FAIR Trucking Act: New Bill Targets “Weaponized Litigation” Against Trucking Companies
A new piece of legislation aims to reshape how high-dollar trucking accident cases are handled in court. On September 10, Representatives Tom Barrett (R-MI) and Ashley Hinson (R-IA) introduced the Forum Accountability and Integrity in Roadway (FAIR) Trucking Act, a bill designed to combat what lawmakers describe as “lawsuit abuse” within the trucking industry. The measure, H.R. 5268, would shift certain cases from state courts into federal jurisdiction. Specifically, federal courts would hear lawsuits if: The case involves commercial trucks engaged in interstate commerce, The damages sought exceed $5 million, and At least one plaintiff and one defendant are from different states. Why the Bill Was Introduced Over the past decade, trucking companies — particularly small operators — have increasingly found themselves on the receiving end of what are often called nuclear verdicts : jury awards that climb into the tens of millions of dollars. ...