2014 Victory in Federal Court for Truck Drivers based in Michigan

Category: News

Over 125 independent owner-operator truck drivers (“truck drivers”) entered into agreements to lease truck tractor units with the option to purchase the leased tractor unit from a Michigan based company (“leasing company”). The truck drivers who entered into the agreements with the leasing company were then obligated to have their leased trucks maintained and repaired at the leasing company’s repair facility at prices the truck drivers alleged were inflated. Additionally, the leasing company deducted these maintenance charges and repairs from the compensation due to the truck drivers. The leasing company also required truck drivers to pay escrow funds, but it allegedly failed to keep proper accounting of these funds, failed to account for interest and failed to properly refund these escrow funds.

The highly skilled and experienced class action team at Hertz Schram PC, led by attorneys Elizabeth Thomson and Patricia Stamler (“HS Team”), analyzed the truck drivers’ potential claims. The HS Team discovered through research, fact investigation and legal analysis that the leasing company appeared to be violating the Federal Motor Carrier Regulations and the Michigan Motor Vehicle Repair Act.

After a thorough review of the potential claim, the HS Team decided to challenge the unlawfulness of the lease agreements and moved forward on behalf of the truck drivers with a class action lawsuit that was filed in federal court in the Eastern District of Michigan. The matter was resolved prior to the end of the litigation with a settlement in the amount of $490,000 – a huge win for the class members/truck drivers.

Congratulations to Elizabeth Thomson, Patricia Stamler and our class action team at Hertz Schram PC for another victory and job well done!

Elizabeth Thomson and Patricia Stamler are experienced class action attorneys with over 40 years of combined experience successfuly litigating highly complex class action matters in Michigan.

If you or a family member or friend have entered into a lease agreement that may have violated the Federal Motor Carrier Regulations or the Michigan Motor Vehicle Repair Act, please contact Elizabeth Thomson and Patricia Stamler by calling (248) 494-4486 or by filling out an electronic contact request form by CLICKING HERE for a free consultation of your potential claim. The HS Team also handles class action cases in environmental matters and discrimination and collective action cases for violations of overtime laws.

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