Recourse against US Post Office

[JeffinVegas]

I would like to get some advice in regards to the US Post Office. My understanding is that you have no recourse against them but would not circumstances dictate that? My case is simple- I mailed a package via Registered Mail. This is supposed to be trackable and locked up with secure controls. I mailed the package( my parents cremains) with a family function designed around their arrival. The family showed up but the package did not. I queried the Post Office and used their site to track the packegae. They show accepting it but nothing further. I then made the first of three phone calls to their Tracking service number and got no response- not even a return phone call. I did get a case number with the promise to call back but , as I say, no calls. My last attempt got me a person who said they really could not do anything and to just go to the Post Office that I mailed it from. I did that and was promised a call back- and again , no call. I then contacted their customer service line again and was told that since I had already done so much leg work they would give me a special number to call. I did that and finally started getting return calls. The package- after 30 days in their hands, had not even shipped. It had gone to a procsssing point and stayed there. It finally shipped out and arrived at its' destination in Wisconsion. Of course. the family was no longer there having returned to their homes and the function was a failure.
My concerns are- is the Post Office responsible to reimburse for the monies spent to get my family to Wisconsin? The event cost about 9000 and since we had no ashes to spread, will have to do it all over again. My other question is that the stress, etc of this has been considerable not only on myself but the entire family. is there some recourse for that? I see they have a claim form- sf95- which looks like the first step in any action. Is there any action I can take or do I just resolve myself to never ever use the Post Office again?

 

[tranquility]

No, by statute. Even if you got insurance you would have a contractual right against the value of the item and not any consequential damages.

 

[You Are Guilty]

Registered Mail
Registered Mail™ provides the maximum security.
When you’re sending valuable or irreplaceable items through the mail, protect them with Registered Mail™.

Items you send with Registered Mail are placed under tight security from the point of mailing to the point of delivery, and insured up to $25,000 against loss or damage. And you can verify the date and time of delivery and the delivery attempts online.

http://www.usps.com/send/waystosendmail/extraservices/registeredmailservice.htm

Where does Registered Mail guarantee delivery on a certain date?

 

[JeffinVegas]

My receipt showed a delivery date- expected for three days after I mailed it which the clerk confirmed. It arrived 30 days later to the day.

 

[justalayman]

My receipt showed a delivery date- expected for three days after I mailed it which the clerk confirmed. It arrived 30 days later to the day.

expected but not guaranteed.

I expect my kids to be perfect.

guess how that ends up.

 

[tranquility]

Even if expected, or guaranteed, the Post Office is protected by statute for this type of suit.

 

[JeffinVegas]

I find it a bit disappointing that an entity is so protected that even when they do not follow their own procedures, fail at doing their job, there is no action. If it was a case of an unforseen event , then I would understand but when policies were clearly in place to prevent not only the delay of a package but the inability to even know where that package is thereby creating tremendous stress on the party mailing it, it just makes no sense. At this point about all I can do is write a few letters to my Congressperson and the Post Office but other than further funding their incompetent organziation by the use of mail( and of course I will send emails though they do not have the same impact that a letter has imho). Seems a shame that we protect those so thoroughly who are here to serve.
Thanks to all for the info

 

[ecmst12]

The power of the almighty dollar - next time, use UPS or Fedex.

Now that I think of it, why would you spend $9000 to organize this event, but then use the absolute cheapest trackable shipping method available? If you'd used even priority mail, you likely would have had better results.

 

[Zigner]

I'm not even convinced that shipping human remains is even allowable without some "extra" work.

 

[JeffinVegas]

I would have used Fedex or UPS but they do not ship cremains. The option was to use the Post Office or take it with me to the airport. Funny thing is when I called the Airline as to regulations, they had no idea and had to look it up. And then the source was from a couple of years ago. I had this image of trying to do this at the airpiort the day of my flight, running into typical beauracracy and no one having a clue and having them taken away from me since they are hazardous materials. I thought I was using the best way- it is trackable according to their info but in my case, they just lost it for 30 days.
And you have to ship via Registered mail for this type of item which is the safest most reliavble way for the Post office to mail the package(their words , not mine).
Lesson learned- If there is a next time, I will drive.