Ryan Yaffa Discusses What a $604M Verdict Could Mean for Freight Broker Liability

A $604 million jury verdict against freight broker C.H. Robinson is raising new questions about how far a broker’s responsibility extends when selecting motor carriers.

In a recent Daily Business Review article, Grossman Yaffa Cohen attorney Ryan Yaffa looks at the verdict and what it could signal for freight broker liability following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II. As Ryan explains, the conversation is shifting. The question is no longer simply whether brokers can face state-law negligence claims, but what “reasonable care” actually looks like when choosing a carrier.

The C.H. Robinson case grew out of a fatal 2021 crash in Mississippi. The jury ultimately found the driver, motor carrier, and C.H. Robinson negligent, returning a verdict of more than $604 million. C.H. Robinson has said it plans to appeal.

For Ryan, the case is important not just because of the size of the verdict, but because of what comes next. Courts will now have to wrestle with how brokers should vet carriers, what safety information they should consider, and where the line between reasonable diligence and greater control over a carrier should be drawn.

As these cases continue to develop, the answers could have a significant impact on brokers, carriers, insurers, and the attorneys who represent them.

Read Ryan’s full article: “Beyond ‘Montgomery’: A $604M Verdict Signals the Next Chapter in Freight Broker Liability.”