Cargo Claims
The Carmack Amendment (49 U.S.C. § 14706) governs liability for lost or damaged cargo in interstate transport — with its own filing deadlines and claim-handling timelines, set largely by federal regulation, that differ from a standard liability claim.
We handle documentation and coordination for cargo damage or loss claims, working with your insurer and the shipper to resolve the claim without it turning into a drawn-out dispute.
Faster resolution and less time your team spends chasing paperwork on a claim that isn't your core business.
- 01Document the damage or loss with photos and reports.
- 02File the claim with the appropriate insurer.
- 03Coordinate with the shipper or broker on liability and resolution.
- 04Track the claim through to payment or resolution.
How Carmack liability actually works
Under the Carmack Amendment, an interstate motor carrier is generally held liable for the actual loss or damage to cargo it transports, largely regardless of fault, subject to specific exceptions (like an act of the shipper or inherent nature of the goods) — which makes cargo claims a different legal framework than a typical negligence-based liability claim.
Deadlines matter more than they seem to
A carrier cannot set a claim-filing deadline shorter than 9 months from delivery under 49 U.S.C. § 14706(e)(1). Once a claim is filed, 49 CFR 370.5 requires the carrier to acknowledge receipt within 30 days, and 370.9 requires it to pay, decline in writing, or make a settlement offer within 120 days — with written status updates every 60 days after that if it's still unresolved. If a claim is denied, the carrier can't require a lawsuit be filed in less than 2 years from the denial. Missing any of these deadlines, on either side, materially affects the outcome.