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C.H. Robinson Hit With $604M Nuclear Verdict in Dallas Crash Case

A Dallas County jury awarded approximately $604 million in damages Thursday stemming from a March 2021 crash in Jackson, Mississippi that killed three people and injured numerous others. The case was brought as the estate of Peyton Lipe, one of the deceased. C.H. Robinson hired carrier Lupus Superior to transport Arizona Beverages products. The crash occurred when a Lupus Superior truck driven by employee Gorgonio Gonzalez struck multiple vehicles in a pileup. Robinson, a defendant with deep pockets, mounted a robust defense. The carrier held an FMCSA satisfactory safety rating before and after the fatal wreck. Robinson's defense relied on this FMCSA rating as evidence that it had met industry standards for carrier selection. The verdict represents a significant legal milestone for the brokerage sector, as courts rejecting the FMCSA-rating defense could reshape how brokers are held liable for carrier conduct.