European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 18, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes april procrastination May make it worse damage claims should be made Early by Bob Hoyer staff writer damage or loss of household goods should be reported promptly to your transportation All too often service members take months to notify authorities of potential damage officials some fail to act out of they others delay reporting because they abhor the for what Ever the can Cost service members and the government on most int Heater moves in the government has just seven Days to notify companies of damage or on International notification must be made within 45 failure to meet these deadlines Means the government must forfeit its right to file claims against moving in the government May deduct from the members eventual settlement the amount it lost by tardy we want people to notify us immediately when damage or loss said Jim Quality control officer at the Frankfurt consolidated personal property shipping the same procedure applies when a member returns to the if there is any Chance a claim willbe the transportation office at the new duty station should be notified Many members delay reporting because they know that under the Law they have two years to make a claim against the govern Branham because filing a claim is a detailed exer Cise in they simply ignore the reporting he and by ignoring they often Overlook important papers needed when they get around to Mak ing the damage and losses Arent but the unpleasantness wont be eased by de laying procrastination May even make it Branham in All instances the first step is to report damage to the transportation if claims Are to be made they must be filed with the Legal claims can be tedious but where losses and damages Are they Are a must if the service member wants reimburse Uncle Sam will pay up to for damage or losses of household goods and up to for loss of a privately owned vehicle shipped by the in extreme cases where household goods were destroyed by fire or traffic members have been paid enough to replace in other members were Short changed because of faulty for a claim to be documents must be in they must show that the Mem Ber owned the property being claimed and that it was Worth what is being missing or sketchy documentation can mean a reduction or loss of Peluso of the army claims service in says claims frequently show up with inventories that fail to identify the lost or damaged members need to be educated on the importance of an accurate Peru so some moving firms obfuscate the inventories As a Way of avoiding but when losses occur and inventories Are not service members Are the members must make sure that the inventory is a record of what is in the ship this must be done to protect their and it Means that members should be Alert As to How their inventories Are being made out by along with an accurate Peluso said it is important to save con owners and any other documents that reflect the for substantiation is Peluso so retaining Doc photos by Lynda Sparks Donald div support come 3rd Arnid compares shipping Zuments for anything that is of High such As electrical furs or is an absolute must if the member wants to protect once the shipment arrives at the new goods should be checked off the inventory As they Are brought into the members Are cautioned to note miss ing items on their deform 619 before signing claims paid usually Are based on the age of an its replacement repair costs and condition at the Point of As noted on the pictures of expensive items before and after damage May be submitted As exhibits along with in place of estimates will help establish values of older members should permit the government and the Carrier to inspect All damages and should retain All damaged items until they have been most items carry maximum reimburse ment regardless of Purchase the most the government will pay for a damaged or destroyed piano is the maximum on any other musical instrument is the most that can be recovered for a painting is the most for an Art collection is the maximum allowed for photographic equipment is per the Maxi mum for a Grandfather clock is up to will be paid per claim on and up to for computers and the a maximum allowed for stereo equip ment is per item and per the top claim on an Oriental carpet is on a carpet collection knowing these limits will help you pre pare for your if you think the total value of your House hold goods exceeds and if you own High value equipment that is Worth considerably More than the governments limited you May want to buy private insurance for your you May ask your transportation office or your Carrier about if you take you must be sure you dont collect for damage or losses any recovery from a commercial insurance firm must be deducted from your claim against the when transportation or Legal officers suspect such fraudulent they Call in criminal on the other Side of the claims picture Are members who simply ignore Small or moderate damage because they find the claims process too despite this indifference to the government takes a financial beating on the claims the problem is the formula under which the government is paid by carriers for dam age and that formula limits govern ment recovery to 60 cents a regard less of the value of lost or damaged under this the government would recover for destruction of a 500 Pound but the service member could receive up to if the piano was in Good similar recovery and payout Dis parities exist for Many High value Mynue