[Your company name]
[Street address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Phone] | [Email]
[Date]
Sent by [email to the carrier's claims address / certified mail, return receipt requested / the carrier's online claim form]
[Carrier's legal name]
Attn: Claims Department
[Claims mailing address or email]
Re: Claim for [loss / damage / shortage] of cargo, PRO [number]
Shipment | Details |
|---|---|
Carrier PRO or tracking number | [PRO number] |
Bill of lading number | [BOL number] |
Picked up | [Date], [City, State] |
Delivered | [Date], [City, State] [or "Not delivered"] |
Shipper | [Name and address] |
Consignee | [Name and address] |
Broker, if one arranged the load | [Broker name and load number, or "None"] |
Pieces and weight on the bill of lading | [e.g., 6 pallets, 2,400 lb] |
Amount claimed | $[Total from the Claim Amount Worksheet] |
Dear Claims Department:
[Your company name] files this claim against [carrier's legal name] for the [loss of / damage to / shortage in] the shipment identified above. This letter identifies the shipment, states that the carrier is liable for the loss, and claims payment of a specific amount, as described in 49 C.F.R. § 370.3(b).
What happened
[In three to five plain sentences, say what was shipped, how it was packed, and what arrived or did not arrive.]
Condition at pickup: [e.g., Received in apparent good order, as shown on the signed bill of lading]
Condition at delivery: [The driver's exact words on the delivery receipt, or "No exception noted"]
When the loss was found: [At delivery / On unpacking on [date]]
When the carrier was told: [Date, person, and method] [If the damage was found after delivery, report it in writing right away]
Inspection: [Date and inspector, or the date you asked the carrier to inspect]
Carrier's liability
The goods were in good condition when [carrier's legal name] received them and were [lost / damaged / short] when [delivered / due for delivery]. Under the Carmack Amendment, 49 U.S.C. § 14706(a)(1), the receiving carrier and the delivering carrier on an interstate shipment are liable for the actual loss or injury to the property. [Carrier's legal name] was the [receiving / delivering] carrier on this shipment. [If the bill of lading shows a declared value or limit of liability, state it here.]
Amount claimed
Item | Amount |
|---|---|
Invoice value of the lost or damaged goods | $[Amount] |
Freight charges paid on the lost or damaged goods | $[Amount] [Only if paid] |
Less salvage value of goods kept or sold | -$[Amount] |
Less any amount the carrier has already paid | -$[Amount] |
Total claimed | $[Total] |
These figures come from the enclosed Claim Amount Worksheet and match the commercial invoice. [If the goods were not invoiced to the consignee, or the invoice does not show a price, explain how the value was set.]
Documents enclosed
Bill of lading, signed at pickup
Delivery receipt showing the driver's notes [or proof the shipment was not delivered]
Commercial invoice for the goods [or a copy you certify as true and correct]
Freight bill or other proof of the freight charges
Photographs of the goods and packaging, taken [date]
Inspection report [if any]
Repair estimate, replacement quote, or salvage record [if any]
Claim Amount Worksheet
Emails and letters with the carrier or broker about this shipment
[Remove anything you do not have. Keep the originals.]
The damaged goods and packaging are being held at [address] for inspection until [date]. To arrange access, contact [name] at [phone or email]. [Do not discard anything before the carrier inspects it or declines to.]
Request for payment
We ask [carrier's legal name] to pay $[Total] to [your company name] by [check to the address above / ACH transfer]. Please acknowledge this claim in writing and send us your claim number. Federal rules require a carrier to acknowledge a claim in writing within 30 days of receiving it, unless it has already paid or declined it, and to pay, decline, or make a firm settlement offer in writing within 120 days (49 C.F.R. §§ 370.5 and 370.9).
Please send questions and your written decision to [name, title, phone, email].
Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Name]
[Title]
[Your company name]
cc: [Broker, if one arranged the load] [Your cargo insurer, if you have one]
Enclosures: [Number]
Before you send: File within the claim period in your bill of lading or the carrier's rules. A carrier cannot set that period shorter than nine months (49 U.S.C. § 14706(e)(1)). Most bills of lading count it from delivery, or from the date delivery should have happened if the goods never arrived. This template is for interstate shipments by truck within the United States. Shipments within one state, ocean, air, international, and household-goods moves can follow different rules. This is a drafting aid, not legal advice.