The US Supreme Court on Thursday ruled unanimously in favor of Shawn Montgomery, allowing him to sue a major logistics company after losing part of his leg in a semi tractor-trailer crash. The decision could have significant ripple effects across the trucking industry.
Case Background
In 2017, Montgomery's parked vehicle was struck by a speeding truck driver on an Illinois highway. Montgomery alleges that CH Robinson, the largest freight broker in the country, should be held liable for its role in hiring the driver despite "serious red flags."
More than two dozen US states supported Montgomery's claim, arguing that the case would enhance safety in an industry that moves billions of tons of goods across billions of miles annually. On the opposing side, the Trump administration and companies like Amazon warned that exposing logistics companies to liability under a "patchwork" of state laws could be problematic.
Key Arguments
Montgomery's attorneys contend that the truck driver had been cited for careless driving in a previous crash months earlier, and the carrier he worked for had been involved in at least three crashes within about five months. The lawsuit asserts that CH Robinson should share liability because it hired the carrier despite these issues.
CH Robinson argued that it relies on the federal government to license carriers and that being federally regulated precludes lawsuits under state law. The company, based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, initially had the case dismissed, a decision affirmed by a Chicago-based appeals court. However, Montgomery appealed to the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court Ruling
The justices ruled unanimously in Montgomery's favor. He successfully argued that although federal law typically overrides state law, other courts have recognized an exception for safety issues. This ruling could set a precedent for holding freight brokers accountable for the actions of carriers they hire.
