Hit Hole, blew out tire

It most likely won't do you any good. Such damages can be filed with your insurance carrier, assuming you have comprehensive coverage. Some tires include Road Hazard warranties, also.

Nan

If there is a continuing dangerous condition, you could advise the city.

But don't expect any reimbursement. You are own your own, unless your private insurance coverage will take care of you.

Your tire may well be ruined, you could have a bent wheel, and you could have suffered some suspension damage.

Sorry.

But, you weren't killed. Think of what could have happened.

I tore my sidewall out on a piece of rebar sticking out of the middle of the road in downtown DC. Called up the police and they said they didn't take reports of that kind of thing. Of course, that was back when Barry was mayor and they were taking reports of shootings over the phone rather than sending someone out, so things have probably improved.

--scott

As a future note, you ought to quit driving faster than you can see ahead. Be glad you didn't get yourself killed.

that happened to me about 20 years ago. I was driving down the road, hit a chuckhole, and drove home.... five minutes after I got home, I head a loud POP... couldn't figure it out.

next morning, the tire on the car was flat... at least I got home, and could change it in the driveway. and I had road hazard on the tires.. they were 6 months old, and I got a new one under road hazard

Many jurisdictions have some venue for at least filing such a claim, and some actually might pay. Without information on where you were it's hard to advise further, but search engines probably can help a lot. Knowing who is responsible (state highway department, the city, the county...) is important. I

I don't think the police would be interested in the crime if any that was involved (e.g., the removal of warning pylons), since the trail is probably pretty cold, but filing it as an accident report might get your side of things on the record and perhaps even induce them to take a picture of the scene (can you still do so, yourself?).

It might help your case that this isn't road damage, but the unmarked result of some intentional act (one might even argue that they should have put a trench plate over a hole of those proportions, rather than just a pylon -- a one foot deep hole is big enough to get somebody seriously hurt even if they are going at a sensible speed).

You might consider getting a lawyer who specializes in traffic issues, and definitely you'll want to have a body shop look it over and assess any other damage (again, I have no doubt that that was a pretty good whomp even at modest and legal speeds).

Best of luck,

--Joe

In my state, if someone has already reported the pothole and it was not fixed in 48 hours or so, the municipality is responsible for damages. People who pursue their claims do get paid. However, when the pothole has been marked, I don't know where that leaves you. In the neighborhood you describe, one might reasonably expect that a simple cone would get moved. They should have plated that big of a hole. I think you should notify the municipality in writing first, then check the laws in your area and decide what to do based on damages. If there is no clear precedent to breach government immunity, you are SOL.

In my area, you'd file a claim with the government that administers that road. Did you take photos? Any witnesses?

Our first customer this morning had a blown tire, from a piece of metal left by road construction crews. She immediately pulled into a Wendy's and saw 3 other cars with blown out tires