Charlotte, NC asked in Consumer Law and Business Law for North Carolina

Q: Do I have any legal grounds for a shipping company losing my brand new truck?

I custom ordered a vehicle was I was working in Massachusetts. The vehicle build took five months but it arrived at the dealership and I financed it. Friday I paid Safemile Auto transport to deliver the vehicle from the dealership to my driveway. The receipt says pick up on Friday, delivery by end of day Saturday. It is now Tuesday and the shipping company tells me they hired a contractor to deliver the vehicle but they don't have an idea what happened to the truck. They can't find it. Is there anything I can do? I have truck payments now but no truck.

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1 Lawyer Answer
N'kia (NLN)
N'kia (NLN)
Answered
  • Cary, NC
  • Licensed in North Carolina

A: If you haven't already, you should file a claim with any and all insurance/warranty companies involved.

The shipping company will probably argue that their subcontractor is liable, instead of them. But that's not necessarily so.

The contract might say that you'd have to file for arbitration rather than filing a lawsuit. That could be either good or bad, depending on several factors.

You should start by having an attorney review the relevant documents, including the contract, receipts, insurance/warranty policies, etc. A knowledgeable attorney can help assess each party's rights and responsibilities, as well as the best option(s) for enforcing your rights.

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