Cargo Claim Checklist: Getting your documentation in order

We met with Blue Book subscribers recently and asked for feedback on our claims, collection, and dispute resolution services. A significant takeaway was the need for basic information to help guide the various parties through claims.   

With this in mind, in this article we’ve listed the key claim documentation we typically look for when assessing claims, along with some key questions these documents may help answer. Asking the right questions is often half the battle.

Please note that (i) not all questions will apply to all claims, (ii) the documentation listed may not answer all questions in every case, and (iii) some questions can be answered by more than one document. Generally speaking, however, you’ll want to gather and review these documents to fully investigate cargo claims involving fresh produce.

Sales Confirmations, Contracts, and Invoices

What was specified under the sales agreement? Was the product sold with a grade, size, and/or labeling requirement? What was the term of the sale (e.g., fixed price FOB)? What was the product originally sold for (relevant with respect to damages in some cases)?  

Bill of Lading (BOL)

What was loaded on the trailer? When did the product ship? What was the temperature instruction? What were the stated pulp temperatures at origin? Did the driver sign the BOL “clean” (i.e., without noting “shippers load and count” or similar language)? What was the country of origin, label, pack, and sizing of the product shipped? Was a portable temperature recorder placed on board? If so, what was its identification number? The BOL is stronger evidence when the driver is allowed to verify pulp temperatures and witness the loading method and count.

Proof of Delivery

What was delivered and when? Did the receiver sign for a quantity it now claims was not delivered? Did the receiver sign for a portable recorder it now claims was missing? Did the receiver sign for the shipment “clean”? If not, what exceptions were noted (e.g., shortages, warm pulp temperatures, missing product, crushed boxes, missing portable recorder)? Was some or all the product rejected? If so, is a reason for the rejection listed? If the product was taken to a secondary location for salvage, where did it go and when did it arrive? What exceptions were noted by the secondary receiver?   

Load Sheet

What were the pulp temperatures prior to loading? Where was the portable recorder placed? Was the driver allowed to verify pulp temperature readings? Load sheets will often document pulp temperatures at multiple pallet positions.   

Readings from Portable Temperature Recorder(s)

Were the air temperatures generally within 4-5 degrees of the instructed temperature? Do the readings increase dramatically with outside air temperature suggesting the trailer’s insulation may have been inadequate? Do the readings normalize shortly after loading and any intermediate stops? Does the temperature graph look like a gentle waves, consistent with a reefer set to run continuously, or like shark’s teeth, suggesting the reefer was improperly set to run on a start-stop or cycle basis? For freezing claims, were the readings cold enough for long enough to freeze the product? When were the doors opened at intermediate and final destinations?   

Reefer Downloads

Was the reefer set to run continuously and at a proper set point? Were the return air readings generally within 1-degree of the set point? Were the supply air readings generally within 4-5 degrees of the return air readings? If freezing is alleged, were the supply air readings cold enough for long enough to cause freezing?  Does the receipt from the service center identify the trailer in question? Does the receipt include a notation indicating the date and time stamps needed to be reset? It’s not uncommon for service centers to document that the time stamps were inaccurate, with 5/1/25 @ 0:00 actually representing 7/20/25 @ 14:22.   

USDA or CFIA Inspection Certificates

What defects was the product affected with (e.g., bruising, overripe, decay) at the time of inspection? And to what extent (e.g., 2% or 20%)? Was the product uniformly affected or were some samples in good condition?  What were the pulp temperatures? Does the label and description of the product match the product that was sold? If the product was affected with freezing injury, does the pattern suggest the freezing happened after packing and in the trailer (e.g., injury affecting the top layers of the rear pallets), or in the field (e.g., scattered throughout the load)? Did the product retain commercial value? Was dumping warranted?   

Pictures  

Does the product pictured match the product in question? If the same pack was sent in a prior shipment, do the PTI stickers pictured identify the most recent shipment? Do pictures of the temperature probes match the receiver’s inhouse inspection? Please note that pictures are usually not sufficient to quantify the extent of damage across the shipment and should not be considered a substitute for a USDA or CFIA inspection.    

In-house Inspection Certificates

What is the receiver reporting at destination? To what extent was the shipment affected according to the receiver? What was the reason for any rejection or trouble report? Please note that in-house inspections are not considered “disinterested evidence” and should not be used as a substitute for USDA or CFIA inspection certificates.  

Account of Sales

What was the product in question sold for? Please note that a detailed account of sales stating the price each carton is sold for is generally required to fully support returns per PACA precedent. What deductions for expenses (e.g., 15% commission for product handled on consignment) were taken from the proffered return?  When was the product sold? Do the sales align with the condition of the product as documented by a USDA or CFIA inspection certificate? How much of the product was dumped or donated?    

Rate Confirmations and Freight Invoices

Who hired the carrier? What was expected of the carrier? How many pickups and deliveries? When was the carrier supposed to arrive at origin(s) and destination(s)? Is there a temperature instruction on the rate confirmation that’s different from what appears on the bill of lading? Any other instructions? What was the cost of the freight (relevant with respect to damages in some cases)?

Contemporaneous Correspondence Between Parties

Did the receiver reject the product in “clear and unmistakable terms” in a timely manner, usually no more than eight (8) hours after arrival? If the product was received (not rejected) did the receiver notify the interested parties of a problem in a timely manner so the allegations could be investigated? If the product was USDA or CFIA inspected, was the certificate sent promptly to the other parties so an appeal inspection could be called for? Did the parties agree to a change in terms (e.g., consignment) or a price adjustment? Did the seller or carrier tell the receiver or salvaging firm not to get a government inspection? Please note that this correspondence could be an email or text exchange, including an email or text confirming the phone conversation.  

Wrap-Up

What did we miss? Please send us a note at tradingassist@bluebookservices.com. Multiple parties are typically involved in the claim scenarios we see. Resolving disputes and setting best practices works best as a collaborative effort.