Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/290/576/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 21:49:55+00:00

Document:
Under § 20 of the first Cummins Amendment, 49 U.S.C. § 20(11), an action against a carrier for damage to an interstate shipment due to negligence in loading or unloading or in transit need not be preceded by notice or filing of the claim, and any provision of the contract requiring such notice or filing as a condition precedent would be void. P. 290 U. S. 578.
162 Okla.194, 19 P.2d 337, affirmed.
Certiorari to review the affirmance of a judgment against the Railroad Company in an action by a shipper for damage to a consignment of cattle.
"Section 2. (c) Claims for loss, damage, or injury to livestock must be made in writing to the originating or delivering carrier or carriers issuing this bill of lading within six months after the delivery of the livestock . . . provided, that, if such loss, damage or injury was due to delay or damage while being loaded or unloaded, or damaged in transit by carelessness or negligence, then no notice of claim nor filing of claim shall be required as a condition precedent to recovery."
"Section 4. (c) Before the livestock is removed from the possession of the carrier or mingled with other livestock, the shipper, owner, consignee, or agent thereof shall inform in writing the delivering carrier of any visible or manifest injury to the livestock."
judgment thereon. The Supreme Court affirmed. 162 Okl.194, 19 P.2d 337.
"That it shall be unlawful for any such common carrier to provide by rule, contract, regulation, or otherwise a shorter period for giving notice of claims than ninety days, for the filing of claims than four months, and for the institution of suits than two years,"
"That if the loss, damage, or injury complained of was due to delay or damage while being loaded or unloaded, or damage in transit by carelessness or negligence, then no notice of claim nor filing of claim shall be required as a condition precedent to recovery."
The phrase "carelessness or negligence" relates to each case of loss, damage, or injury mentioned in the proviso, and in such cases carriers are not permitted to require notice or filing of claim. Barrett v. Van Pelt, 268 U. S. 85, 268 U. S. 87, 268 U. S. 91; Chesapeake & O. Ry. Co. v. Thompson Mfg. Co., 270 U. S. 416, 270 U. S. 422.
Section 2(c) of the livestock contract includes the language of the proviso, and evidently is not intended to require notice of claim for any loss, damage, or injury caused by the carrier's negligence. Section 4(c) of the contract does not purport to make compliance with it a condition precedent to suit, and we need not decide whether, in any case it could be so read. It does not expressly apply to loss or injuries caused by the carrier's negligence. If construed to cover such cases, the section would conflict with the proviso of the first Cummins Amendment.
Prescribed by Domestic Bill of Lading and Live Stock Contract, 64 I.C.C. 357, October 21, 1921, before our decision, April 13, 1925, in Barrett v. Van Pelt, 268 U. S. 85. See Missouri Pacific R. Co. v. Porter, 273 U. S. 341, 273 U. S. 343 et seq.; Louis Ilfeld Co. v. Southern Pac. Co., 48 F.2d 1056, 1057.
Barrett v. Van Pelt, 268 U. S. 85; Davis v. Roper Lumber Co., 269 U. S. 158; Chesapeake & O. Ry. Co. v. Thompson Mfg. Co., 270 U. S. 416.

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