Truck accident victims and their lawyers nationwide call on personal injury attorney Michael Leizerman for his years of experience as a truck accident litigator. Michael has represented clients across the country, including in California, overseeing trial strategies that have led to landmark truck accident rulings involving truck driver and carrier negligence.
Michael's reputation as a leading truck accident attorney was cemented when he authored the three-volume treatise "AAJ's Litigating Truck Accident Cases," an often-resourced guide that helps trial lawyers better understand the many nuances of truck accident litigation. Michael speaks regularly to members of the legal community about important trucking safety issues, and often teams with local counsel to help better protect the rights of truck accident victims and their family members.
Or contact me online. All information is kept confidential. I will not accept a case in a state where I'm not ethically permitted under the circumstances.
Last month, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released safety data from 2011, including the following: One-third of truck occupant fatalities occurred when occupant was not wearing a seatbelt; 64% of large truck fatal crashes occurred on rural roads; … [Read more]
Read more >A representative for the California Trucking Association responded with concern to a court ruling that will require trucking companies in the state to give truck drivers a 30-minute meal period within the first five hours of driving. Michael Shaw, CTA … [Read more]
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I am honored that West Thompson—the world’s largest publisher of legal books—asked me to write this multi-volume book on truck accident law in 2004. I had already begun the project for my own reference. My book includes the federal regulations that are the same in each state for interstate tractor-trailer crashes, as well as state law that differs in areas, like whether there are monetary limits or “caps” in the lawsuit, whether you can receive punitive damages, and the varying technical requirements for filing a lawsuit.
I have handled cases across the country. I am licensed in several states, and have local counsel in many states who I trust and work with closely. Select your state to learn more:
California remains home to one of the highest truck accident rates in the country, and Michael has dedicated his professional career to ensuring that victims are fairly compensated for their suffering following an accident. Whether on busy interstates such as I-5, I-15 or I-80, and whether navigating the heavy highway traffic around Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego or the Bay Area, motorists in California see a steady reminder of the role that commercial vehicles play in everyday driving. Every year, more than 10,000 fatal and non-fatal truck accidents occur on California roadways. If you or a family member has been injured in a truck accident, contact Michael and benefit from the guidance of a legal mind respected nationally for his extensive knowledge of commercial vehicle accident litigation.
Speaking Engagements
Michael Leizerman regularly engages in continuing legal education presentations around the country, including the following events in or near California:
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (Title 49, Parts 350-399) govern all vehicles engaged in interstate traffic.
There are some situations where a tractor-trailer or other commercial motor vehicle is involved in only intrastate travel. For example, an appliance store in San Clemente may own a truck that only makes in-state deliveries.
The California Department of Public Safety has adopted Title 49, Parts 382, 383, 384, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, and 399 of the federal regulations.
For an overview of laws that affect trucks operating only in California, visit our California Trucking Laws page.
Your truck accident case may be larger than you think. My experience often enables me to maximize awards, well beyond what the co-counsel originally expected. My book Litigating Truck Accident Cases, published by West Publishing, is considered the definitive work on handling truck accident cases. Contact me if you are seeking co-counsel on your case.
Fatal Truck Accidents: 400 per year
Non-Fatal Truck Accidents: 10,000 per year
Accident Locales: 50%(Rural), 50%(Urban)
Carrier Fact: 30% of California's truck accidents involve carriers whose principle place of business is not California.
In 89% of California's truck accidents, weather conditions were NOT a factor.
Interstate 5: From Canada to Mexico, I-5 is the major north/south Interstate Highway on America's west coast passing through cities such as Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco. In California, I-5 travels a total of 797 miles and is known by various names in various parts of the state including the San Diego Freeway, the John J. Montgomery Freeway, and the Santa Ana Freeway.
Interstate 10: I-10 is the major east/west Interstate in the southern United States travelling from Santa Monica to Florida. The various stretches of I-10 contained within California have been given names such as The Santa Monica Freeway, the Rosa Parks Freeway, the San Bernardino Freeway, and the Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway.
Interstate 15: The fourth-longest highway in America, 1-15 is an essential north/south long-haul route for the commerce of North America as it spans the gap between Mexico, the United States, and Canada. In California, I-15 cuts through the Mojave Desert area and is seeing more traffic as that area becomes more populous.
Interstate 80: Second in length only to I-90 among America's Interstate Highways, I-80 travels from San Francisco to New Jersey. Its 199 California miles cut through the Bay Area to neighboring Nevada.
