Most cargo damage claims don't get denied because the damage wasn't real. They get denied because the paperwork showed up late, incomplete, or in the wrong order. Adjusters at steamship lines and drayage carriers process hundreds of these a month. Give them a reason to say no and they will.
What to Do the Day You Find Damage
The clock starts the moment you spot a problem, not when you get around to writing it up. Stop unloading. Don't touch anything else in the container until you've documented what's in front of you.
Walk the container before you walk the cargo. Photograph the seal number while it's still intact, then photograph all four sides and the roof if you can reach it. Open the doors and shoot wide angles first, close-ups second. Get a phone in every shot for scale on damaged items. A ruler works too, but most warehouse crews reach for a phone first.
- Seal number photo before cutting
- Container number, booking number, and B/L number written down and photographed together
- Wide shots of the load as it sits, untouched
- Close-ups of each damaged item
- A signed statement from whoever discovered the damage, dated and timed
Same-day photos with phone metadata intact carry more weight than a professional shoot done three days later. Adjusters check timestamps against your delivery date. A gap between delivery and documentation invites questions you don't want to answer.
Build the Claim File Before You Write a Word
A claim moves faster when the adjuster doesn't have to chase you for documents. Gather everything into one file before you send anything.
Missing even one of these documents gives the claims department an easy reason to sit on your file instead of moving it forward.
Figure Out Who You're Filing Against
Filing against the wrong party wastes weeks. The EIR usually tells you where to point the claim.
If you can't tell where the damage happened, file with both the steamship line and the drayage carrier at the same time. Withdraw one once the investigation narrows it down. Filing late against the wrong party while you sort things out costs you a deadline you don't get back.
Write the Claim Letter
Skip the story. Adjusters want five things in the first paragraph: container number, bill of lading number, date of discovery, description of damage, and a dollar amount. Everything after that is supporting detail.
- Lead with the numbers: container, booking, B/L. Not a narrative of what happened
- State the dollar amount up front, backed by the commercial invoice
- Attach photos as a labeled set, not a random folder dump
- Reference the EIR number if the terminal logged anything relevant
- Request a claim reference number in your first email so you have something to track
A vague claim that says "cargo damaged, amount to be determined" tells the reader you haven't finished your homework. Send it back to the bottom of the queue, where it will sit until you follow up.
The Follow-Up That Actually Moves Claims
Filing the claim is step one. Getting paid takes follow-up most importers skip.
Log every call and email with a date. If the claim ends up in dispute or arbitration, that log becomes proof you pursued it in good faith and on time.
What to Do When They Deny It
A denial letter isn't the end of the process. It's usually a request for something specific the adjuster thinks is missing.
- Read the denial reason line by line. Most cite a specific missing document or a liability dispute, not a blanket rejection
- Resubmit with the exact document requested rather than resending your entire original file
- If the denial disputes liability, provide the EIR or gate record that supports your version of where the damage happened
- Escalate to a supervisor in writing if the second submission gets no response within two weeks
- Check your suit deadline before you spend more time negotiating: one year for ocean carrier claims, two years after a Carmack denial for truck claims
Most disputes resolve at this stage once the missing piece gets filled in. Filing suit is expensive for everyone involved, and claims departments would rather pay a documented claim than fight one in court.
At One A Trucks, we hand drivers a damage checklist before every pickup so the EIR and photo record exist from the moment the container leaves the terminal. That paper trail is what turns a maybe into a paid claim.