A useful claim record does more than show a broken corner or an empty crate: it identifies the promised item, the received item, the condition and custody timeline, the affected work, and the authorised disposition.
A site reports six handles missing, two glazing beads bent and one sash that does not match its opening mark. Photographs arrive through three chat groups, the packing list uses package numbers rather than opening marks, and installation continues while replacement freight is debated. If the team jumps directly to ‘send replacements’, it may order the wrong revision, destroy carrier evidence, duplicate quantities or imply a legal conclusion that nobody has made. The first task is to preserve facts and control the affected units. The remedy route comes only after the contract, governing law, notice requirements, cause evidence and practical recovery options are reviewed by the authorised parties.
1. Stabilise the goods and create an incident identity before debating a remedy
Make the area safe and prevent further loss first. Quarantine affected units or parts where practical, retain packaging and labels, and stop installation or disposal only to the extent directed by the responsible site and safety teams. A buyer-side record is not authority to move unsafe glass, dismantle a unit or obstruct urgent protection work. Record every unavoidable intervention, who authorised it and the before-and-after condition.
Create one incident ID and link each affected item to the strongest available identities: purchase-order line, opening mark, product or part code, approved drawing revision, package or stillage number, packing-list line, shipment/container and seal, delivery note, and site zone. Keep expected, dispatched, received and affected quantities in separate fields. ‘Six missing’ is unproven until the relevant baseline and package reconciliation are visible.
Record originals, not only annotated screenshots. Preserve file metadata where available; take context, label, close-up and scale views; note date, local time, location, observer and custody state. Photograph sealed and opened package condition, restraint, moisture or impact indicators and adjacent unaffected items. A photograph can show condition at a time; it does not, by itself, prove when or why the condition arose.
| Control field | Evidence to attach | Avoid claiming |
|---|---|---|
| Promised identity | Contract line, approved revision, opening mark and required quantity | That an uncontrolled schedule is the bargain |
| Physical identity | Product/part label, package ID, shipment and receiving location | That appearance alone proves identity |
| Condition/custody | Timestamped originals, packaging state, delivery exceptions and custody handovers | The cause or responsible party |
| Quantity reconciliation | Packed, shipped, received, quarantined and installed counts | That an unreconciled absence is a factory shortage |
| Immediate control | Safety action, quarantine, protection and evidence retained | Contractual acceptance or rejection |
| Notice trail | Recipient, method, time, attachments and acknowledgement | That sending a chat message satisfies legal notice |
2. Classify the event without collapsing condition, cause and responsibility
Use a provisional event class: apparent package shortage, concealed shortage, transit-visible damage, concealed damage, wrong item or revision, dimensional or functional non-conformity, site-caused damage, or unresolved. More than one class may apply. Keep observations (‘corner crushed; seal intact at gate’) separate from interpretations (‘probably loaded damaged’). Early classification routes evidence; it must not pre-judge liability.
Reconcile at three levels. At document level, compare the controlled order, approved changes, packing list and dispatch record. At package level, compare package contents, labels, gross condition and opening sequence. At unit level, compare markings and measurable characteristics with the approved baseline using competent personnel and appropriate methods. A generic catalogue image or a newer drawing revision is not a substitute for the transaction baseline.
Build a custody timeline from packing, carrier acceptance, transshipment where known, destination handover, unloading, storage, movement and installation. Invite relevant carriers, insurers, surveyors or suppliers to inspect where the applicable process requires it. Do not repair, discard packaging or redistribute parts before the authorised team assesses evidence-preservation consequences.
| Observed issue | Immediate evidence question | Possible specialist path |
|---|---|---|
| Count short | Was the item required, packed, transferred, received or relocated? | Document reconciliation; carrier/warehouse review |
| Package visibly damaged | What was recorded before and during receipt/unloading? | Carrier/insurer notice; survey |
| Concealed damage | When was packaging first opened and what protection remained? | Survey; packaging/handling technical review |
| Wrong part/revision | Which approved identifier differs from which physical label or feature? | Configuration and change-control review |
| Functional or dimensional issue | Was measurement/test method controlled and installation state suitable? | Qualified technical assessment |
| Cause unresolved | Which evidence could distinguish product, transit, storage, installation or use? | Joint inspection or independent expert |
3. Preserve notice and remedy options without writing a verdict
Read the signed contract, incorporated specifications, agreed notice provisions, governing-law and dispute route, delivery records, warranty language and insurance or carrier terms. Route notice through the authorised channel promptly. State the facts, affected identities and quantities, evidence available, immediate controls and requested next action. Reserve positions only with authorised legal guidance; avoid accusatory language that outruns the evidence.
UNCITRAL's CISG text provides one internationally important reference where it applies. Article 35 addresses conformity; articles 38 and 39 address examination and notice; articles 46 to 50 address specified buyer remedies; and article 51 addresses partial delivery or partial non-conformity. These provisions interact with the full Convention, the contract and case law. They are not a universal checklist, and the operational team should not choose replacement, repair, price reduction, avoidance or damages by reading article headings alone.
Keep remedy candidates conditional: supply missing parts, remake or replace, local repair under an approved method, sorting/rework, expedited or consolidated freight, temporary protection, documented credit, or another authorised settlement. For each candidate, record technical feasibility, compatibility with the released configuration, safety, evidence impact, schedule, logistics, customs/tax, cost allocation and approval. Do not let an urgent site workaround silently become final acceptance or a waiver.
| Question | Evidence needed | Release authority |
|---|---|---|
| What exact items are affected? | Reconciled unit/part list and approved baseline | Document/configuration owner |
| Is the proposal technically suitable? | Controlled repair/replacement method and compatibility review | Responsible designer/technical authority |
| What happens to programme and access? | Site sequence, labour, lifting and delivery plan | Project/site authority |
| Who bears cost and risk? | Contract, law, insurance/carrier position and authorised agreement | Commercial/legal authority |
| Does evidence remain intact? | Inspection, samples, photographs and disposal permission | Claim/insurance/legal owner |
| What proves closure? | Reinspection, quantity reconciliation and signed disposition | Named acceptance authority |
4. Close the incident by unit, not by email optimism
Issue a controlled disposition that names each unit or part, the approved action, responsible party, due date, shipment or work reference and inspection requirement. Replacement production must use the approved configuration revision and finish/batch controls identified by the technical team. Separate ‘replacement dispatched’ from ‘received’, ‘installed’, ‘tested’ and ‘accepted’.
Reconcile originals and replacements so that a late package cannot create duplicate stock or installation. Record the disposition of rejected, repaired and surplus items. If a credit or commercial settlement is agreed, link its authorised record without representing it as technical closure. If an insurer, carrier or court process remains open, preserve that status separately.
Close only when the named authority has verified the agreed result against objective evidence. Capture recurring causes only after competent review: document mapping, label design, packing verification, loading control, receiving inspection, storage or installation. A lessons-learned action should improve the next shipment without rewriting unresolved fault in the current one.
FAQ
Should the site sign a delivery note when damage is visible?
Follow the actual contract, carrier procedure and authorised site instructions. Record visible exceptions and preserve evidence promptly; this guide cannot determine the legal effect of a signature or reservation.
Is a photo enough to prove transit damage?
No. It records condition in a context. Identity, timing, packaging, custody, delivery records and often specialist inspection are needed before drawing a cause or liability conclusion.
Can local repair be faster than replacement?
Sometimes, but speed is only one input. The method, safety, appearance, performance, warranty/contract implications, evidence preservation, authority and closure test must be approved.
Does the CISG always apply to an international order?
No. Its application depends on scope rules, party locations, the contract, reservations and applicable private international law. Obtain transaction-specific legal advice.
When is the case closed?
When every affected identity has an authorised disposition and the agreed receiving, installation, test or other closure evidence is verified—not when a replacement invoice or tracking number appears.
Continue the project review
Connect this guide with the proposed window and door systems, then review how Cavorlen approaches manufacturing and quality control. When your schedule is ready, send it through the project review form.
Official sources used
UNCITRAL — CISG official text and status materials ↗UNCITRAL — Digest of Case Law on the CISG (2016 edition) ↗ICC — Incoterms rules: official purpose and scope ↗UNECE — Recommendation No. 18: Facilitation Measures Related to International Trade Procedures ↗Related buyer guides
This article is general procurement and evidence-control education. It is not legal, insurance, carrier-claim, engineering, installation, customs or dispute advice; it does not decide conformity, breach, fault, causation, title, acceptance, damages, limitation periods or a buyer's or seller's remedy. The CISG applies only when its own scope and the parties' contract make it applicable, and national law or agreed terms may change the analysis. This guide states no Cavorlen warranty, replacement, credit, freight, response-time or liability policy. Preserve evidence and obtain transaction-specific advice from authorised legal, insurance, logistics and technical professionals.