Narrative Summary

I shipped two heavy, 20-pound steel gears in a single large box to save my buyer on shipping costs. I isolated them with thick foam, and the total package weight was 42 pounds. The box suffered a massive drop, bursting the corner and heavily scratching one of the gears. UPS denied my $450 claim. They argued that combining two heavy, dense objects created a "load shift hazard" that overwhelmed the burst strength of the carton.

The Resolution Strategy

When multiple heavy items break out of a box, adjusters instinctively blame the combined weight, assuming the shipper cheaped out on packaging and overloaded the carton.

The Authori claims platform generated an appeal that countered this by mapping the package directly to UPS Packaging Guidelines § 3.1.

The drafted letter didn't just argue that the box was strong; it provided a photo of the Box Maker's Certificate showing an ECT rating of 44, which UPS guidelines explicitly certify for a maximum gross weight of 65 pounds. The appeal successfully argued that a 42-pound payload was fully compliant, and that the "load shift" was impossible due to the internal foam isolation. Because the package mathematically met the structural requirements for its weight class, UPS had to admit a massive drop caused the blowout. They approved the $450 payout.