Title 47 — Telegraphs, Telephones, and RadiotelegraphsRelease 119-73
§206 Carriers’ liability for damages
Title 47 › Chapter CHAPTER 5— - WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - COMMON CARRIERS › Part Part I— - Common Carrier Regulation › § 206
Summary
If a common carrier does, allows, or fails to do something the chapter forbids or requires, it must pay anyone hurt by that action the full amount of their damages. The carrier must also pay a reasonable lawyer’s fee set by the court, and that fee will be added to and collected as part of the court costs.
Full Legal Text
Title 47, §206
Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
In case any common carrier shall do, or cause or permit to be done, any act, matter, or thing in this chapter prohibited or declared to be unlawful, or shall omit to do any act, matter, or thing in this chapter required to be done, such common carrier shall be liable to the person or persons injured thereby for the full amount of damages sustained in consequence of any such violation of the provisions of this chapter, together with a reasonable counsel or attorney’s fee, to be fixed by the court in every case of recovery, which attorney’s fee shall be taxed and collected as part of the costs in the case.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064, known as the Communications Act of 1934, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 609 of this title and Tables.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
47 U.S.C. § 206
Title 47 — Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73