In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that freight brokers can now be held legally responsible for negligently hiring trucking companies that employ drivers who are dangerous or violate federal regulations, including those without valid immigration status.

The ruling stems from a case involving Shawn Montgomery, who lost part of his leg in a 2017 crash caused by a speeding semi-truck driver with a history of careless driving and prior collisions. Montgomery argued that C.H. Robinson, the country’s largest freight broker by size, should share liability for hiring the carrier despite what he described as “serious red flags.” The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of Montgomery, overturning a lower court’s dismissal of his lawsuit.

While C.H. Robinson is contesting the case under state law, the decision establishes that freight brokers can be sued for negligence in hiring practices when such actions endanger public safety. The ruling was authored by Justice Amy Coney Barrett and counters arguments made by the Trump administration and industry groups that federal law should preempt state claims in this context.