Monetary Law – A Return Shipment that Arrived Damaged
Question
Hi,We sent books to a certain school according to their order, for which payment was made, but by mistake we sent them double the amount. We asked them to carefully pack the extra books and we would send a courier to collect them.The return arrived to us in a huge box (not the original one), open, with the contents mixed up and partly spilled at the entrance of our home. Most of the books are bent and dirty, not suitable for resale.The person in charge says she wasn’t on site when the courier came, and she believes they did pack them properly, and that it’s the shipping company’s fault. But the reality shows otherwise… and from our experience, returns usually arrive in good condition.Who is responsible for the damage?
Answer
Shalom uVracha,
Response of the Dayanim of the Beis Hora’ah:
If there is proof that it was not packed properly, the school is liable.
If there is no such proof, they can claim that the shipping company was negligent, and they cannot be held liable.