freight transportation claim

Delivery Signatures in Freight Transportation: A Routine Gesture with Sometimes Costly Consequences

Jan

Posted by Mike Grannary

Category:

Alliance

Too often, time is short. The delivery driver hands us a tablet, we scribble an approximate signature with a finger, and the truck drives away immediately.

But what happens if you notice damage or missing items after the delivery, once the truck has already left?

It is therefore essential to remember that the consignee remains responsible for checking the goods upon receipt. As such, the consignee must immediately report any damage, shortage, or anomaly to the carrier while they are still on site, in order to preserve their rights and secure a freight transportation claim.

In the event of a dispute, a freight transportation claim must be submitted quickly and correctly to protect the consignee’s rights.

In this context, our freight brokerage experts can advise you on the best steps to take.

Before: the paper delivery note

Before the widespread use of digital tools, proof of delivery relied on a paper document. While more basic, this method nevertheless offered clear protection in the event of a dispute.

In case of an issue:

the consignee wrote the remarks directly on the delivery note;
both the driver and the consignee signed the document;
this notation clearly established the carrier’s liability.

As a result, this written record constituted solid evidence for a freight claim, in line with the principles of the logistics liability chain.

Today: the reality of electronic proof of delivery

Today, most deliveries are completed using tablets or smartphones. These tools offer undeniable gains in speed and traceability. However, they also present a major limitation: the difficulty of adding detailed remarks at the time of receipt.

This is not necessarily due to a lack of cooperation on the carrier’s part. However, real-world experience shows a clear reality:
👉 the consignee must now be extra vigilant to protect themselves.

As the saying goes:
“What’s written remains, what’s spoken fades away.”

Indeed, even if the receiver verbally reports damage or missing items to the driver, the absence of a written note, visual evidence, or photos significantly weakens the claim. During reviews conducted by claims departments, teams rely solely on tangible evidence. Therefore, without formal remarks, the carrier often considers the goods to have been received “in good order” and declines any liability.

When a freight transportation claim is poorly worded, incomplete, or submitted late, it may be rejected even if the damage is proven.
This is why the quality of the proof of delivery plays a decisive role in any freight transportation claim, particularly during the analysis carried out by claims departments.