In 2022, The Law Firm for Truck Safety marked multiple milestones, including training lawyers in trucking law and returning over $80 million in settlements and verdicts to truck crash victims. These wins and more added up to a successful year for our firm, truck safety, and truck accident law.
Here is our 2022 in numbers:
Over $80 Million in Settlements and Verdicts
Throughout 2022, the lawyers at The Law Firm for Truck Safety helped truck crash victims and their families recover over eighty-million dollars ($80,000,000) in verdicts and settlements.
Half a BILLION Dollars
Our 2022 case results brought The Law Firm for Truck Safety’s total case settlements and verdicts to over half a billion dollars, an impressive milestone for any personal injury law firm, especially one that intentionally keeps its case load small to better serve its clients.
1 Defeated Petition for Certiorari
In June, The United States Supreme Court denied C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.’s Petition for Certiorari in C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. v. Allen Miller. The decision being challenged by C.H. Robinson was a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals opinion. It held that brokers can be held liable for catastrophic truck crashes caused by their drivers.
Because the Supreme Court denied to hear this case, the Ninth Circuit’s opinion remains in place. Had SCOTUS heard this case and C.H. Robinson’s claim succeeded, brokers would have been able to hire unfit motor carriers and drivers with impunity. And when those unfit drivers inevitably caused catastrophic truck crashes, truck crash victims and their families would have little to no legal recourse.
The Law Firm for Truck Safety’s Rena Leizerman was instrumental in ensuring that the Petition for Certiorari was denied by The United States Supreme Court. In doing so, she helped preserve the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision, preserved the legal options available to truck crash victims to hold wrongdoers accountable, and secured a monumental win for American drivers everywhere.
While the decision to deny certiorari is a win for our firm, it is –more importantly — a win for all truck crash victims looking to pursue justice.
1 Defeated Petition for Certiorari
In June, The United States Supreme Court denied C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.’s Petition for Certiorari in C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. v. Allen Miller. The decision being challenged by C.H. Robinson was a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals opinion. It held that brokers can be held liable for catastrophic truck crashes caused by their drivers.
Because the Supreme Court denied to hear this case, the Ninth Circuit’s opinion remains in place. Had SCOTUS heard this case and C.H. Robinson’s claim succeeded, brokers would have been able to hire unfit motor carriers and drivers with impunity. And when those unfit drivers inevitably caused catastrophic truck crashes, truck crash victims and their families would have little to no legal recourse.
The Law Firm for Truck Safety’s Rena Leizerman was instrumental in ensuring that the Petition for Certiorari was denied by The United States Supreme Court. In doing so, she helped preserve the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision, preserved the legal options available to truck crash victims to hold wrongdoers accountable, and secured a monumental win for American drivers everywhere.
While the decision to deny certiorari is a win for our firm, it is –more importantly — a win for all truck crash victims looking to pursue justice.
25 Speaking Engagements
In 2022, The Law Firm for Truck Safety’s attorneys were invited to speak by professional legal organizations and other institutions on the topics of truck safety and truck crash case strategy on 25 occasions. These lectures were hosted by organizations in Tennessee, Nevada, Montana, North Dakota, Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Ohio, Texas, West Virginia, Indiana, New Jersey, Michigan, and Minnesota.
25 Speaking Engagements
In 2022, The Law Firm for Truck Safety’s attorneys were invited to speak by professional legal organizations and other institutions on the topics of truck safety and truck crash case strategy on 25 occasions. These lectures were hosted by organizations in Tennessee, Nevada, Montana, North Dakota, Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Ohio, Texas, West Virginia, Indiana, New Jersey, Michigan, and Minnesota.
3 Prestigious Awards for Excellence in Trucking Law
During the summer, truck crash attorney Rena Leizerman was honored with the Robert W. Munley award from the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Trucking Litigation Group. This award recognizes exceptional truck crash lawyers who have made a significant impact in educating other lawyers on trucking law and promoting highway safety through advocacy and legal work.
Additionally, attorneys Michael and Rena Leizerman received the prestigious President’s Award from the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA). This award acknowledges unique and outstanding achievements within the legal field and professional community, and recognizes members who contribute to the NBTA’s goal of elevating the standard of quality for lawyers through accreditation.
During the summer, truck crash attorney Rena Leizerman was honored with the Robert W. Munley award from the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Trucking Litigation Group. This award recognizes exceptional truck crash lawyers who have made a significant impact in educating other lawyers on trucking law and promoting highway safety through advocacy and legal work.
Additionally, attorneys Michael and Rena Leizerman received the prestigious President’s Award from the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA). This award acknowledges unique and outstanding achievements within the legal field and professional community, and recognizes members who contribute to the NBTA’s goal of elevating the standard of quality for lawyers through accreditation.
7-2 Decision
Oklahoma Managing Partner, Joe Ervin, secured a victory for Oklahoma truck crash victims and case transparency when the Oklahoma Supreme Court sided with The Law Firm for Truck Safety and compelled the disclosure of critical case and insurance documents in an Oklahoma trucking case.
Defendants in catastrophic truck cases know that it is likely they will have to pay out the maximum amount of their insurance coverage, so they have an incentive to withhold insurance documents, when possible. When the Oklahoma Supreme Court sided with The Law Firm for Truck Safety and compelled insurance document disclosure, it was a win for our client and anyone who believes true justice can only be served when all relevant case information is brought to light.
Defendants in catastrophic truck cases know that it is likely they will have to pay out the maximum amount of their insurance coverage, so they have an incentive to withhold insurance documents, when possible. When the Oklahoma Supreme Court sided with The Law Firm for Truck Safety and compelled insurance document disclosure, it was a win for our client and anyone who believes true justice can only be served when all relevant case information is brought to light.
60+ New Trucking Lawyers
The Law Firm for Truck Safety’s Michael Leizerman, Joe Ervin, Matthew Wright, and Andy Young were all among the experienced truck crash attorneys who participated in The Academy of Truck Accident Attorney’s (ATAA) first-ever New Trucking Lawyer Division (NTLD) Bootcamp.
Along with other tenured truck crash attorneys, our lawyers shared their insights and experiences to help other attorneys expand their knowledge within the intricate and complex area of truck crash law. At the NTLD Bootcamp, new truck crash attorneys learned how to:
- Find the rules applicable to trucking cases.
- Use those rules to prove both driver and company negligence.
- Effectively examine defense witnesses, including drivers, safety directors, and expert witnesses.
- Give winning opening statements.
ATAA’s First New Trucking Lawyer Division Bootcamp was a successful and invaluable experience for new truck crash attorneys. We can’t wait to share our knowledge with the 2023 class of new trucking lawyers.
9 Survivor Stories
At IST’s second 2022 roundtable, nine Law Firm for Truck Safety clients from across the nation traveled to Washington, D.C. to share their stories with their state representatives and DOT and NHTSA committee members.
Each year, the Institute for Safer Trucking hosts multiple safety and advocacy roundtables, giving truck crash victims and surviving family members the opportunity to meet with lawmakers, share their stories, and advocate for life-saving legislation and technology improvements within the trucking industry.
Each year, the Institute for Safer Trucking hosts multiple safety and advocacy roundtables, giving truck crash victims and surviving family members the opportunity to meet with lawmakers, share their stories, and advocate for life-saving legislation and technology improvements within the trucking industry.
Meet Brooke Pratt, a truck crash survivor, who is leveraging her experience to advocate for vital truck safety measures aimed at preventing similar crashes from happening in the future.
Meet Brooke Pratt, a truck crash survivor, who is leveraging her experience to advocate for vital truck safety measures aimed at preventing similar crashes from happening in the future.
1 Memorial Highway Dedication
In 2022, Ohio legislators announced that the memory of Caitlin Preston – an 18-year-old Kenton Ridge High School graduate killed by a semi-truck driver – would be honored by renaming part of State Route 72 “The Caitlin Renee Preston Memorial Highway.”
In 2022, Ohio legislators announced that the memory of Caitlin Preston – an 18-year-old Kenton Ridge High School graduate killed by a semi-truck driver – would be honored by renaming part of State Route 72 “The Caitlin Renee Preston Memorial Highway.”
The gesture was proposed by State Representatives Brian Lampton and Bill Dean through House Bill 750 as a meaningful tribute to Caitlin’s remarkable life and impact.
The Law Firm for Truck Safety continues to work with the Preston family to honor Caitlin’s memory through policy change, memorials, and, most importantly, working to fix SR-72 so similar tragedies cannot happen.
Read more about Caitlin’s story, SR-72, and the various ways her legacy is being honored.
$0 to Turn on a Speed Limiter
In the spring, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced its intent to move forward with speed limiter rulemaking.
A speed limiter is a safety device that limits a vehicle’s top speed. Nearly all modern-day trucks are equipped with speed-limiter technology; activating this life-saving safety feature would come at no additional cost to a trucking company.
Our firm supports this initiative as the use of speed limiters can reduce the frequency of catastrophic truck crashes and encourage those in the trucking industry to prioritize safety over speed. We submitted a statement to the FMCSA expressing our support for the use of speed limiters.
7 Media Interviews
Our firm’s attorneys were tapped to share their insights on various trucking news and truck crash law events throughout 2022.
The Law Firm for Truck Safety’s Michael Leizerman spoke to 9News Denver, lending his insights to their investigative series on a semi-truck crash that tragically took the lives of five people. At the time of the crash, the truck driver did not have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Michael Leizerman spoke to 9News Denver to explain the immense danger negligent hiring and training practices create and why it is so important to remove these dangerous motor carriers and drivers from our roads.
Additionally, Rena Leizerman spoke to Transport Dive, AAJ Trial News, Freight Waves, Back The Truck Up, and Law 360 about the SCOTUS decision to deny the Petition for Certiorari for C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. V. Allen Miller. “The rights of truck crash survivors and the families of people killed in truck crashes remain intact.…I am thrilled that Mr. Miller has the opportunity for justice and the lifetime of care he desperately needs,” said Leizerman.
Watch Michael Leizerman’s interviews here:
- Truck Driver in I-25 Crash that Killed 5 was Driving with Canceled License, CSP Says
- Trucking Company in Fatal Crash had History of Letting Drivers on the Road without proper CDLs, Records Show
Rena’s interviews can be found here:
1 Standardized ELDT Curriculum
In February of 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rolled out a standardized set of entry-level driver training requirements. Before these regulations, new driver training and requirements were set by each state, creating discrepancies in competencies, skills, and knowledge among commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders.
While the national Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rules leave much to be desired in the way of comprehensive driver training, these standardized requirements are a step in the right direction when it comes to making US roads safer –especially for those driving vehicles that regularly make interstate trips.
Referrals & Co-Counsel
Involved in a Crash?
No other law firm knows trucks quite like us. Our trucking law expertise and trial experience allow us to win multi-million-dollar results year after year.
Our team of truck accident attorneys works tirelessly to help your family find justice in the wake of a catastrophic truck crash.
Referrals & Co-Counsel
No other law firm knows trucks quite like us. Our trucking law expertise and trial experience allow us to win multi-million-dollar results year after year.
Involved in a Crash?
Our team of truck accident attorneys works tirelessly to help your family find justice in the wake of a catastrophic truck crash.
Through policy changes, technology advancements, and legal victories, 2022 was a year of meaningful steps forward on the road to safer roads, and The Law Firm for Truck Safety is honored to have played a significant role in moving the needle forward.
Inside and outside of the courtroom, The Law Firm for Truck Safety will continue to fight for truck crash victims, safer trucking regulations, safer roads, and a safer trucking industry in 2023.
