A nuclear verdict handed down by a California jury this week is not just another big payout to a plaintiff from a trucking company defendant, or in this case, multiple defendants.
It also is a reminder to trucking companies that subcontract work to another firm or hire an independent owner operator that they can be found responsible for what those drivers do on the road, and steps to protect themselves in the event of a crash will likely need to be pursued.
Although there are no brokers involved in this case, it does have some parallels to the new world created by Montgomery vs. Caribe Transport II in that it deals with the legal issue of how far up or down the supply chain can liability be spread…