A bill of lading functions as a receipt for goods, evidence of the contract of carriage, and in some forms a document of title. It identifies the shipper, consignee, carrier, commodity, weight, and pickup and delivery locations.
It also indicates whether the shipper loaded and sealed the trailer.
Alternative Names:
Bill of Lading, BOL
Why it Matters?
In injury litigation the bill of lading establishes the trip's purpose, timing, and the entities involved, which supports reconstructing the driver's schedule against hours of service limits. The shipper load and count notation matters for cargo securement disputes, since it indicates who loaded the trailer. It also identifies the broker or shipper for potential liability analysis.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What does a bill of lading establish in an injury case?
What does shipper load and count mean?
