The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled unanimously in favor of Shawn Montgomery, allowing him to sue major logistics company C.H. Robinson after he lost part of his leg in a semi tractor-trailer crash. The decision could have significant ripple effects across the trucking industry, potentially exposing freight brokers to greater liability.
Details of the Case
Shawn Montgomery's parked vehicle was struck by a speeding truck driver on an Illinois highway in 2017. He claims that C.H. Robinson, the largest freight broker in the United States, should be held liable for placing the driver on the road despite what he describes as 'serious red flags.' Montgomery's attorneys argue that the truck driver had been cited for careless driving in another crash just months earlier, and the carrier he worked for had been involved in at least three crashes over a span of about five months.
Legal Arguments
C.H. Robinson, based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, argued that it relies on the federal government to license carriers and that being federally regulated should shield it from lawsuits under state law. The company initially succeeded in having the case dismissed, a decision affirmed by a Chicago-based appeals court. However, Montgomery appealed to the Supreme Court, successfully arguing that while federal law generally preempts state law, other courts have recognized an exception for safety issues.
Support and Opposition
Montgomery's claim was backed by more than two dozen U.S. states, which argued that the case would help bolster safety in an industry that moves billions of tons of goods across billions of miles each year. On the opposing side were the Trump administration and companies like Amazon, which argued against exposing logistics companies to liability under a 'patchwork' of state laws. The high court's unanimous decision now allows Montgomery's lawsuit to proceed, potentially setting a precedent for future cases involving freight brokers and trucking safety.
