Brokers that went out of business
When a broker shuts its doors or files bankruptcy, your invoices don't vanish. We file surety bond claims, proofs of claim, and pursue the shipper and principals where the law allows.
Broker bankruptcy & insolvency
Transportation law · Carrier collections
You hauled the load. You deserve to get paid.
Carrier Counsel represents trucking companies against brokers that went out of business, shippers that won't pay, and fraud operations that charged you unlawfully. We recover what you're owed, and you don't pay us unless we do.
Contingency fee on most collection matters · Nationwide representation for carriers of every size · Bilingual intake available
Time matters
The four-year rule.
An unpaid freight invoice is a breach of contract. In most states you have up to four years from the date it went unpaid to file suit. Broker bond claims and bankruptcy proof-of-claim deadlines are far shorter, and the money is often gone long before the legal deadline.
Every week an invoice sits unpaid, the odds of recovery drop. Send us the paperwork and we'll tell you where you stand within one business day.
Check my deadline$75,000Federal surety bond every licensed broker must carry (BMC-84/85). We file your claim before it's exhausted.
4 yearsTypical contract limitations period for unpaid freight in most states. Bond and bankruptcy deadlines are far shorter.
48 statesWe pursue debtors wherever they are, with local counsel where needed.
0 upfrontMost matters handled on contingency. No recovery, no attorney's fee.
What we do
Three ways carriers lose money. Three ways we get it back.
Our entire practice is carrier-side freight collections. We know the paperwork, the players, and the pressure points.
Shippers that don't pay
Slow-pay that turned into no-pay. Disputed accessorials. "We paid the broker." We enforce the bill of lading, the rate confirmation, and your rights under federal and state law.
Unpaid shipper claimsFraud and unlawful charges
Double brokering, identity theft, phantom chargebacks, bogus "quick pay" fees, and deductions no contract authorized. We trace the money and hold the responsible parties accountable.
Freight fraud & chargebacks
How it works
From unpaid invoice to money in your account
A clear process, built for owner-operators and fleets who have a business to run.
Send us the file
Rate confirmation, bill of lading, proof of delivery, invoice, and any emails. Upload through our secure intake form or send it by email.
Free evaluation
Within one business day, we tell you who is liable, what deadlines apply, and what recovery looks like. No fee for the review.
Demand and pressure
Attorney demand letters, bond claims, lien notices, and credit reporting where lawful. Most matters resolve here.
Litigate if needed
If they still don't pay, we sue in the right court, get a judgment, and enforce it against bank accounts, receivables, and assets.
Why carriers choose us
We speak trucking. We litigate collections. That combination is rare.
General collection agencies don't understand a Section 7 non-recourse box, a BMC-84 bond, or why a broker's "carrier packet" matters. General business lawyers don't know which court to file in when the debtor is a Delaware LLC brokering out of Illinois for a shipper in Texas. We do both, every day.
- Carrier-only. We never represent brokers or shippers against carriers, so there is no conflict when it's time to fight.
- Contingency pricing. On most matters our fee is a percentage of what we actually collect. If we recover nothing, you owe no attorney's fee.
- Fast intake. Send documents today, hear back tomorrow. Deadlines don't wait, and neither do we.
- Volume friendly. Fleets can send us an aging report and we'll triage the whole book of unpaid invoices.
- Preference defense. Got a letter from a bankruptcy trustee demanding you return money a broker paid you? We defend those too.
Bring these documents if you have them
- Rate confirmation or load tender
- Bill of lading and signed proof of delivery
- Your invoice and any statements sent
- Broker–carrier agreement or carrier packet
- Emails, texts, and load board messages
- Factoring agreement, if the load was factored
- Any notice of bankruptcy or bond claim you received
Missing something? Send what you have. We can usually reconstruct the rest.
Results
What carriers say
"The broker filed Chapter 7 with eleven of our loads unpaid. They got the bond claim in before it was drained and then went after the shipper. We recovered almost all of it."
"A shipper strung me along for five months. One demand letter on law firm letterhead and I had a check in two weeks."
"Someone double-brokered our loads and we were getting chargebacks for freight we delivered clean. They untangled it and got the deductions reversed."
Illustrative client experiences. Details changed to protect confidentiality. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
FAQ
Questions carriers ask us
The broker went out of business. Is my money gone?
Not necessarily. Every licensed broker must maintain a $75,000 surety bond or trust fund. You can file a claim against it, but it pays first come, first served and is often exhausted within weeks. In many situations the shipper can also be liable for the freight charges even though it already paid the broker. If the broker filed bankruptcy, you may also file a proof of claim in the case. The right move depends on your documents, and that is exactly what our free evaluation covers.
How long do I have to sue for unpaid freight charges?
An unpaid invoice is a breach of contract claim, and in most states the statute of limitations for that is four years from the date payment came due. Some states allow more, a few allow less, and the period can differ for written versus oral agreements. Bond claims and bankruptcy bar dates are measured in weeks, not years. Whatever the legal deadline, the practical deadline is sooner: the longer an invoice sits, the more likely the debtor's money is gone. Send us the file and we will confirm your deadline in writing.
What does it cost?
Most collection matters are handled on a contingency fee: we take an agreed percentage of what we recover and you pay no attorney's fee if we recover nothing. Court filing fees and similar costs are handled as described in your engagement letter. Some matters, like defending a bankruptcy preference demand, are handled on a flat or hourly basis. We tell you up front which applies.
My loads were factored. Can I still hire you?
Usually, yes. The factoring company may own the receivable, in which case we coordinate with them, or the invoice may have been charged back to you, in which case you have the claim. Send us the factoring agreement and we will sort out who has standing.
I got a letter from a bankruptcy trustee demanding I pay back money a broker paid me. Is that real?
Yes. In bankruptcy, payments made in the 90 days before the filing can be clawed back as "preferences." There are strong defenses, including ordinary course of business and new value, and trustees frequently settle for a fraction of the demand. Do not ignore the letter and do not pay it without talking to a lawyer.
Do you handle small claims?
We take single-load claims and full aging reports. Smaller balances are often best handled with demand letters and bond claims rather than litigation, and we will tell you honestly when the cost of suing outweighs the recovery.