LB Trucking & Transportation Newsletter

The boundaries of liability across the transportation industry continue to shift, with recent decisions creating new questions about how far responsibility can extend across increasingly complex carrier, broker, and contractor relationships.

This month's edition examines that evolving landscape. Our featured article explores one of the first significant applications of the Supreme Court's Montgomery decision, as the Fifth Circuit reinstated negligent selection claims against a logistics company and opened the door to potential statutory-employer liability despite multiple degrees of separation from the driver involved. We also review recent decisions addressing punitive damages following a distracted-driving collision and the continued reach of federal preemption in cargo-loss disputes.

For carriers, brokers, logistics companies, and insurers, these developments reinforce the importance of looking beyond immediate operations when evaluating risk. Vendor oversight, contractual protections, insurance requirements, and sound hiring and safety practices throughout the transportation chain are becoming increasingly important components of an effective defense strategy.

Article of the Month

Fifth Circuit Re-Instates Negligent Selection Claims Dismissed on

Pre-Emption Grounds Following Supreme Court Decision in Montgomery

By Steven Saal, Partner

The impact of the Supreme Court's Montgomery decision is already beginning to take shape. In this month's featured article, we examine the Fifth Circuit's decision in Crane v. Penske and what the expansion of negligent selection and statutory-employer theories could mean for freight brokers and logistics companies. The decision underscores the growing importance of vendor oversight, contractual protections, insurance requirements, and careful vetting throughout the transportation chain.

Click here to view the article.

Case Summaries

Real cases, real rulings, real takeaways. These summaries show how courts are treating the issues transportation companies face every day, giving you the clarity you need to reduce risk and respond strategically.

Click here to view the case summaries.

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