A friend called me recently to pick her up in Arlington. She was driving a jetta and hit a construction dip/pot hole and it ripped her oil pan right off. The Jetta is not what I'd consider low to the ground (it is at stock height). While I was there waiting for a tow truck with her, a station wagon (looked like a bmw) was also disabled by the same spot. A guy with a truck pulling a trailer almost went off the road because the trailer lost all control. The spot is heading East in the right lane right before 66. I think it was lee hwy/sycamore. Just giving you guys a heads up if you drive through there.

 

Good call Mike!

 

wow, Yea a Jetta is not that low and if her oil pan is getting ripped off I think they need to do something about that road soon!!

 

now would the state have to pay for her new oil pan sense it was their sh*tty road that messed it up?

 

From what I've seen in the past...no they dont have to.

Someone at work had their car SERIOUSLY damaged... suspension gone (including control arms and everything on one corner), extensive underbody damage, wheel went into the fender so fender was damaged, front bumper ruined and some other stuff. They filed claim with insurance and the insurance was going to try to go after the local gov. but in the end the insurance wasn't able to get any money.

BTW, this happened in DC...

 

Wow, that's rough. I think in order for the government to pay (depending on location, of course) they have to have had that location reported before and basically have had to been negligent in repairing it. Another variation I have seen is if the construction of the road was improper to begin with (eg no drainage in one spot that makes a 2 foot puddle). Otherwise, from what I understand, the government is pretty much off the hook.

 

Thanks for the heads up

 

it's still worth calling whomever is responsible for that section of road (state, city, county) and filing a claim. They may pay or they may pay part of it or they may not pay anything, but it's not unheard of for them to work with folks that have had their cars damaged by pot holes and road problems.

 

thanks for the heads up mike

 

If it were a construction or pothole repair not marked, then yes, the city, county, state is liable. If it is just a pothole and hasn't been worked on, then I believe they are not liable. airgate won his case against someplace in NC based on the fact that the site was unmarked.