How to file
a freight claim
— and win.

Step 1 — Win the claim at the dock

The delivery receipt is the single most important document in any freight claim. Before the driver leaves:

• Count and inspect every handling unit against the delivery receipt — don't sign for six pallets if five arrived.
• Note everything on the POD before signing. Be specific: "2 cartons crushed, top corner, item #4512" beats "damaged." A clean signature is the carrier's best defense.
• Photograph freight, packaging, and labels — on the truck if possible, then at the dock. Time-stamped phone photos are fine.
• Accept the freight anyway in most cases. Refusal usually raises costs and weakens the claim; noted damage plus photos protects you just as well.

Step 2 — Know the two clocks

Two deadlines govern nearly every LTL claim:

• Concealed damage: 5 business days. If damage is discovered after delivery with a clean POD, report it to the carrier within five business days and request an inspection. Wait longer and the carrier will presume the damage happened after delivery — most concealed claims die here.
• Filing: 9 months from delivery. The standard contractual limit for filing damage, shortage, and loss claims. For total loss (freight never delivered), the window runs from the date delivery should have occurred.

Once filed, the carrier is required by federal regulation (49 CFR Part 370) to acknowledge within 30 days and pay, decline, or offer settlement within 120 days.

Step 3 — Build the file

A payable claim contains, at minimum:

• Bill of lading and delivery receipt / POD (with notations)
• Commercial invoice proving the value of the goods — claims pay on your cost, not retail price
• Photos of damage, packaging, and shipping labels
• Repair estimate or replacement cost
• A specific claimed dollar amount — "amount to be determined" claims get rejected

Two duties to remember while the claim runs: keep the freight and packaging available for carrier inspection (don't discard or sell it without approval), and mitigate the loss — if the goods can be repaired or partially salvaged, the claim should reflect that. Carriers reduce or deny claims when either duty is skipped.

Step 4 — Understand what carriers actually owe

LTL carrier liability is limited by tariff, not by your freight's value — commonly a set number of dollars per pound that varies by freight class, and less for used goods or freight of released value. On high-value shipments, the time to address this is before pickup: declare excess value or insure the load. Discovering a liability cap after a loss is an expensive lesson.

How claims work at the Fox

Logistics Fox customers don't run this playbook alone. Our secure claims portal files the claim in minutes, a dedicated claims team carries it from filing through resolution — chasing the 30-day and 120-day clocks so you don't have to — and FoxIQ keeps every BOL, POD, and photo attached to the shipment record, so the documentation is already in the file when the claim starts.