01First response
Protect people first and contact emergency services when necessary. Notify the operational contact promptly about loss, damage, shortage, temperature concerns or a custody incident. Avoid unsafe inspection or handling. This website is not an emergency reporting channel.
02Preserve the record
Keep the bill of lading, delivery receipt, invoice and value evidence, photographs, packaging, seal and trailer numbers, relevant communications and temperature records where applicable. Make reasonable efforts to mitigate loss. Do not discard goods or packaging without appropriate instructions unless safety or law requires it; document the reason.
03Submit to the appropriate carrier
A written cargo claim should identify the shipment, assert the basis of liability and state a specified or determinable claimed amount. Include your relationship to the goods and supporting evidence. For direct HOWL carriage, request the verified claims contact through dispatch@howltrans.com. For a brokerage move, confirm the proper carrier and any required parallel notifications. Forwarding an enquiry does not necessarily satisfy filing requirements.
04Notification is not always a formal claim
A phone call, delivery exception, photograph, inspection report or preliminary email may preserve useful facts without meeting formal filing requirements. Confirm receipt by the proper party and do not rely on an automatic acknowledgement as acceptance of liability, payment or an extension of time.
05Deadlines depend on the shipment
Check the applicable law and enforceable contract immediately. Where 49 U.S.C. §14706 governs, contractual claim periods may not be shorter than nine months, and the civil-action period may not be shorter than two years from written disallowance as specified by that statute. Do not apply that rule automatically to every Canadian or cross-border movement. Canadian and other deadlines require shipment-specific review.
06Investigation and resolution
Provide reasonable access to evidence and inspection while protecting safety and privacy. A review, settlement discussion or request for documents does not waive a deadline unless a legally effective extension is expressly agreed. Avoid duplicate recovery. Written settlement terms should identify the shipment and scope of any release.
07Reference materials
The source links below support the draft procedure; they are not a determination of which law governs a particular shipment. Obtain qualified advice where the governing regime or deadline is uncertain.