Can I Claim Freight Damage After 48 Hours If the Crate Stayed Unopened?

The published freight damage window is 48 hours after receipt of your shipment, and the clock starts when the crate is received, not when it is opened. Leaving the crate sealed does not pause or extend the window, and the published policy lists no exception for a crate that stayed unopened. If you are already past 48 hours, open the crate now, document everything and report what you find right away. The rule itself is explained in What Is the Freight Damage 48-Hour Window on a Walk-In Tub Delivery?

Why an Unopened Crate Does Not Stop the Clock

The window is tied to one event, the receipt of your shipment. Within those 48 hours you are expected to carefully open the crate, save all packaging material, and inspect the tub for concealed damage before filing. The window covers obvious crate damage as well as concealed damage discovered during a visual and operational inspection. Concealed damage is the kind you cannot see until the packaging comes off, which is exactly why opening the crate is part of what the 48 hours are for.

It helps to separate two things that often get mixed together. There is no deadline to install an Ella walk-in tub after delivery, so it is perfectly fine for a tub to wait in the garage until your installer is ready. The inspection is different. The clock runs from receipt, not from installation day and not from the day the crate is opened. Storing the tub can wait as long as you like, but opening and checking it cannot.

You may also have seen an older video mention a five-business-day period. That figure is superseded, and the published 48-hour window is the one that applies.

What to Do Today If the 48 Hours Have Already Passed

The good news is that the steps are the same ones you would have taken on day one, and the sooner you take them the better. The published guidance says a problem is easier to resolve when it is reported inside the window than after the tub is set in place, so do not let more time pass and do not install anything first.

1. Photograph the crate on every side before you open it, so the condition of the packaging is on record.
2. Open the packaging carefully and save all of it. Keep the crate until your installation is complete.
3. Inspect the tub thoroughly. Check all surfaces and all connections for concealed damage.
4. Account for the loose items. Drain handles, the headrest and hardware are packed inside the tub or in an envelope on top of the wrap, so look there before reporting anything missing.
5. Run an operational inspection as well as a visual one. Whenever possible, fill the tub before installation and run the systems to confirm everything works.
6. Gather your paperwork: photos of the damage and of the crate, your invoice, your order number and your signed bill of lading.
7. Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 the same day. Say when the shipment was received, when the crate was opened and what you found.
8. If a dealer or retailer holds your order, report the damage to them as well.

Be plain about the dates. The published policy does not describe an extension for late reports, so this article cannot promise an outcome. A complete, honest report with clear photos gives the team everything it needs to tell you what is possible for your order.

What Your Bill of Lading Says About a Late Report

The bill of lading is the freight paperwork you signed at the curb. It records what the carrier handed over and the condition it was in, and it matters even more when the crate was opened late. Find your copy and read what was written on it before you call.

• Damage was noted and the driver signed next to it. Damage written on the bill of lading and signed by the driver is what makes a freight claim valid, so that note is your strongest record.
• You signed with the words "subject to further inspection". That wording tells the carrier your inspection was still to come because the unit could not be fully inspected on the spot.
• You signed it clean. A clean signature tells the carrier the shipment arrived in good condition, and damage that is not on the delivery documents cannot be claimed properly. Tell the team this up front so they can advise you from the real starting point.

Send a copy of the document with your ticket whichever of these applies. Our guide to what a bill of lading is and how to sign it covers the paperwork in full.

What Usually Happens Once Damage Is on Record

In most cases a damaged part is replaced rather than the whole tub. The replacement part ships to you, and your local licensed plumber or electrician fits it when it arrives, since Ella does not send technicians. Because there is no deadline to install, you can also wait for the part so your installer makes a single trip. The article on installing while a freight damage claim is pending explains when going ahead is reasonable.

The one situation where you should hold off is damage serious enough that the whole unit may need to go back. Returns and exchanges are not available on installed products, and returns are only accepted in original packaging. That is one more reason to keep the crate and every insert. The 30-day return policy runs unless otherwise stipulated in your invoice and applies to brand new, uninstalled products, so have your invoice handy when you contact the team.

Treating Delivery Day as Inspection Day Next Time

The shipping video on this page shows how each tub is prepared and what to do when it arrives. After assembly the tub is tested and inspected to make sure it is leak free and the pumps and motors are running. Small items are individually wrapped and placed in the tub or under the frame. The tub is wrapped in plastic and bubble wrap, then boxed in a wooden crate or a reinforced cardboard container. The video then walks through the visual inspection of the crate at delivery.

• Some scuffs and light scrapes on the container are normal. The shipping container is designed to absorb damage and protect your tub.
• Document those scuffs and scrapes with photos on your phone anyway, and record the details on the delivery document.
• If the crate is severely damaged and you suspect product damage, you can reject the delivery. Call (800) 480-6850 immediately to discuss it.
• If you cannot inspect fully before signing, write "subject to further inspection" next to your signature.

Then open the crate and complete the visual and operational inspection inside the window, even if installation is still weeks away. The step-by-step version is in what to do in the first 48 hours.

Watch: Fast, Safe Shipping & Hassle-Free Returns | Ella’s Bubbles Walk-In Tubs with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• My order arrived damaged, how do I file a freight damage claim?
• What If I Find Concealed Shipping Damage After Signing the Delivery Receipt?

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