The unanimous decision allowed a trucker who lost his leg due to a crash in 2017 to sue the broker under state law.
The Supreme Court ruled that freight brokers who hire unqualified carriers can be held accountable under state laws. A trucker who lost a leg and was disfigured by a crash in 2017 brought a suit against the company that hired the semi-driver who hit him. The broker claimed that the 1994 Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (FAAAA) protected the brokers who hire the trucking companies from lawsuits.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote in the unanimous decision that the FAAAA’s preemption provision does not apply to “the safety regulatory authority of a State with respect to motor vehicles.” The decision overturned a lower court ruling that would have dismissed the case.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote a concurring opinion, stating that “truck safety is a matter of life and death.“
The decision greenlights the plaintiff’s lawsuit, which was supported by over two dozen states.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the justices of the Supreme Court to be prudent in their decisions regarding public safety and state jurisdiction.
- For wisdom for the Supreme Court justices as they deliberate outstanding cases for this term and hand down rulings.
Sources: Business Insider, SCOTUSBlog, AP News
