Lawyer Michael Leizerman has dedicated the past two decades to fighting for victims of accidents involving commercial vehicles. In the process, he's established himself as an authority on truck accident litigation, and has helped clients nationwide receive maximum compensation for their suffering following a crash with a tractor-trailer, semi-truck or other commercial vehicle.
Working either as lead counsel or as co-counsel to a local attorney, Michael has represented clients in cases across the country, bringing with him his passion for victims' rights and his knowledge truck accident litigation. When he isn't trying a case, Michael devotes his time to improving trucking industry safety standards. He lectures regularly on issues that are impacting the industry, and has written the three-volume treatise "AAJ's Litigating Truck Accident Cases," a resource that's viewed by many as a definitive work on cases involving truck accidents.
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.
A bicyclist was seriously injured on Tuesday, Feb. 28, when he was struck by a tractor trailer while riding on U Street NW in Washington D.C. According to a report by WAMU, the cyclist was riding a bike from the … [Read more]
Read more >Truck drivers who’ve felt singled out by talk of cell phone bans can take heart: It’s not just about trucks anymore. Thanks to a strong correlation between fatality crashes and cell phone usage while driving, on Tuesday the five-person National … [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:
The District of Columbia (Washington, DC), despite its small size, boasts heavy vehicle traffic daily. Highways such as Interstate 66, Interstate 395, and Interstate 695 - part of the Capital Beltway - are heavily traveled routes in the nation's capital. In fact, rush-hour traffic in Washington D.C. ranks among the worst in the country. Amid all that traffic, truck accidents are a daily hazard for commuters. More than 200 fatal and non-fatal truck accidents occur on Washington D.C. roadways every year, killing or injuring dozens of innocent motorists. If you or a family has been involved in an accident with a commercial vehicle in Washington D.C., entrust your legal representation to an attorney who has a track record of courtroom success in accident cases involving trucks, buses and tractor-trailers.
I regularly engage in continuing legal education presentations around the country, including the following events in or near Washington, D.C.:
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 Georgetown may own a truck that only makes deliveries within the district.
The District of Columbia 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 the District of Columbia, visit our District of Columbia 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: 2 per year
Non-Fatal Truck Accidents: 246 per year
Accident Locales: 0%(Rural), 100% (Urban)
Carrier Fact: 100% of Washington, D.C.'s truck accidents involve carriers whose principle place of business is not Washington, D.C.
In 100% of Washington, D.C.'s truck accidents, weather conditions were NOT a factor.
Interstate 66: Washington, D.C. is the site of the eastern terminus of I-66, which begins at Middletown, Virginia. This route 66 has no connection with its more famous namesake, U.S. Route 66.
Interstate 295: This 8-mile spur route connects Maryland's Indian Head Highway located on the Potomac River with downtown D.C.
Interstate 395: A 13-mile spur route linking Springfield, Virginia with Washington, D.C., I-395 passes under the National Mall near the U.S. Capital.
Interstate 695: This little (1.39 mile) route is not signed, but it does in fact exist. It is known as the Southeast Freeway and is a quick way to get from I-395 to Pennsylvania Avenue.
