When mailing a package, you normally buy insurance to guarantee it arrives at it's destination undamaged. If not, you're supposed to be compensated.

Mildred Wakefield's daughter-in-law mailed her a laptop and wireless router almost a year ago. It still has not arrived.

After weeks of trying to find her laptop, she went to the post office and was told that the computer had been delivered.

It had been delivered to the right address but wrong street. The person who signed for it told the post office he dropped it off at Mildren's door-step.

Wakefield was told she did not need to file a claim because it wasn't lost or damaged.

Finally, fed up by the run around, Wakefield filed a claim only to have it rejected.

"From the date of mailing you have 180 days. And this was just right beyond that time frame. That's one of the quirks of this particular case," said Lavelle Pepper, postal spokesman.

Since the laptop was mis-delivered, and it was the postal services fault, they've since had a change of heart. The check for the laptop will be in the mail by the end of the week.

Pepper says it's not often customers have to file claims because packages have been lost or damaged.

To ensure your special delivery arrives to it's destination -- and in one piece -- Pepper says make sure it's well packaged.

Contact the post office and have it tracked. If it's still not found, file a claim immediately.