Source: http://cabadvantage.com/articles/volume-21-edition-9/
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 13:02:34+00:00

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My goodness, autumn has arrived and I couldn’t be more excited. I always look forward to fall as it signifies cooling of the temperatures and the start of the vibrant fall colors. However, this year is special for me as I’m roughly one month into my career at CAB as the Sr. Vice President. Although my time has been short here, I have enjoyed getting to know my co-workers and many of our subscribers. I’ve always known CAB was a customer driven company, but that has become even more evident for me in the last month. Our team continues to develop our products to make them even more vital to our customer processes.
If you have thoughts or suggestions on how to improve our tools and resources, I encourage you to reach out to myself or one of our team members. We will be happy to work with you.
Our goal with Bits n Pieces is to share with you relevant news and resources that will keep you informed and on top of what’s happening in the transportation risk world.
The week of September 9th was Truck Driver Appreciation Week. The American Trucking Association celebrated the first truck driver appreciation week back in 1998. 20 years later it has grown in momentum and popularity. Although this year’s event has past, I’d encourage you and your organization to get involved at the local, state or national level to show appreciation for the men and women that deliver everything from fresh apples to zinc. The dates for the 2019 National Truck Driver Appreciation Week are September 9-15th.
Drivers with properly managed Diabetes no longer prohibited from operating Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV) interstate. Prior to this ruling, drivers with Insulin-Treated Diabetes Mellitus (ITDM) were prohibited from operating by the FMCSA unless they were able to obtain a waiver. Under the new ruling, a Certified Medical Examiner (CME) can grant an individual with ITMD a medical examiners certificate from up to 12 months. The treating provider that prescribes the insulin must provide the ITDM assessment for to the CME indicating a stable insulin regimen and control of the disease.
Bridgestone and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recalled roughly truck 2700 tires due to exposed steel cords resulting in rapid air loss that can increase the risk of a crash. The two entities have established a plan to replace the tires. For more information go to WWW.safercar.gov and search Campaign Number 18T011000.
-Reinstating the option for splitting up the required 10-hour off-duty rest break for drivers operating trucks equipped with a sleeper berth.
The updated release and additional information can be found here.
CVSA reported on September 12 that the International Roadcheck 2018 out-of-service rates drop from 2017. CVSA reported that there was a 1.4% decrease in the Out-of-Service rate for Level 1 inspections. Similarly there was a .08% decrease in all drivers placed out-of-service for all Level I, II & III inspections. The top out-of-service violation for vehicles was brake systems and Hours of Service for Drivers. The three-day safety blitz was conducted from June 5-7, 2018. During this time 67,502 inspections took place.
Can a motor carrier be brought back into a cargo claim through a third party action by a joint tortfeasor? The Middle District of Pennsylvania held that they could be brought back in, denying summary judgment to the motor carrier and concluding that the claim for indemnity and contribution was not barred by the Carmack Amendment. Helvetia Swiss Ins. Co. v. Jones, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 160079.
Preemption ruled the day in the District Court in West Virginia. The court dismissed the plaintiff’s state law claims arising from a claim for damage to household goods. Dzingeleski v. Allied Van Lines, 2018 WL 4224450.
Invoking the appraisal process on a pd claim will not necessarily preclude a claim for bad faith. The Court of Appeals in Colorado held that while the appraisal process was enforceable and results in a binding determination of the value of the tractor is did not resolve the insurance company’s liability for breach of contract or statutory bad faith. The case was remanded for reinstatement of the complaint for bad faith. Andres Trucking Co. v. United Fire & Cas. Co., 2018 Colo. App LEXIS 1327.
When a trucking company drove onto and damaged a high school’s track it was liable only to substantially restore the track to its precondition. The District Court in Connecticut held that the school was not entitled to a complete make over. Borough of Naugatuck v. Knight Transportation, 2018 WL 3431160.
The Supreme Court in Alabama held that an injured driver who failed to exercise due diligence in determining who else should be named in a suit was barred from seeking to relate his amendment back to the original complaint to add additional parties. The court denied the request for a writ of mandamus. Ex Parte American Sweeping, Inc. 2018 WL 4177528.
Even though a plaintiff filed a suit alleging that it was a citizen of Texas he was permitted to allege it was a citizen of Mexico in a second suit. As the plaintiff and the motor carrier were both Mexican citizens the case was remanded by the Southern District of Texas back to state court for adjudication. Pina-Martinez v. Saldana, 2018 WL 4140683.
A trucker was granted partial summary judgment in a suit in the Northern District of New York arising from a truck accident. The Court held that plaintiff’s miscarriage after the accident was not caused by the accident and that her other child suffered no serious injury or zone of injury in the accident. As there was a question of whether plaintiff suffered PTSD as a result of the accident the court allowed that issue to proceed. Fang v. Dofar, 2018 WL 4054096.

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