Pothole damage, can I claim?

[Richard]

On the way home in the C5 last night I hit a deep pothole. The wheel trim has gone and the wheel rim is bent. I didn't have a proper look at the tyre but I doubt it enjoyed the experience.The wheel is one of those ridiculous, and perhaps unique to the C5, alloys with wheeltrims and the tyre is a nearly new Goodyear Excellence. Neither will be cheap to replace. Can I claim this from the council or is it just tough shit?

[scooters]

yes - you need to provide evidence though - here's what to do:return to the site, take photos of the pothole measure the pothole including depth - if safe to do so!photo the damage on your tyrewrite to the roads dept of the local authority responsible for the road - state the time, circumstances, speed, weather conditions, traffic - state that you were unable to avoid the hole due to the above. Send your photos and the receipts showing the tyres - relevant for the date bought.Most reasonable councils will offer you a contributuion towards the damage - they do in edinburgh anyway , a mate was able to claim 80% of the cost of a tyre for his girls blouse Porsche Cayenne - the tyre was 2000 miles worn - so the council facotred in the damage.I got 300 quid for suspension damage to my double six last year thanks to a pothole.This isn't compensation culture - potholes are dangerous especially to cyclists and motorbikes/scooters and can kill people - we pay road tax and VAT and council tax for them to maintain the roads - modern cars have expensive rubber - I would claim - I probably wouldn't bother for my shite but then the tyres are cheaper!

[Richard]

Thanks, I'll compile my case today.If it had happened to the Volvo I'd have grumbled a bit and picked up a wheel at U-Pull-It but I've spent a fair bit of money trying to stop the C5 descending into shitedom. I don't know if there is visible damage to the tyre but I don't trust a tyre that's been hit that hard.

[CIH]

May have bent a suspension arm or some such too. Usually, but obviously not always, if the wheel has compressed the suspension is ok.Oh and not unique to chitroen. Ford, Vauxhall etc

[trigger]

My sister blew the tyre out and bent the rim on her Saxo a few years ago on a pothole, She claimed against the council and they did pay out o.k for a new alloy and tyre.

 

This website should help you with what to do.

 

http://www.potholes.co.uk/

[Waderider]

I wrecked a fancy bicycle rim last winter on roads near Glasgow, and South Lanarkshire paid me £150 for a new rim and respoke. As mentioned, take lots of photos, keep all receipts etc. and be prepared for an administrative process that takes several months.Unfortunately accountants sit down and balance claims received against the cost of perfect roads.....really gets on my tits as a vulnerable road user. The road I had my incident on (Highflatts Road, Cathkin Braes, South Glasgow), was resurfaced within a fortnight of my claim. Moral of the story, they can fill in the evidence pronto.My first step was to report the pothole to the council, then I asked to get through to their claims department. They sent me the relevant paperwork to kick things off.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

you're never gonna have 100% perfect roads though, as soon as theres a freeza a load of potholes open up, its an ongoing thing.

[pompei]

 

[j-j]

The road I had my incident on (Highflatts Road, Cathkin Braes, South Glasgow)

- very close to where I live.I'm actually surprised that they paid out for a bicycle TBH.Also, Richard - get the photo/dimensions prompt like as I've heard tale of the council filling these holes in very quickly (usually with shite quality tar) and there goes your photo op..

[Richard]

I got my pictures this morning, by which time the hole had expanded considerably. There were quite a few wheel trims scattered around, which would probable represent well under half the cars damaged.I reported it to the council so they could get it coned off, and asked about submitting a claim. I have to wait until the 4th of January and pick up a form.

[pompei]

In cases like this, is it helpful to use an old fashioned film camera in case they claim you've digitally tampered with the evidence?I once appealed against a parking ticket and took a load of Polaroid pics of the car and the yellow lines, as I used to use one for work.Maybe invest in a cheapo disposable 35mm point 'n' shoot?

[KruJoe]

Tim hits the streets to assess the damage potholes do to our car, and more importantly, find out just what we can do about it.

A good video intro to the subject - just turn the sound off for the advert first.

[Lankytim]

About a couple of months ago I was going round the top of the M25 in a brand new Transit. On this section the road surface is concrete and a huge chunk had broken away and turned upsidedown in its hole, effectively leaving a large kerb like object jutting upwards in lane 2. I managed to just squeak by without hitting it but half a mile or so down the road there was 15 cars all with blowouts caused by the lump of concrete. Some had both the offside tyres blown out and the rims bent, including a newish range rover with huge alloy wheels. Further down the M25 there was another 3 cars that had suffered punctures rather than total blowouts. I dunno who would have been liable for all the damage, seeing as damaged pieces of carraigeway cant be repaired or coned off "instantly" but I recon there was a fair few thousand pounds worth of smashed wheels, wrecked tyres and bent steering to be paid for. Id certainly be trying to claim if it had happened to me!

[FredTransit]

I read somewhere it's cheaper to pay out claims than to just fill in the holes. If there are enough claims, they get filled in....