You may be able to sue the moving company after filing a claim with the company itself. If a moving company damages your belongings, you're not powerless. The first thing to do is file a complaint with the transport company, since the fact that a sofa breaks or a box is missing may represent a broken promise under the contract you signed (breach of contract). You should collect the photos, delivery receipts and all the messages you exchanged on the day of the move, since each document serves to prove that your items were in good condition and arrived dented, scratched or didn't arrive not at all.
The contract itself is also important, as it confirms that the moving company agreed to protect everything they loaded into the truck. In general, a moving company is responsible if they lose or damage a customer's household belongings during the move. In this situation, the customer can file a claim with the moving company to seek financial compensation for the loss or damage. If the moving company denies the claim, in whole or in part, the customer may need to file a lawsuit or initiate arbitration to obtain compensation. In addition, in this situation, it may be necessary for the client to hire an attorney.
Below, I provide information on how a consumer in the state of Washington can bring an action against a moving company. Please let me know if you have more questions or if you have additional information that you would like to share. Thank you for using the JustAnswer site and best wishes. The best thing is to seek a peaceful solution with your moving company.
You can save a lot of time and money if you and the moving company involved can work things out without the intervention of a third party. When filing a complaint against the moving company, it is best to remain calm, rational and objective. Becoming rebellious will only make the situation worse. If you think this is a dishonest company, it's in your best interest to contact an outside person.
When working with a reputable moving company, you must process your claim in a timely manner. The peaceful resolution of a dispute or claim is always the best solution for both parties, since a lot of time, money and nerves can be saved with a simple effort to reach a mutual understanding. Notify the moving company that you have been sued (this is called “servicing”).In practice, a customer may want to consider personally transporting high-value items (jewelry, works of art, electronic devices, personal computers, antiques) and items of sentimental value (family albums) instead of including them among the belongings carried by the moving company. When you hand over the sofa, the glassware and the box that says “fragile”, you are trusting that the moving company will be responsible for bringing everything in one piece.
It's illegal for carriers to keep your belongings and demand additional payment above the agreed price. If I ever have to move again, the best thing is to do it myself and hire my own workers, at least I can keep all the household appliances in my home. Some unethical moving companies may quote a low starting price to take over your business and then surprise you with hidden fees or a much higher final bill. Last winter I had to move out of the state of Michigan for work, and after doing some research, I ended up choosing long-distance moving companies.
Moving companies have access to all of your belongings, so treat the hiring process as carefully as you would when choosing a nanny or financial planner. As expected, many of the items Wheaton brought were included in the final Mover Dudes inventory sheet, and they added and duplicated other items. To give a couple of examples, there were more than 100 additional boxes and an additional 55-inch TV who was not present. Census Bureau, about 36 million Americans move each year, so you can imagine how busy most moving companies are.
Mover Dudes does not use a standardized numbered inventory method used by legitimate moving companies. Joshua is an author and moving expert who dedicates his time to helping people move quickly and safely.
