§15906 Liability of Pipeline Carriers Under Receipts and Bills of Lading

Summary

Pipeline carriers must give a receipt or bill of lading when they take property to move. The carrier that issues the paper and any carrier that delivers the property and is covered by this law are responsible to the person who can claim under that paper. They are responsible for the actual loss or damage the carrier caused while moving the goods in the United States, or from the United States to a nearby foreign country if shipped under a through bill of lading. Not giving a receipt does not remove the carrier’s responsibility. The carrier that paid the owner or delivered the goods can ask the carrier where the loss happened to pay back what was paid (shown by a receipt, court judgment, or transcript) and reasonable legal defense costs. Lawsuits can be filed in federal or state court where the defendant carrier runs a line. A carrier cannot require less than 9 months to file a claim or less than 2 years to start a lawsuit. The 2-year period starts when the carrier gives written notice that part of the claim is denied. A settlement offer or a note from an insurer does not count as a denial unless the carrier or the insurer writes that the claim part is denied, gives reasons, and the insurer says it is acting for the carrier.