(1) Any for-hire carrier, railroad or transportation company receiving property for transportation wholly within this state, from one point in this state to another point in this state, shall issue in accordance with the applicable provisions of ORS Chapter 77 a receipt or bill of lading therefor, and shall be liable to the lawful holder thereof for any loss, damage or injury to such property caused by it, or by any common carrier to which such property may be delivered, or over whose line or lines such property may pass, when transported on a through bill of lading. No contract, receipt, rule, regulation or other limitation of any character whatsoever shall exempt such for-hire carrier, railroad or transportation company from such liability.

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(2) Any for-hire carrier, railroad or transportation company so receiving property for transportation wholly within this state shall be liable to the lawful holder of such receipt or bill of lading, or to any party entitled to recover thereon, whether such receipt or bill of lading has been issued or not, for the full actual loss, damage or injury to such property caused by it, or by any common carrier to which such property may be delivered, or over whose line such property may pass when transported on a through bill of lading, notwithstanding any limitation of liability or limitation of the amount of recovery, or representation or agreement as to value in any such receipt or bill of lading, or in any contract, rule or regulation, or in any tariff filed with the Department of Transportation; and any such limitation, irrespective of the manner or form in which it is sought to be made, is unlawful and void.

(3) The provisions of subsection (2) of this section respecting liability for full actual loss, damage or injury, shall not apply:

(a) To baggage carried on passenger trains or boats, or trains or boats carrying passengers.

(b) To property, except ordinary livestock, concerning which the carrier is expressly authorized or required by order of the Department of Transportation to establish and maintain rates dependent upon the value declared in writing by the shipper or agreed upon in writing as the released value of the property. ‘Ordinary livestock’ includes all cattle, swine, sheep, goats, horses and mules, except such as are chiefly used for breeding, racing, show purposes or other special uses.

(4) The Department of Transportation may make the order referred to in subsection (3)(b) of this section in cases where rates dependent upon and varying with declared or agreed values would, in the opinion of the department, be just and reasonable under the circumstances and conditions surrounding the transportation. Any tariff schedule filed with the department pursuant to such order shall contain specific reference thereto and may establish rates varying with the value so declared and agreed upon. [Formerly 771.010; 1997 c.249 § 241]