After an interstate move to Mississippi, a missing box or damaged piece of furniture calls for more than a photograph and a frustrated phone call. Preserve the shipment documents, identify each affected item and check the mover's written claim process promptly. A claim seeking payment from the mover and a complaint to a federal agency serve different purposes.
This guide concerns household goods carried for an individual shipper in interstate commerce, the scope described in 49 CFR 375.101. Do not assume the same rules govern an entirely local move, a rental truck you drove yourself, an international shipment or a commercial freight delivery. Confirm the arrangement before relying on a particular procedure.
Connect the loss to the shipment record
Keep the estimate, bill of lading, inventory, delivery receipt, payment records and all terms or attachments you received. Record the pickup and delivery locations and dates, the shipment reference and the names shown for the mover and any broker or other company involved. Different names on the documents are a question to investigate, not a reason to combine the companies into one.
For each missing or damaged item, collect:
- Its description and inventory or box reference, if available.
- Photographs showing its condition before and after the move.
- Notes of what was observed at delivery and when any later damage was discovered.
- Purchase records and available repair or replacement estimates.
- Relevant packing records and communications about handling or condition.
The FMCSA's loss-and-damage guidance recommends an itemized record, photographs and supporting value information. Preserve original files and ask about inspection needs before discarding packaging or repairing an item. A cost estimate supports a request; it does not establish what the mover legally owes.
Locate the valuation choice and any separate insurance
Find the signed valuation selection and any policy or certificate supplied with the move. FMCSA distinguishes Full Value Protection and Released Value. These are different levels of the mover's liability, and choosing the less protective option can materially affect a claim.
Under 49 CFR 375.201, the general full-value obligation has limits tied to the shipment's declared value and applicable rules and tariffs. A written waiver changes the framework. Do not assume that the words “full value” guarantee a new replacement or payment of every amount requested.
FMCSA's valuation and insurance explanation also distinguishes separate liability insurance that may be offered with Released Value. Keep any insurance policy with its own notice instructions. Packing your own boxes and failing to identify unusually valuable articles are among the limitations discussed in the agency's guidance; preserve those facts for review rather than guessing their effect.
A delivery notation is not necessarily a claim
Request the mover's claim instructions and correct submission address. The minimum requirements in 49 CFR 370.3 include a timely written communication to a proper carrier that identifies the shipment, asserts liability for the alleged loss or damage, and requests a specified or determinable amount of money. Supporting documents must be reasonably accessible to the carrier.
The rule expressly says that a damage notation on a delivery receipt, an inspection report or an appraisal, standing alone, does not satisfy those minimum requirements. Keep those records, but do not assume they replace a claim. FMCSA's consumer claim guidance explains that a written claim need not be on the mover's own form.
Act promptly and have the applicable claim and lawsuit deadlines checked against the actual shipment and documents. This article does not calculate a filing date. Preserve the submission, attachments, delivery confirmation, acknowledgment and any response or denial.
Understand the complaint and dispute options
FMCSA explains that an agency complaint may lead to an enforcement investigation, but it cannot resolve your claim against the mover. Keep a complaint confirmation separately from proof that your payment claim reached the proper carrier; do not assume one substitutes for the other.
Interstate household-goods movers must maintain an arbitration program under 49 CFR 375.211. Ask for the program summary, costs and explanation of the legal effects of choosing arbitration. The rule prohibits requiring a shipper to agree to arbitration before a dispute arises. Whether arbitration is binding depends on the claim amount and the required request or agreement. Get advice about the applicable choices before accepting a settlement, signing a release or selecting a dispute process.
Prepare a focused legal-review request
Keep your item list, shipment documents, valuation or insurance papers, claim correspondence and questions together. Our contract-evidence guide explains how to preserve complete agreement versions and distinguish requested amounts from supported payments or credits.
For an unresolved civil dispute, send Sheppard Law Firm a brief written litigation-review request with the companies involved and any approaching deadline. The firm first checks fit and conflicts. The consultation process explains fees and the agreed document-review scope; wait for delivery instructions before sending detailed records. An inquiry does not extend a deadline or mean the firm has accepted the matter.