How do I file a freight damage claim?
Key Takeaways
- The claim starts at delivery, not when you file it. Damage or shortage noted on the delivery receipt is the strongest evidence a shipper can have.
- File in writing with the carrier, with the documents attached: the BOL, the signed POD with exceptions, the invoice for the goods, photos and a clear amount claimed.
- For U.S. interstate freight, the federal rules give at least nine months to file with the carrier, and carriers must acknowledge a claim within 30 days and pay, decline or make a firm offer within 120 days, unless the contract or bill of lading says otherwise.
- Concealed damage needs fast action. Report it to the carrier as soon as it's found and keep the packaging.
- Carrier liability is often limited by the carrier's tariff or the bill of lading, especially for LTL. Know the limit before you ship high-value freight.
- Wilson, by Cartage, is an AI logistics agent that requests and files the signed POD on every load, records any exceptions noted at delivery and tells the team, so the evidence for a claim is in one place from day one.
How do you file a freight damage claim?
A customer calls: two of the eight pallets you shipped arrived crushed, and one carton is missing. The driver is long gone. The customer wants replacements, the sales rep wants to know who pays, and you're looking for the BOL in an email thread from last week.
To file a freight damage claim, you notify the carrier in writing, identify the shipment, state the amount you're claiming and attach the evidence: the bill of lading, the delivery receipt or POD showing the damage, photos, the invoice for the goods and any repair or replacement estimate. The carrier then investigates, and pays, declines or makes an offer. Most of the work, and most of the outcome, depends on what was documented at delivery.
In the United States, interstate carrier liability for loss and damage is governed by a federal law usually called the Carmack Amendment, and the claim process by federal regulations. Under those rules, a claim must be in writing, identify the shipment, assert the carrier's liability and make a claim for a specified or determinable amount. The details below follow that framework; your contract or the bill of lading terms can change some of them, so check both.
Damage, shortage, loss and concealed damage
It helps to name the problem correctly, because the evidence differs:
- Visible damage: the freight is visibly damaged at delivery, such as crushed cartons, broken pallets or wet goods.
- Shortage: fewer pieces arrived than were shipped.
- Loss: the whole shipment never arrived.
- Concealed damage: the outside looked fine at delivery, but damage is found when the freight is opened later.
Visible damage and shortage are the easiest to prove, if they were noted on the delivery receipt. Concealed damage is the hardest, because the carrier will argue it could have happened after delivery.
Claims vs. cargo insurance
A carrier claim and cargo insurance are different. A claim asks the carrier to pay for loss or damage it is liable for, up to its liability limit. Cargo insurance, bought by the shipper or the buyer, pays according to the policy, often regardless of whether the carrier is liable, and often above the carrier's limit. Many companies file with the carrier first and use insurance for the difference or for high-value freight. Check your policy's notice requirements early, because insurers have their own deadlines.
Who files: shipper or consignee
Either the shipper or the consignee (the receiver) can usually file, depending on who owned the goods in transit and who paid the freight. The freight terms and sales terms decide this. In practice, the party that arranged the shipment often files, because it has the BOL, the rate confirmation and the carrier relationship. Agree with the customer who will file, so the claim isn't filed twice or not at all.
What should happen at delivery?
The most important step in a damage claim happens before anyone thinks about a claim: noting the damage on the delivery receipt. A clean signature on the POD tells the carrier the freight arrived in good order, and makes a later claim much harder to win.
What the receiver should do
Ask your customers' receiving teams to follow four simple rules:
- Count the pieces against the BOL before signing.
- Inspect the outside of every pallet and carton for damage: crushed corners, holes, wet spots, broken wrap, tipped freight.
- Write specific exceptions on the delivery receipt before signing: "2 of 8 pallets crushed, top cartons damaged" or "Received 7 of 8 pallets, 1 short." Vague notes like "subject to inspection" carry much less weight.
- Take photos of the damage, the pallet labels and the trailer if possible, before the driver leaves.
If the receiver refuses the freight entirely, that should also be written on the delivery receipt, with the reason.
When the freight is refused
If the damage is severe, the receiver may refuse the shipment. Refusal should be written on the delivery receipt with the reason, and the shipper should be told right away, because the carrier will need instructions: return the freight, hold it or deliver it elsewhere. Return and storage charges can follow, so decide quickly. Refusing freight doesn't remove the need to file a claim; it just changes what the claim covers.
Why specific notes matter
"Damaged" is weak. "2 pallets crushed on top, approximately 12 cartons with visible damage" is strong. The carrier's claims team compares the notes with the claim. If the claim asks for 30 cartons but the delivery receipt says nothing, expect a denial or a low offer.
Train the receiving dock
Many receivers sign quickly because the driver is waiting and the dock is busy. A one-page receiving guide, posted at the dock and shared with your customers' receiving teams, makes a big difference: count, inspect, note specifically, photograph, then sign. For your own inbound freight, the same rules apply to your dock. It takes a few extra minutes per delivery and saves hours on every claim.
Concealed damage
When damage is found after delivery, report it to the carrier in writing as soon as it's found, and keep the packaging, the damaged goods and photos. Many carriers ask that concealed damage be reported within a few days of delivery and may want to inspect it. These are carrier practices, not the federal filing deadline, but missing them makes the claim harder to support. Check each carrier's rules tariff for its specific requirements.
Get the POD quickly
The signed POD with exceptions is the core document. Many carriers send PODs only when asked, so request it as soon as delivery is confirmed. For how to handle PODs that don't arrive, see who owns a missing POD.
What documents does a freight claim need?
A claim that gets paid quickly includes everything the carrier needs to verify the shipment, the damage and the amount. Missing documents are the most common reason claims stall.
| Document | What it proves | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Written claim notice | That a claim was filed, for a stated amount, on a specific shipment | You write it; many carriers have a standard form |
| Bill of lading | What was shipped, how many pieces, the terms | Your shipping records |
| Delivery receipt or POD with exceptions | The condition and count at delivery | The carrier or the receiver |
| Commercial invoice for the goods | The value of what was lost or damaged | Your billing or sales records |
| Photos | The nature and extent of the damage | The receiver; your own inspection |
| Repair estimate or replacement cost | The amount claimed | Your operations team or a repair vendor |
| Freight bill | The freight charges, which may be included in the claim | The carrier invoice |
| Inspection report | The carrier's own record, if it inspected | The carrier |
| Packing list | How the freight was packed and counted | Your warehouse |
What the claim letter should say
Keep it factual. Include your company name and contact, the carrier name, the PRO number, the BOL number, the ship and delivery dates, the origin and destination, a short description of the loss or damage, the amount claimed and how it was calculated, and a list of attached documents. Ask the carrier to confirm receipt. Many carriers accept claims through an online form or a claims email address; use their preferred channel and keep a copy.
A sample claim letter
A short claim letter might read: "We are filing a claim for damage to the shipment below. Carrier: [carrier name]. PRO: [number]. BOL: [number]. Shipped [date] from [origin] to [destination]; delivered [date]. At delivery, the receiver noted on the delivery receipt that 2 of 8 pallets were crushed. Twelve cartons of [product] were damaged beyond use. We claim $[amount], calculated as 12 cartons at $[unit value] invoice value. Attached: BOL, delivery receipt with exceptions, photos, commercial invoice and packing list. Please confirm receipt of this claim." It names the shipment, states the damage, gives a specific amount with its math and lists the evidence, which covers the minimum the federal rules require.
How to calculate the amount
The claim is usually based on the value of the lost or damaged goods, often the invoice value or the replacement cost, plus freight charges for the damaged portion where applicable, minus any salvage value if the goods can be sold or reused. Be precise: a claim that clearly shows its math is easier for the carrier to approve. The amount may be capped by the carrier's liability limit, covered below.
Salvage
If damaged goods still have value, the carrier may ask to take them for salvage, or may reduce the claim by their salvage value. Don't throw anything away until the carrier has had a chance to inspect it and the claim is settled. If the goods have to be discarded, for example for safety or food-safety reasons, document why and get the carrier's agreement in writing if you can.
What are the deadlines and rules?
For U.S. interstate shipments, federal law and regulations set the main deadlines, but the bill of lading, the carrier's tariff and your contract can change them. Always check those documents for the shipment in question.
| Step | Typical federal rule for U.S. interstate freight |
|---|---|
| Filing the claim | Carriers may not require less than nine months after delivery (or after a reasonable delivery time, if the freight never arrived) |
| Carrier acknowledgment | Within 30 days of receiving the claim, unless paid or declined in that time |
| Carrier decision | Within 120 days, the carrier must pay, decline or make a firm offer; if it can't, it must tell the claimant the status every 60 days |
| Lawsuit | Carriers may not require less than two years from the date the carrier declines the claim in writing |
Carrier liability limits
Under federal law, motor carriers can limit their liability to a value declared by the shipper or agreed in writing, and many LTL carriers set those limits in their rules tariff, often as a dollar amount per pound that depends on the freight class or the product. That means a claim for high-value but light freight can be capped well below its real value. If you ship high-value goods, check the carrier's limit before booking, and consider declaring a higher value (which may cost more) or buying separate cargo insurance.
Don't deduct claims from freight bills
It's tempting to subtract the claim amount from the carrier's next invoice. Don't. Most carriers handle claims and freight charges as separate matters and will treat the deduction as an unpaid bill, which can delay both. Pay or dispute the freight invoice on its own merits and pursue the claim on its own track.
Is every claim worth filing?
Small claims can cost more in time than they return, especially when the carrier's liability limit caps them. Some companies set a threshold below which they don't file, and instead raise the pattern with the carrier. Even then, record the damage on the load. A string of small, unfiled damages on one lane is useful information when you next decide which carrier to use there.
Intrastate, international and other modes
The rules above are for U.S. interstate motor freight. Intrastate moves, ocean, air, cross-border shipments and parcel follow different rules and often different deadlines. For international freight, check the bill of lading or air waybill and the applicable convention, and talk to your forwarder or insurer early.
How do you avoid claims being denied or reduced?
Most denials come from weak evidence, late filing or freight that wasn't packed for the trip. Each has a fix.
Common reasons for denial
- Clean delivery receipt. No exceptions noted, so the carrier presumes the freight arrived in good condition.
- Late filing. The claim arrived after the deadline in the bill of lading or tariff.
- Missing documents. No commercial invoice, no photos or no clear amount.
- Packaging. The carrier argues the damage was caused by inadequate packaging, not by handling.
- Shipper load and count. For truckload freight loaded and sealed by the shipper, the carrier may argue it can't vouch for the count or loading.
- Liability limit. The claim is paid, but only up to the carrier's limit.
Pack and document at pickup
Good claims start at the shipper's dock. Stack and wrap pallets so they can't shift, use corner boards for fragile freight, label every pallet with the piece count and photograph each pallet before it's loaded. Make sure the BOL lists the correct piece count and freight description. These photos are also useful if the carrier argues the freight was damaged before pickup.
Truckload: seals and shipper load and count
For truckload freight, record the seal number on the BOL when the trailer is sealed at your dock, and ask the receiver to check that the seal is intact before opening. If the BOL says "shipper load and count" (SLC), the carrier didn't verify what was loaded, which makes shortage claims harder. Photos of the loaded trailer before sealing, with the pallet count visible, are often the best evidence you'll have.
Keep a claims log
Track every claim: the shipment, the carrier, the amount, the date filed, the carrier's acknowledgment, the decision and the amount paid. A simple log shows which carriers, lanes and products cause the most claims, and makes sure no claim misses its follow-up dates.
Learn from patterns
If one lane or carrier keeps generating claims, raise it with the carrier, change the packaging, or use a different approved carrier. If one product keeps getting damaged, look at how it's packed and stacked. Claims are expensive to process even when they're paid; preventing the next one is worth more than winning this one.
Talk to the customer early
The customer cares more about getting the right goods than about the claim. Agree quickly on a replacement shipment, a credit or a repair, and tell them who is handling the claim. A customer who gets a replacement plan the same day remembers the response, not the damage. The claim can take weeks; the customer shouldn't have to wait for it.
A claims checklist
| Step | Done when |
|---|---|
| Damage or shortage noted on the delivery receipt | Specific exceptions are written before signing |
| Photos taken | Damage, labels and pallets are photographed at delivery |
| Carrier notified | The carrier has written notice, especially for concealed damage |
| Documents gathered | BOL, POD, commercial invoice, photos and estimate are in one folder |
| Claim filed in writing | Claim sent with a specific amount, and receipt confirmed |
| Freight invoice handled separately | The freight bill is paid or disputed on its own, not netted against the claim |
| Follow-up dates set | Acknowledgment and decision dates are on the calendar |
| Customer informed | The customer knows the replacement or credit plan |
Who on the team should own claims
Claims touch logistics, customer service and finance, and they often fall between them. Pick one owner. Logistics usually has the carrier relationship and the shipment documents; finance tracks the money owed and received; customer service handles the replacement. The owner keeps the claims log, files on time and follows up at 30 and 120 days. Without an owner, claims are filed late or not at all.
How does Wilson, by Cartage, help with freight claims?
Wilson, by Cartage, is an AI logistics agent that coordinates freight for manufacturers and distributors from quote to paid invoice, and keeps the records a damage claim depends on. Traditional logistics software gives teams information. Wilson executes the work required to move shipments forward.
Wilson doesn't decide claims or replace the carrier's claims process, but it makes the evidence and the follow-up much easier:
- At booking, Wilson books the load with an approved carrier and keeps the rate confirmation, and generates the bill of lading, packing slips and pallet labels from the booked load, so the piece count and description are consistent.
- At delivery, Wilson confirms delivery, requests the signed POD from the carrier and files it on the shipment. If the POD notes damage or a shortage, Wilson records the exception on the load and tells the team, and the customer if configured, so the claim can start while the details are fresh.
- On the invoice, Wilson audits each carrier invoice against the rate confirmation and the POD before paying it from the Wilson Wallet. Payments above the approval limits or outside the rules, such as an invoice on a load with a noted exception, wait for a person.
- On the record, every message, confirmation and document is kept in the shipment's change history, so the BOL, POD, rate confirmation and carrier messages for a claim are in one place.
Wilson works with SAP, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Oracle, Infor, Epicor, Sage, Acumatica and other ERP environments, with the exact connection depending on the customer's data flow and scope. Wilson can also produce carrier-performance reports on request from the loads it runs, which helps spot carriers or lanes with repeated exceptions.
Pricing
Wilson is free on Wilson's network: the shipper pays the freight rate and nothing on top. When a shipper keeps its own carriers, the fee is 2% to 0.5% of what Wilson pays them, falling with volume. There are no seat fees, no setup cost and no contract. Timing depends on scope: most teams start on a few lanes and expand from there.
For more on the documents involved, see the bill of lading guide. For the invoice side of a damaged load, see why a freight bill can be higher than the quote.
FAQs
How do I file a freight damage claim?
Notify the carrier in writing, identify the shipment by PRO and BOL number, state the amount you're claiming and attach the BOL, the POD with exceptions, photos, the commercial invoice and any repair or replacement estimate. Wilson, by Cartage, an AI logistics agent, files the signed POD and records exceptions on every load, so the evidence is ready.
How long do I have to file a freight claim?
For U.S. interstate motor freight, carriers may not require less than nine months after delivery to file. Check the bill of lading, the carrier's tariff and your contract, which may set specific terms.
How long does a carrier have to respond to a claim?
Under the federal rules, the carrier must acknowledge the claim within 30 days and pay, decline or make a firm offer within 120 days, with status updates every 60 days after that if it can't decide.
What if the receiver signed the POD without noting damage?
The claim becomes harder, because a clean signature suggests the freight arrived in good condition. If the damage was concealed, report it to the carrier as soon as it's found, keep the packaging and provide photos and an inspection opportunity.
Can I deduct a claim from the carrier's freight bill?
No. Pay or dispute the freight invoice on its own and pursue the claim separately. Deducting a claim usually leads to an unpaid-invoice dispute.
Why was my freight claim paid less than the value of the goods?
Usually because of the carrier's liability limit, which many LTL carriers set per pound in their tariff, or because of salvage value or missing documentation. Check the limit before shipping high-value freight.
What is concealed damage?
Concealed damage is damage found after delivery, when the outside of the freight looked fine at the time it was received. It needs to be reported quickly, with the packaging kept for inspection.
Who files the claim, the shipper or the receiver?
Either can, depending on who owned the goods in transit and the freight terms. Agree with the customer who will file, so it isn't filed twice or missed.
Should I file with the carrier or my insurance company?
Often both, in order. File with the carrier for its liability, up to its limit, and notify your cargo insurer under the policy's terms for any amount above the limit or if the carrier declines. Check the policy's notice requirements early.
What should a freight claim letter include?
The carrier, PRO and BOL numbers, ship and delivery dates, origin and destination, a short description of the damage or shortage, a specific amount with its calculation and a list of the attached documents.
Does a shortage claim work the same way as a damage claim?
Yes. File in writing with the same documents. The key evidence is the piece count on the BOL compared with the count noted on the delivery receipt. For truckload freight, the seal record matters too.
Can Wilson file freight claims for us?
Wilson records exceptions noted at delivery, tells the team and keeps the BOL, POD, rate confirmation and carrier messages on the shipment, so the claim owner has the evidence in one place. The claim decision and filing stay with the company's claim owner.
Sources
- 49 U.S.C. § 14706, Liability of carriers under receipts and bills of lading (Carmack Amendment): https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/14706
- 49 CFR Part 370, Principles and practices for the investigation and voluntary disposition of loss and damage claims: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-370
- Cartage, Wilson product FAQ and product scope, October 2026: https://cartage.ai