Collection of debts for transport orders

Recovery of debts for transport orders

In the field of international transport, even the most reliable partners sometimes delay payment. Regardless of the reasons — financial difficulties, misunderstandings in documents or attempts to avoid obligations — debts for transport orders can paralyse a company's activities. That is why it is important not only to react quickly, but also to act in a legally competent manner.

Consultant's specialists in Poland help transport companies, freight forwarders and carriers to collect debts from both Polish and foreign contractors, ensuring real recovery of funds and minimising risks in the future.

Legal analysis of the situation and preparation of documents

Before starting the collection procedure, it is important to conduct a thorough audit of all documents confirming the performance of the transport. Without clear evidence, even an obvious debt can be difficult to prove in court.

The initial stage includes:

• verification of the transport contract, CMR consignment note, invoices and delivery confirmations;
• assessment of the prospects for debt recovery (including in an international context);
• sending an official claim to the debtor in Polish or English;
• determining jurisdiction — in Poland or at the place of registration of the counterparty.

Once a high-quality package of documents has been prepared, the lawyer can move on to the active phase — pre-trial settlement or legal action.

This approach reduces the time required for consideration and increases the chances of voluntary debt repayment.

Pre-trial settlement of a dispute

The pre-trial stage is often the most effective, as it allows you to avoid lengthy court proceedings and preserve business relationships.

The Consultant team helps to:

• prepare a legally substantiated claim against the debtor with the calculation of penalties and interest;
• conduct official negotiations with the counterparty or its lawyer;
• conclude a settlement agreement or a schedule of partial payments;
• document the agreements to avoid further disputes.

As practice shows, in more than 60% of cases, debtors agree to voluntary repayment after receiving an official letter from a lawyer.

This saves the company time, money and reputational risks.

Judicial enforcement and enforcement proceedings

If the debtor ignores the claims, the case goes to court. It is important to act quickly so as not to lose the opportunity for actual recovery due to the liquidation of the company or the sale of assets.

At this stage, Consultant's lawyers carry out the following:

1. preparation of a statement of claim to a Polish court or the European Small Claims Court (in cases of international debts);
2. representation of the client in court, participation in hearings and correspondence with the court;
3. obtaining a writ of execution and transferring the case to a bailiff (court enforcement officer);
4. monitoring the enforcement process, seizure of the debtor's accounts or property.

After the court proceedings are completed, the lawyer also helps to restore document flow and adjust the company's internal policies to avoid similar situations in the future.