The unanimous ruling allows state-level claims against freight brokers accused of hiring unsafe carriers involved in serious crashes.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday that freight brokers may be sued under state negligence laws for hiring trucking companies with questionable safety records, rejecting arguments that federal transportation law shields brokers from liability.
In the 9-0 decision in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote for the Court that federal law does not preempt negligence claims brought against freight brokers accused of placing unsafe carriers on the road.
The case arose from a 2017 highway crash in Illinois involving truck driver Shawn Montgomery, whose parked vehicle was struck by a speeding truck operated by a carrier hired by logistics broker C.H. Robinson.
According to an Associated Press report, Montgomery alleged that the trucking company selected by C.H. Robinson had multiple safety concerns and prior crashes before the accident occurred.
The Supreme Court’s ruling does not determine whether C.H. Robinson is ultimately liable, but it allows Montgomery’s negligence lawsuit to proceed through state court.
The decision could significantly expand legal exposure for freight brokers that arrange transportation services but do not directly operate trucks themselves.
Montgomery’s attorneys argued that the carrier involved in the crash had received a careless driving citation in another incident months earlier and had reportedly been linked to at least three crashes within a five-month period.
The lawsuit alleges that C.H. Robinson should share responsibility for the accident because it hired the carrier despite those warning signs.
The Trump administration, along with major logistics and retail companies including Amazon, had argued against allowing such lawsuits to proceed, warning that brokers could face inconsistent standards under differing state negligence laws.
According to the Associated Press, opponents of the lawsuit argued that exposing freight brokers to liability under a “patchwork” of state regulations could disrupt national shipping operations.
More than two dozen states supported Montgomery’s position before the Court, arguing that permitting negligence claims against brokers could improve accountability and safety in the trucking industry.
The case centers on federal preemption under the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act, which limits states from enforcing laws directly related to prices, routes, or services of motor carriers and freight brokers.
The Supreme Court concluded that general negligence claims tied to safety concerns are not barred under that statute.
The ruling arrives amid growing national scrutiny surrounding commercial trucking safety, licensing enforcement, and freight industry oversight.
Critics of current trucking enforcement practices have pointed to concerns involving fraudulent commercial driver’s licenses, unsafe carriers, and insufficient vetting standards within parts of the transportation industry.
The decision is expected to increase pressure on freight brokers to conduct more extensive safety reviews of carriers before contracting transportation services.
The Supreme Court’s opinion in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC now returns the case to lower courts for further proceedings on the underlying negligence claims.
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