Fried Goldberg LLC Says Retaliation Against Drivers Who Flag Unsafe Trucks Puts Everyone At Risk
A recent federal ruling involving a Fort Worth–based carrier is calling attention to what happens when a trucking company punishes a driver for speaking up about safety. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Balkan Express illegally fired a driver after he reported commercial vehicle safety concerns that are protected under federal whistleblower laws.
Investigators with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that the driver’s complaints were covered by the Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA), which prohibits carriers from retaliating when drivers refuse unsafe operations or report violations. The agency ordered Balkan Express to reinstate the driver and pay more than $100,000 in back pay, interest, compensatory damages, and punitive damages.
Why Retaliation Over Safety Complaints Puts The Public In Danger
Attorney Michael Goldberg of Fried Goldberg LLC, a national trial firm based in Atlanta that focuses on serious truck crash litigation, says cases like this show why commercial driver safety complaints can’t be brushed aside as internal disputes.
“When a driver is punished for saying a truck or load isn’t safe, that’s not just an HR issue,” Goldberg said. “It’s a warning sign that the company is willing to roll the dice with equipment, compliance, and people’s lives. That kind of retaliation creates a culture where problems stay hidden until there’s a crash and highlights how some trucking companies care more about profits than people’s safety.”
Federal officials noted that the truck driver was terminated after raising concerns about commercial motor vehicle safety, conduct that falls squarely within STAA’s protections. As the Department of Labor put it, “Truck drivers should never fear retaliation for speaking up about safety concerns.”
Legal Protections Under The Surface Transportation Assistance Act
Fried Goldberg LLC says the Balkan Express ruling is a reminder that federal law backs up drivers who refuse to operate unsafe vehicles or call out regulatory violations. Under the STAA, protected conduct can include:
- Reporting safety concerns or regulatory violations involving commercial vehicles
- Refusing to drive equipment that doesn’t meet federal safety standards
- Objecting to being forced to violate hours-of-service or other safety rules
Attorney Joe Fried says those safeguards only work when drivers believe the law will actually protect them.
“If a driver thinks speaking up will cost them their job, they’re more likely to stay quiet and try to ‘push through’ in unsafe conditions,” Fried said. “That’s how you end up with bad brakes on the road, ignored inspection issues, and preventable tragedies. The law is very clear that drivers don’t have to choose between their job and public safety, and to be frank, a trucking company should never be putting its drivers in that position anyway, if they’re already prioritizing safety.”
Safety Culture And Financial Pressure At Troubled Carriers
The ruling comes while Balkan Express and its brokerage affiliate, Balkan Logistics, are already under financial strain, having filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2025 with more than $25 million in reported debt and a fleet of over 150 trucks. Fried Goldberg LLC says those business pressures can’t become an excuse to silence drivers when they point out safety problems.
“Any time a carrier is under financial pressure, there’s a temptation to keep every truck rolling, no matter what the driver is seeing or hearing out on the road,” Goldberg said. “That’s exactly why whistleblower protections exist. Cutting corners on safety and retaliating against the people who speak up is a recipe for disaster.”
The firm notes that for crash victims and their families, evidence that a company retaliated against safety complaints can play an important role in proving negligent hiring, supervision, or safety management practices in later litigation.
About Fried Goldberg LLC
Based in Atlanta and serving victims nationwide, Fried Goldberg LLC is one of the preeminent trucking accident law firms in the United States. The firm has recovered over $1 billion for its clients, including many 7- and 8-figure verdicts and settlements. For more information, visit www.friedgoldberg.com.
