49 U.S.C. § 80107 — Warranties and liability

1. (a)General RuleUnless a contrary intention appears, a person negotiating or transferring a bill of lading for value warrants that—
   1. (1)the bill is genuine;
   2. (2)the person has the right to transfer the bill and the title to the goods described in the bill;
   3. (3)the person does not know of a fact that would affect the validity or worth of the bill; and
   4. (4)the goods are merchantable or fit for a particular purpose when merchantability or fitness would have been implied if the agreement of the parties had been to transfer the goods without a bill of lading.
2. (b)Security for DebtA person holding a bill of lading as security for a debt and in good faith demanding or receiving payment of the debt from another person does not warrant by the demand or receipt—
   1. (1)the genuineness of the bill; or
   2. (2)the quantity or quality of the goods described in the bill.
3. (c)DuplicatesA common carrier issuing a bill of lading, on the face of which is the word “duplicate” or another word indicating that the bill is not an original bill, is liable the same as a person that represents and warrants that the bill is an accurate copy of an original bill properly issued. The carrier is not otherwise liable under the bill.
4. (d)Indorser LiabilityIndorsement of a bill of lading does not make the indorser liable for failure of the common carrier or a previous indorser to fulfill its obligations.