GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 22, 2026

Damage

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Last updated: 22 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://www.bvl.de/glossar/besch%C3%A4digung

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Logistics Concept

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Definition & Explanation

Freight forwarders, carriers, and insurers apply the term damage to any physical or chemical alteration of goods – during transit or storage – that reduces their functionality, marketability, or economic value without amounting to total loss. The distinction matters legally: liability caps and compensation calculations differ depending on whether goods are damaged or lost entirely. Responsibility is tied to custody at the moment of damage, which makes condition reports and handover records at every transfer point essential. Conventions such as CMR and applicable IATA conditions set out notification deadlines and liability limits in explicit terms.

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