Originally Posted by
WineCountryUA
Being an international flight you may get some minimal compensation but generally is best in this situation to remove the computer from the bag and take the computer onboard with you.
This is key. On a purely domestic itinerary, UA's liability is zero -- they specifically exclude liability for damage to electronics in the Contract of Carriage, and DOT policy allows for exclusions documented in this way. However, for international travel, including domestic connecting travel, UA is not allowed to exclude liability in this way.
Per the Montreal Convention, UA's liability for baggage issues is capped at 1,131 Special Drawing Rights (the unit of account for the IMF). At current exchange rates, that's about $1,627. Any compensation above that amount is a matter of UA's goodwill.
As to how it will be handled -- that's up to you. I would take it in immediately to show them the damage and then determine what the best course of action is. If they want you to leave it with them, tell them that you need to remove sensitive data first and you can bring it back.
You should also follow up with your employer, especially if they actually own the device. They may want to follow up with United on their own.