DHL late delivery - any comeback?

Have been on the phone to DHL all day today & yesterday trying to track a package - it arrived in Dublin airport yesterday morning & I was told it was with the courier all day yesterday but then he was too busy & didnt get around to delivering it. So its 5.15 today and I still havent received it (ie. day 2 sitting in courier van - 'on its way'!). I even offered to go & pick it up from the courier but they could not seem to locate him all day!
This was v important document & basically becuase I do not have it in the post today the company I work for will be liable for 12k fine.
I understand that there was a case 'Hadley v Baxtendale' & that the courier company were not found liable but only becuase they were not informed of the urgency...........hoping that I can recharge the 12k to DHL?

Just wondering if anyone else has any experience of successfully recharging on costs incurred becuase of late delivery?

3 questions

What class of service did you or the sender pay for? Courier companies will normally guarantee it to be there by such and such time if you are will to pay for it - if it was over this time you have a chance of some comeback - do you have an account with them - if you do I would be on to the Rep straight away and give them hell!

Was from another EU country or from outside the EU ?

Was it insured?

to be honest with you , speaking as the shipping manager I have found the above company to be a disaster when it comes to this sort of thing and everytime their Rep comes round I tell exactly the same thing - We use the other 2 American carriers (not sure if im allowed plug companies on this site) miles better and far more reliable and most importantly , are able to recover quicker when the s**T hits the fan as in your case