My guess...
While your bike was in transport with the front wheel out -- and the box being dragged along the tarmac with enough force to bend your forks(!) -- something probably pressed in on that one brake arm enough to deform the spring, causing it to ride closer to the rim.
Yes, the linear springs on v-brakes are quite elastic and can be bent in this way. I have yet to receive a pair from the Shimano factory with equal spring tension and set mine up with the spring-tension adjusting screws backed out equally, then set the tension by bending the springs lightly. I once ran into a Shimano rep at a MTB race and he confirmed this was his own preferred method for initial setup.
The springs are not coils in the strictest sense, more like one coil and the rest laid out in a line. Simply use a fingernail to unhook the end from the peg that holds it, then pull gently out a bit under tension, then rehook it under its mount and try again. Normal function should be restored quickly. If not, you can try again. The tension-adjustment screws that bear on the lower spring ends can be used for fine adjustment.
Hope this helps.
All the best,
Dan.
