Post by Joshua Rubenstein

C.H. Robinson just told its shipper customers, in writing, that shippers may be liable under state law! In its June 2026 Government and Regulations Market Update — published last week to its own customer base — the country's largest freight broker wrote this about Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC: "While not explicit, the Court also appeared to suggest that shippers, too, may be liable under state law." That sentence is worth reading twice. It is C.H. Robinson — the defendant in Montgomery — telling its shipper customers that the unanimous May 14 ruling reaches them. A few observations: 1) The audience shift matters. Three weeks ago, talking to the trucking press, C.H. Robinson was "disappointed" with the decision and emphasized that brokers will not "routinely" face liability. Last week, talking to its shipper customers — the companies whose freight pays its bills — the message changed. The customers were warned. That is not inconsistency; it is candor with a different audience. 2) The Texas dismissal does not occupy the field. In re Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., No. 25-0317 (Tex. May 15, 2026), held that a passive shipper of ordinary goods owes no Texas duty to vet an FMCSA-regulated carrier. This opinion was issued without the benefit of Montgomery, which came down one day earlier. C.H. Robinson's June statement reads Montgomery exactly the way Louisiana plaintiffs' counsel should — as reaching shippers, not stopping at brokers. 3) The selection theory follows the chain. After Montgomery, a broker that negligently selects a carrier with conditional safety ratings, elevated BASIC scores, or known out-of-service history can be sued under state law. The logic does not stop at the broker. A shipper that selects a broker with no carrier-vetting process, no FMCSA review, no SMS check, and no insurance verification has not insulated itself by adding a middleman. C.H. Robinson, in its own customer communication, appears to acknowledge that. The country's largest broker is now telling shippers, on the record, that they may be liable too--self serving since CHR wants more clients--but that doesn't mean they're not wrong! That is the landscape trucking-injury practice operates in today. At Blake Jones Law Firm, we co-counsel and accept referrals from attorneys nationwide on Louisiana trucking, broker, and shipper-liability cases — we protect your client relationship, handle the heavy lifting, and honor every referral fee under LSBA rules. #BlakeJonesLawFirm #TruckingLaw #18Wheeler #BrokerLiability #ShipperLiability #Montgomery #CHRobinson #HomeDepot #FMCSA #PersonalInjury #NewOrleansAttorney