doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Post Office Refusing to Pay

I had a garbi heavily damaged in shipping by the USPS while being returned to from a gunsmith. I filed a claim for damages. The post office states that this item was classified as "nonmailable" and therefore refused to pay for repairs. They have cited 18 USC 1715, which states "Postal regulations prohibit mailing of certain types of items, including alcoholic beverages and certain firearms. Pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed on a person are nonmailable except when mailed between authorized dealers.." I don't believe a shotgun fits the above definition and I need to file an appeal. Can someone provide input on how best argue this matter? Are there any solid legal interpretations of this code out there?

Contact the postal consumer advocate. This is the exact thing they deal with and they will help you. They helped me in the exact situation refusing to pay. They are actually a branch of the post office. They quoted the same thing to me and when I got that to the postal consumer advocate he said "When is the last time you saw an LC Smith down someone's pants". He was a gun guy and with a couple of phone calls got it taken care of. JW

Wow, this entire claims process is not going smooth. My observations are USPS employees do not know USPS rules for shipping guns. For example, when I spoke with a claims rep she laughed at me when I told her that my shotgun is a long gun and therefore can legally be shipped to me from my gunsmith. Her response was "it's a gun isn't it". I'm trying to figure out how to contact my postal consumer advocate in Indiana. Customer service doesn't seem to recognize this wing of the USPS and the numbers listed on the website lead into beauracracy. Thanks for the response however.

I deal directly with my Postmaster rather than to fill out forms that clerks give me. I have never been disappointed.

Eightbore is right, fo directly to the postmaster, then the advocate, then your Congressman! Believe me they do not want an inquiry from Congress. Document every conversation in writing back to the individual and keep records of phone conversations dated and time noted. This will take time. You will prevail, but you will not feel good about the Govt.

This is exactly why I refuse to use the US Postal Service for anything except mailing my monthly bills...and even then they can screw it up!
The Postmaster in my town runs two locations and isn't smart enough to know which side of the stamp to lick. Everyone has a carrier horror story, but give me UPS or Fed-X anytime...USPS...NEVER.

HA! Sharpsrifle,you don't have much experience with the competition, obviously. Use Registered Mail, insure it, and you shouldn't have any problems. Mailing your monthly bills with an unreliable service could cost you as much as a lost gun. The last time I was late on my Visa bill, it cost me hours of time sorting it out.

HA...my @$$...why would I pay even more for lousy service? I just tried to use USPS Tracking on a check I paid extra to mail CERTIFIED...wanted to confirm it was delivered today. Guess what...can't even access the bloody USPS site!!! The only thing the Postal Service is good at here is delivering my mail to my neighbors and vice versa. btw - I am in the NW Chicago suburbs...nothing works here.

USPS workers, unless you are talking to someone in the legal department who identifies himself or herself as a lawyer, are not lawyers. So, don't expect them to understand the law. And claims representatives, no matter what organization they represent, are mostly trained to deny claims first and last.

You don't say where in Indiana you live. First page of a search for "Indiana lawyer NRA" turned up Paul Danko. Don't know him or endorse him, but it's a start.

Wording and timing in any appeal process is critical. I suggest you get some professional help if you have a significant amount of money at stake. I don't advocate asking for free representation, but professionals who know what they are doing and can resolve a problem quickly that is near to their heart may do it for the satisfaction of helping a kindred spirit. Best of luck.

skatr2

X2 Never a problem with registered,every person who touchs the package has to sign for it,slow but its gets there intact.
I,also, now pay my bills online,much easier and never a problem with late (I swear they through 2 or 3 bags of maile on the side and let them sit just to run up the fees)