My cargo was seized by Customs, what can I do?
- 05.07.2026
I run a transport business, and a trailer loaded with valuable goods was broken into and partially emptied overnight while parked at what I believed was a secure location. The client is demanding full compensation. Am I automatically liable?
Liability depends on your contract with the client and the standard of care you were required to exercise. Under general principles of bailment, a carrier who takes possession of goods for reward, known as a bailee for reward, owes a duty to take reasonable care of the goods, and if goods are lost or stolen, the carrier may bear the burden of showing that reasonable care was taken, for example that the vehicle was parked in a genuinely secure location with appropriate security measures. Many transport contracts also include specific liability and limitation clauses, and insurance such as goods in transit or carrier's liability insurance is important in this context. Review your written terms with the client, gather evidence about the parking arrangements and security measures used, and notify your insurer and the police immediately. Whether you are liable, and to what extent, will often turn on these specific facts and contract terms.
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