Overview
- The Supreme Court, in a 9–0 ruling Thursday, held that the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act does not bar negligent-hiring claims against freight brokers that fall within the law’s motor‑vehicle safety exception, reversing the Seventh Circuit and sending the case back to lower courts.
- Shawn Montgomery lost part of his leg in a 2017 Illinois crash when a truck driven for Caribe Transport hit his parked vehicle, and he alleges broker C.H. Robinson hired the carrier despite red flags such as a conditional federal safety rating and prior deficiencies in driver qualification, hours of service, and maintenance.
- Writing for the Court, Justice Amy Coney Barrett said states keep authority over motor‑vehicle safety and that requiring a broker to use ordinary care in choosing a carrier concerns the trucks on the road.
- Justice Brett Kavanaugh, joined by Justice Samuel Alito, agreed with the outcome but noted the case was close and cautioned that brokers who act reasonably in selecting reputable carriers should not face routine liability.
- Freight brokers connect shippers to trucking companies, and the ruling could push them to vet carriers more closely as industry groups and the Trump administration warned exposure to differing state tort rules would create a burdensome patchwork.