Shady cargo claim by a broker

We hauled load of multiple stops , rate conf instructs to have seal or padlock at the bottom. Shipper neither gave driver a seal nor instructed to put one and it’s not on the BOL.

One of the stops rejected the load for not having a seal or padlock , broker gave my driver another address to deliver the load and they took it , signed BOL “Bod arrival lots decay

Receving openpas

Pull protection per shippers request”

After 7 months broker reached to me and saying there is a claim and claiming 16000 worth product be paid The only thing broker keep arguing is he put seal iinstructions on the rate confirmation, but driver didn’t see the rate and always follows the BOL instructions.

Also at one point he said the product worth 18000, now he’s the 16000 is the difference between what the product sold for and the amount in which the customer paid for it as the deduction is due to the carrier not having a lock on his trailer as required by the rate confirmation.

do I have a recourse here ? Why didn’t broker given us any opportunity to address or mitigate the alleged issue at the time of delivery or afterward.?

Had we been notified promptly, we could have of explored options to salvage or minimize any potential loss. The lack of timely communication has prevented us from taking any corrective action.


Has any owner operator had similar experience? How did they overcome it ??


I am no longer even with the insurance company at the time , my current insurance is new.

 

Driver did had both but had put the padlock on all time except this particular stop , they were 6 stops , when he finished the 4th stop he was somehow rashing to make it before they close. It was an honest mistake by the driver

 

NO, it’s not TQL.