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Freight Damage Claim Writer for Shippers Under the Carmack Amendment: Delivery Receipt Exceptions, 9 Month Filing Deadline, 49 CFR 370 Claim Elements, Liability Limits on the BOL, Damage Math, and Carrier Follow Up
File a motor carrier freight loss or damage claim that cannot be brushed off: check the delivery receipt exceptions and concealed damage notice, the 9 month filing window, the written claim elements in 49 CFR Part 370, any released value or tariff limit on the bill of lading, the claim amount math with documents, and the follow up dates the carrier must meet.
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Prompt
Act as a freight claims specialist who files loss and damage claims against US motor carriers for manufacturers and distributors, knows the Carmack Amendment and the claim handling rules in 49 CFR Part 370, and has seen claims denied for a clean delivery receipt, a missed deadline, or an amount that was not stated. Inputs: - Shipment facts: bill of lading number, PRO number, carrier, origin and destination, ship and delivery dates, pieces and weight: [ShipmentFacts] - Delivery receipt notes: exactly what was written when the freight was signed for, and whether damage was visible or found later: [DeliveryReceipt] - Bill of lading terms: declared value or released value box, any liability limit in the carrier's rules tariff that the BOL references, and freight charges paid: [BolTerms] - Damage evidence: photos, inspection report, repair estimate or replacement quote, invoice to the customer, salvage value: [DamageEvidence] - Who is filing (shipper, consignee, or the party that bears the loss under the sale terms) and whether a broker arranged the load: [ClaimantRole] - Output format: [Format] Generate: 1. A timeline check: delivery date, the 9 month claim filing deadline from delivery under the Carmack Amendment unless the BOL lawfully sets a longer one, and any concealed damage notice window in the carrier's rules that DeliveryReceipt suggests matters. 2. A claimant and carrier check from ClaimantRole: file with the motor carrier that hauled the freight, not the broker, and confirm the claimant bears the loss. 3. A liability limit read of BolTerms: whether a released value or tariff limit applies, the per pound or per shipment math using the weight in ShipmentFacts, and a note that a limit generally needs a reasonable choice of liability levels and written agreement to hold. Mark CHECK where the tariff text is not pasted. 4. The damage calculation from DamageEvidence: repair cost or replacement cost (invoice value), minus salvage if any, plus freight charges if the goods are a total loss, with every number tied to a document. 5. The written claim letter, containing the four Part 370 elements: facts that identify the shipment, an assertion of carrier liability, a demand for payment, and a specified amount. Attach the document list. 6. An exhibit list: BOL, delivery receipt with exceptions, photos, inspection report, invoice, repair estimate, freight bill, and the carrier's claim form if they use one. 7. A follow up calendar: acknowledgment due within 30 days of receipt, payment, decline, or firm settlement offer due within 120 days, and status updates every 60 days after that, plus the 2 year limit to sue after a written declination. Constraints: - Use only facts and numbers from Inputs; never invent weights, values, or delivery notes. This is claim preparation, not legal advice. - Firm, factual tone; no em dashes.
Instructions
Replace every [bracket] with your details before running. Works on ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
Generated Output
This image was generated using the prompt above.
Examples
Example Input
ShipmentFacts: BOL 448210, PRO 7719034526, carrier Great Plains Freight (LTL), Wichita KS to Omaha NE, shipped 2026-09-24, delivered 2026-09-28, 1 crated reach in refrigerator, 420 lb DeliveryReceipt: consignee wrote "crate damaged, forklift puncture left side, subject to inspection" and signed; driver signed too BolTerms: no declared value; BOL references carrier rules tariff GPFR 100 with a limit of 10.00 USD per pound for new goods (tariff page pasted); freight 640 USD prepaid by shipper DamageEvidence: 9 photos at delivery, independent inspection 2026-09-30 found a punctured side panel and bent condenser fan housing, repair estimate 2,150 USD, inspection fee 150 USD, unit invoice to customer 8,400 USD ClaimantRole: shipper Prairie Restaurant Supply, sold FOB origin but agreed with the customer to handle the claim and bears the repair cost under the sale terms; no broker Format: checks, calculation, claim letter, exhibits, calendar
Example Output
Timeline check - Delivered 2026-09-28. Carmack 9 month filing deadline: 2027-06-28. File now; there is no reason to wait. - Damage was noted on the delivery receipt, so this is not a concealed damage claim. The exception wording is specific (forklift puncture, left side), which helps. Claimant and carrier - File with Great Plains Freight, the hauling carrier. No broker involved. - Sold FOB origin, so title passed at Wichita and the customer normally bears transit loss. The shipper is filing because it agreed to and is paying the repair. Get a short written assignment of the claim from the customer and attach it. Liability limit - No declared value; tariff GPFR 100 limits liability to 10.00 USD per pound for new goods. - Cap: 420 lb x 10.00 = 4,200 USD. - The claim (below) is under the cap, so the limit does not reduce it. CHECK whether the BOL offered a choice of liability levels if a later dispute pushes the amount over the cap. Damage calculation | Item | Amount | Document | | Repair: side panel and condenser fan housing | 2,150.00 | Repair estimate | | Independent inspection | 150.00 | Inspection invoice | | Salvage | 0.00 | Unit repaired, not scrapped | | Freight refund | 0.00 | Not a total loss, goods delivered | | Total claim | 2,300.00 USD | | Note: CHECK whether the tariff treats the inspection fee as recoverable; keep it in the claim with the invoice attached. Claim letter Prairie Restaurant Supply [address] | [date] Great Plains Freight, Claims Department Re: Freight damage claim, PRO 7719034526, BOL 448210 This is a claim for damage to a shipment of one crated reach in refrigerator, 420 lb, shipped from Wichita, KS on 2026-09-24 and delivered in Omaha, NE on 2026-09-28. At delivery the consignee noted "crate damaged, forklift puncture left side, subject to inspection," and your driver signed that receipt. An independent inspection on 2026-09-30 found a punctured side panel and a bent condenser fan housing. The damage occurred while the shipment was in your care, and Great Plains Freight is liable under 49 U.S.C. 14706. We demand payment of 2,300.00 USD: 2,150.00 USD for repair and 150.00 USD for inspection, as shown in the attached documents. This amount is within the 4,200.00 USD limit in tariff GPFR 100. Please acknowledge this claim in writing and send payment to the address above. [name], Prairie Restaurant Supply | [phone] | [email] Exhibits A. BOL 448210 B. Delivery receipt with exception C. 9 delivery photos D. Inspection report 2026-09-30 E. Repair estimate F. Inspection invoice G. Customer invoice 8,400 USD (value proof) H. Freight bill 640 USD I. Customer assignment of claim Follow up calendar (from the date the carrier receives the claim) - Day 30: written acknowledgment due. - Day 120: pay, decline, or make a firm settlement offer; if still open, status every 60 days after. - If declined in writing: 2 years from the declination to file suit.