(a) A carrier that issues a bill of lading, whether negotiable or nonnegotiable, shall exercise the degree of care in relation to the goods which a reasonably careful person would exercise under similar circumstances. This subsection (a) does not affect any statute, regulation, or rule of law that imposes liability upon a common carrier for damages not caused by its negligence.
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 47-7-309

  • Carrier: means a person that issues a bill of lading. See Tennessee Code 47-7-102
  • Consignor: means a person named in a bill of lading as the person from which the goods have been received for shipment. See Tennessee Code 47-7-102
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
  • Goods: means all things that are treated as movable for the purposes of a contract for storage or transportation. See Tennessee Code 47-7-102
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
(b) Damages may be limited by a term in the bill of lading or in a transportation agreement that the carrier’s liability may not exceed a value stated in the bill or transportation agreement if the carrier’s rates are dependent upon value and the consignor is afforded an opportunity to declare a higher value and the consignor is advised of the opportunity. However, such a limitation is not effective with respect to the carrier’s liability for conversion to its own use.
(c) Reasonable provisions as to the time and manner of presenting claims and commencing actions based on the shipment may be included in a bill of lading or a transportation agreement.
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