Inherent Vice

Please refer to the back of you Bill of Lading. You will see that in Section 1 and subparagraph (b)* it states: "The Carrier shall be liable for physical loss or of damage to any articles from external cause while being carried or held in storage-in-transit EXCEPT loss, damage or delay caused by or resulting: (b) From defect or inherent vice of the article, including susceptibility to damage because of atmospheric conditions such as temperature and humidity or changes therein."

* On intrastate moves, please refer to subparagraph c.

In the absence of any evidence of improper handling or external damage (such as physical damage or damaged cartons), mechanical malfunctions are specifically excluded from the carrier’s liability. Mechanical, electrical and electronic devices have an indeterminable service life and are susceptible to parts failure at any time.  In order to support a claim that the malfunction occurred as a direct result of transit, you must obtain a written statement from an applicable qualified repair firm verifying that the damage was indeed transit related.  The inspection will be at your own expense, however if it is determined that we are responsible for the malfunction, you may submit the inspection amount on your claim form.  You must submit a copy of the original invoice/repair report and it must include the following:

1. Name, address & phone number of the company (preferably on their own letterhead/invoice).

2. The name of the technician or a point of contact.

3. A statement saying that the damage was transit related and why.

4. A breakdown of parts and expenses