A Dallas County jury has held freight broker C.H. Robinson responsible for selecting a trucking firm with prior federal safety warnings. This marks the first known verdict against the company following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that permits such claims.

Arnold and Itkin secured a 604 million dollar verdict in Dallas County Court against C.H. Robinson, Lupus Superior, and its driver for a 2021 crash that resulted in three fatalities and two injuries.

In March 2021 a Lupus Superior 18-wheeler slammed into halted traffic on Interstate 20 in Mississippi triggering a fiery six-vehicle pileup. Jennifer Lipe, Benjamin Brewer, and Rhoderick Coleman were trapped inside their vehicles and perished in the flames. Each left behind children. Rodney Hawkins and Gabrielle Broussard sustained injuries. Evidence presented showed that federal regulators had flagged Lupus Superior for unsafe driving more than a year earlier yet C.H. Robinson still engaged the firm. On the evening of the incident the driver informed both companies of illness and inability to continue yet C.H. Robinson permitted the trip to proceed.

The jury determined all three defendants acted negligently and assigned the bulk of liability to C.H. Robinson.

No sum of money can restore the parents and spouses lost in this tragic blaze. Yet the verdict sends a clear signal to C.H. Robinson and the brokering sector that hazardous practices will not be tolerated said Roland Christensen of Arnold and Itkin.

C.H. Robinson declined to acknowledge responsibility for engaging a carrier with repeated safety alerts that materialized in three deaths by fire and additional injuries Christensen noted. We appreciate the jury careful deliberation and its decision to hold C.H. Robinson accountable for negligent hiring.

This outcome represents the first verdict against C.H. Robinson since the Supreme Court unanimous ruling in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport another matter involving the broker that affirmed the right of families to pursue claims against freight brokers for unsafe carrier selections.

The trial was conducted by Arnold and Itkin attorneys Roland Christensen Caj Boatright Alec Paradowski and Jonathan Mack together with Chris Simmons and Stephen Higdon of Lyons and Simmons serving as local counsel.

About Arnold and Itkin LLP

Arnold and Itkin is a Houston personal injury firm that represents injured workers and families across the nation. The firm manages matters involving truck accidents offshore injuries industrial incidents plant and refinery events and wrongful death. Having recovered more than 25 billion dollars in verdicts and settlements Arnold and Itkin has delivered landmark results for seriously injured workers against major industry leaders.

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SOURCE Arnold and Itkin LLP