How To Deal With Damaged Or Lost Freight
No matter what you order online or how much industrial equipment you ship, freight can become lost or damaged. Throughout their journeys across the globe, these shipments face the risk of damage or loss. Packages traveling long distances have a greater chance of getting damaged or lost.
Human error sometimes makes it difficult to avoid damaged or lost parcels, despite the efforts of carriers and manufacturers. Identifying who is responsible for damaged freight could take months, and finding lost cargo can be challenging. While shippers can't prevent all instances of lost or stolen cargo, they can make sure that they are compensated for their loss and informed of the details to prevent it from happening again.
Types Of Freight Damage
Below are the types of Freight Damage
Visible damage: It refers to damage that is visible to the naked eye.
Shortage: Some parts of a shipment are not received.
Concealed damage: Damage that occurs after a driver leaves but has not been palletized, opened, or disclosed.
Loss: An undeliverable package.
Taking care of damaged cargo
The following steps will help you determine what to do when something goes wrong with your freight. Whenever your freight may get lost or damaged during transit or when it's delivered, you should be prepared and know the proper steps to take.
Be sure to inspect your freight
Examine delivered freight closely. Open crates if necessary - there may be concealed damage. Check for missing, stolen, or damaged items. It is your right to record all the details, even if the driver claims they are in a hurry.
Consult your carrier or broker
Call your shipping company. Your cargo may be delayed rather than lost entirely. There are many reasons for transportation delays. Contact the logistics provider first. In addition, third-party logistics services (3PLs) can contact the carrier on your behalf.
Make sure the damage is documented
Take photos and write everything down. Documentation is key. Notify the carrier of the damages and shortages on the Bill of Lading. If the damage or shortage statement is not passed on quickly, carriers may try to salvage, re-deliver, or return the freight.
Make sure all your paperwork is in order
Prepare freight claims, shipping claims, cargo claims, and transportation claims. Damaged or lost freight is reimbursed by a carrier. Shippers get reimbursed for their freight costs, but not for their profit - the difference between the original value and the damaged value. The shipper is legally obligated to minimize the claim's cost, so he must determine a reasonable amount.
Within 30 days, the carrier must acknowledge a claim. The carrier should be notified of concealed damages and shortages within 10-15 days.
Pay your bills on time
The freight bill should be paid soon. Even if freight is damaged, lost, or stolen, the shipper is still responsible for its transportation. Claims are processed by insurance.
Ensure that all necessary documents are kept. In order to prevent further improper load handling, it is more important to gather as much information and evidence as possible. To save money, time, and peace of mind, having a shipper's claims and paperwork managed by an expert is a great option.
This should give you a good idea of what needs to be done if your freight is damaged or lost. Please contact us if you would like more information about this
