience easier.”
Hear From Our Bethlehem Clients
Our attorneys never stop fighting because we have a passion for helping people. We are honored by client testimonials praising our commitment to client service and getting results.
Who Is Liable in a Truck Accident Injury Case?
Generally, anyone who plays a role in causing a large truck accident in Pennsylvania will share responsibility for the consequences.
Once our truck accident attorneys have carefully assessed the facts and evidence of your case, we may determine that one or more of the following parties are liable:
- A negligent truck driver
- Third-party motorist, including a driver of a passenger car or motorcyclist
- Bicyclist or pedestrian
- The trucking company
- Freight loaders
- Truck manufacturers
- The property owner
- A government agency
- The employer of a negligent third party
We will aggressively seek damages from anyone who directly or indirectly caused your crash and, in turn, your catastrophic truck accident injuries.
“One of the jobs that we do as attorneys is to determine who is at fault. First, we have the police report, where the crash report tells us who the driver was and who the company or motor carrier was. Beyond that, you have the driver, you have the company that employed the driver. It's usually a motor carrier or a company that's not a motor carrier that employed the driver. Sometimes there's shippers, sometimes there's brokers, sometimes there's other middlemen that make deals that can be held responsible and should be held responsible. Usually, in a trucking accident, the injuries are so bad, and because of that, we need to find as much insurance as we can in your case.”
Damages Available for Truck Accident Victims in Bethlehem, PA
Pennsylvania truck accident victims can seek compensatory damages for their harm. These include economic damages, which cover the financial costs of semi-truck accident injuries, and non-economic damages, which compensate for the intangible losses and suffering from a crash.
Cordisco & Saile LLC can help you seek compensation for the following:
- Medical bills and future medical costs
- Physical therapy and other rehabilitation
- Lost wages, future earnings, and benefits
- Nursing assistance
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life
- Mental anguish
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Disfigurement
- Funeral and burial expenses in the event of a fatal truck accident
A judge may also allow you to seek punitive damages in rare cases. To recover punitive damages, you need clear and convincing evidence showing that the truck driver, trucking company, or other party acted intentionally or showed reckless indifference to your safety.
Our legal team has significant experience calculating damages in truck accidents, Bethlehem car accidents, and other claims. We have recovered millions of dollars in case results for accident victims, including the following:
- $10 million recovered for a local first responder injured when he was struck by a truck
- $450,000 recovered for a client injured in a severe crash with a delivery truck driver who failed to stop at a red traffic light
- $250,000 recovered for a client injured in a truck accident where a tractor-trailer side-swiped their vehicle
We’re ready to fight for you. Take the first step towards getting the compensation you deserve.
Free Case Evaluation
Can I Still Recover Compensation if I Am Partially at Fault for the Truck Accident?
Yes, as long as you are not primarily at fault. Pennsylvania operates under a modified comparative fault system with a 51 percent bar. Sharing some blame will not prohibit a financial recovery, but it will affect how much money you receive.
According to Pennsylvania state law, damages are reduced in direct proportion to the fault assigned. For example, if you are 30 percent at fault, your truck accident settlement amount or verdict will be reduced by 30 percent to reflect that. Once your liability exceeds half, you lose the right to recover compensation from a responsible third party.
How Much Is My Bethlehem Truck Accident Case Worth?
The value of a truck accident case varies. It depends on the types of injuries you suffer, how severe they are, and how your life changes. Your age and earning capacity will also play critical roles in the valuation process.
The attorney you hire can also influence how much money you receive after your Bethlehem semi-truck or tractor trailer accident. At Cordisco & Saile LLC, we have helped our clients recover life-changing results in complicated truck accident cases.
Recently, we negotiated a $10,000,000 settlement for a local first responder after a truck collision. The impact caused serious injuries to our client, including a neck fracture with initial quadriplegia, traumatic brain injury with a subdural hemorrhage, multiple facial fractures and scarring, and psychological injuries including post-traumatic stress disorder and sleep disorders.
We Handle All Types of Truck Accidents in Bethlehem
At Cordisco & Saile LLC, we have helped clients pursue compensation in all types of truck accidents, including:
- Jackknife accidents
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- Rollover truck accidents
- Wide-turn truck accidents
- T-bone truck accidents
- Sideswipe truck accidents
- Underride truck accidents
- Override truck accidents
- Blindspot truck accidents
- Lost load truck accidents
- Tire blowouts
- Fatal truck accidents
Reach out to our law office in Bethlehem to schedule a free consultation with our team. We will listen to your story, help you understand your legal options, and discuss potential strategies for financial recovery.
When Should I Hire a Bethlehem Truck Accident Attorney?
It’s best to hire an attorney as soon as possible. Pennsylvania has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. Once the deadline passes, so does your ability to assert your rights and get the money you deserve.
Call our personal injury attorneys in Bethlehem immediately so you can rest assured that we will file your case on time. We’ll visit the accident scene promptly and gather critical evidence to build a strong case on your behalf. Without quick action, evidence can disappear, and witnesses’ memories can fade.
Don’t hesitate because you’re worried about the cost of hiring an experienced truck accident attorney. You pay us nothing unless we win your case.
Managing Partner
If you’re involved in a trucking accident you should notify a lawyer immediately. It's important that we start our investigation almost from the beginning, because the insurance company or the trucking company sends their own investigators and team to the accident scene to try to gather evidence and reduce their liability.
Secure Your Free Case Review for Your Bethlehem Truck Accident Claim
You have limited time to take action, so don’t hesitate to contact the experienced Bethlehem semi-truck accident attorneys at Cordisco & Saile LLC. We offer a free, no-obligation case evaluation and work on contingency. You don’t pay unless we win your case, meaning you risk nothing by asking for our award-winning legal assistance.
Call our Bethlehem law office at 215-642-2335 to discover how we can help you fight for the best possible results in your semi-truck accident claim. Our compassionate team is standing by to provide the guidance you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Truck Accidents Common in Pennsylvania?
Hundreds of thousands of large commercial trucks are involved in traffic accidents annually across the United States. According to the National Safety Council, 120,200 large trucks were involved in accidents that resulted in an injury in 2022. Another 5,837 large trucks were involved in fatal collisions.
Bethlehem is located along major trucking routes. A Federal Highway Administration map shows how important Pennsylvania is to the Primary Highway Freight System. Interstates 76 and 80 are crowded with trucks headed to or from busy East Coast cities. Countless other interstate and state highways run through Pennsylvania, allowing truckers to move goods both nationally and locally. Unsurprisingly, many of the nation's large truck accidents occur in the Keystone State.
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation statistics reveal 6,685 truck accidents in 2023. At least 138 of these Pennsylvania truck accidents were fatal. While total crashes were the second-lowest in five years, fatal crashes were close to the highest in that same period.
Just over 56 percent of truck accidents in Pennsylvania occur on state highways, and more than 25 percent happen on interstate highways. These major roads include I-78, Route 33, and Route 22, which run right through Bethlehem.
What Are the Common Driver-Related Causes of Truck Accidents?
According to PennDOT Driver & Vehicle Services, trucks might weigh up to 80,000 pounds and haul single trailers up to 53 feet long or double trailers not exceeding 28.5 feet long each. These vehicles can be difficult to navigate, especially under less-than-ideal road and weather conditions.
Before truck drivers can operate a rig, they must pass skill and knowledge tests to get a commercial driver's license and necessary endorsements. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, or FMCSA, and Pennsylvania state law tightly regulate trucking services and operations. Like all other motorists on the road, truckers share a duty to drive carefully and obey posted traffic laws and signals.
When accidents involve large trucks, it is often the result of negligence. Examples include the following:
- Fatigued driving, which often is a violation of the FMCSA's hours of service regulations
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Driving too fast for road or weather conditions
- Use of drugs or alcohol
- Unsafe turns
- Illegal passing
- Tailgating
- Improper braking
- Failure to check blind spots properly
What Are the Common Trucking Company and Manufacturer-Related Causes of Truck Accidents?
Vehicle defects and malfunctions are also leading causes of truck wrecks in Pennsylvania. In 2023, 140 Pennsylvania truck accidents resulted from tire or wheel issues, and another 79 resulted from brake problems.
Other accidents in which trucking companies, cargo loaders, or truck manufacturers may be liable involve factors such as:
- Uneven cargo loads
- Unsecured trailers
- Lack of proper guards to prevent vehicles behind trucks from going under them
- Failure to perform inspections
- Failure to perform regular maintenance
- Failure to pull defective vehicles from service
- Negligent hiring
Our big truck accident lawyers in Bethlehem, PA, are ready to handle your case, no matter the cause. We can discuss the details of your claim and the next steps during your free case evaluation.
Please fill out the quick contact form below for a fast and free case consultation. We will
contact you within 24 hours!
Free Case Evaluation
Practice Areas
Locations
Results
Office
