Shortage Claim

A shortage claim is filed when a receiver counts fewer units at delivery than the bill of lading says the carrier picked up. The missing product may have been lost in transit, misloaded onto another trailer, delivered to the wrong location, or pilfered – but regardless of cause, the carrier is presumptively liable for the shortfall under the Carmack Amendment because they accepted custody of the full quantity at origin.

Filing a shortage claim requires clear documentation: the original BOL showing the tendered quantity, a delivery receipt or POD annotated with the actual count received, and an itemized statement of the missing product with its value. Weight tickets from origin and destination can strengthen the claim, particularly for palletized freight where individual case counts aren't practical at pickup. Photos of the load at delivery – especially if it shows obvious signs of tampering, shifted cargo, or broken seals – add further support.

Shortages are particularly common in LTL shipping, where freight from multiple shippers shares trailer space and is handled at cross-dock terminals along the route. Each touch point introduces the possibility of misrouting, miscounting, or loss. For shippers moving high-value or high-SKU-count freight via LTL, shortage claims can become a recurring operational burden. Patterns of shortages on specific lanes, through specific terminals, or with specific carriers are a signal to investigate root causes rather than simply filing claims after the fact.

The key to successful shortage claims is documentation at both ends of the shipment. Shippers should ensure accurate counts and seal numbers at origin, and receivers should count freight against the BOL before signing the POD clean. A POD signed without exception is the single biggest obstacle to recovering on a shortage claim.