Trial lawyer Michael Leizerman works tirelessly to ensure that the rights of truck accident victims are protected. His efforts to hold negligent truck drivers and truck carriers accountable have made his a national voice in the area of truck accident litigation and trucking safety litigation.
Michael is the author of "AAJ's Litigating Truck Accident Cases," a three-book treatise that examines every aspect of the truck accident litigation process. He uses lecturing opportunities as a vehicle to share his wisdom with attorneys and other members of the legal community. And in courtrooms across the country, he has helped hundreds of clients win substantial verdicts against trucking companies, drivers and brokers.
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.
Citing violations such as hiring drivers who hadn’t received their commercial driver’s license, and employing drivers who didn’t pass drug and alcohol tests, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently idled 26 bus operations that serviced passengers on Interstate 95 … [Read more]
Read more >Virginia State Police are reconstructing an accident involving a tractor trailer on Interstate 81 that left two people dead on Friday, April 27. According to SWVA Today, the tractor trailer was traveling south on I-81 when its driver lost control … [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:
Boasting major freeways such as Interstate 64, Interstate 81, Interstate 85 and others, and with population hubs like Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Richmond, Virginia attracts thousands of commercial vehicles every day. Sadly, that heavy truck traffic leads to nearly 3,000 truck-related accidents every year, leaving thousands of Virginia drivers with fatal or life-threatening injuries. Have you or a family member suffered a serious accident involving a truck, tractor-trailer or commercial vehicle? If so, get the legal representation that will best protect you against a negligent truck driver or commercial vehicle carrier. Contact Michael today to discuss your case with an attorney who has a nationally recognized track record in catastrophic truck accident litigation.
I regularly engage in continuing legal education presentations around the country, including the following events in or near Virginia:
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 Reston may own a truck that only makes in-state deliveries.
The Virginia 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 Virginia, visit our Virginia 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: 121 per year
Non-Fatal Truck Accidents: 2,603 per year
Accident Locales: 65%(Rural), 33%(Urban)
Carrier Fact: 37% of Virginia's truck accidents involve carriers whose principle place of business is not Virginia.
In 92% of Virginia's truck accidents, weather conditions were NOT a factor.
Interstate 64: I-64 travels from St. Louis, Missouri to Portsmouth, Virginia. In the 299 of its miles it spends within Virginia, I-64 passes through the cities of Norfolk and Richmond.
Interstate 77: I-77 achieves a great deal in its scant 611 miles. It connects major cities such as Columbia, SC, Charlotte, NC, Charleston, WV, Akron, OH and Cleveland, OH while spending 67 of its miles in the state of Virginia.
Interstate 81: With 323 of its miles traversing Virginia cities such as Middletown, Lexington and Wytheville, I-81 is an important route in Appalachia.
Interstate 85: I-85 runs from Montgomery, Alabama to Petersburg, Virginia, I-85 intersects with I-95 in Petersburg. Like I-77, I-85 spends 67 of its miles in Virginia.
Interstate 95: A vital north/south route on America's eastern seaboard, I-95 travels from Miami, Florida to Houlton, Maine, a total of 1,907 miles. I-95 passes through Richmond, Virginia, and 178 of its miles are in the state.
