Pothole damages are a serious problem, especially at the moment. With the current rainfall, our pothole and sinkhole situation is shocking as councils just can’t keep up with this growing problem. Pothole damages can create serious issues with cars and motorcycles.
Hitting one at a low speed is less severe than a high speed impact, but damage does depend upon the pothole size and depth. Pothole damages can cause tyre slashes, punctures, nub caps, fork damage, wheel chips and steering misalignment, tracking issues, suspension problems and even make you come off your bike.
Should you hit a pothole pull over into a safe area and thoroughly check your bike/car. You may not notice some problems straight away, so keep a careful watch on anything unusual. If the hit was encountered at high speed in a deep pothole, your bike/ car should be checked by a technician to diagnose any potential serious issues.
After hitting a pothole, it is always wise to pullover into a safe location to take notes of all defects. These defects should include a sketch of the site, exact location details including landmarks, address, date and time, directions, distances, pothole measurements including depth, defects to your car, photos, videos and witnesses.
Collate as much information as possible to help with your report for claiming pothole damages. We may not have paper pens etc but most of us have a mobile and these have a notes facility and a camera, use something of a known size to compare the size of the pot hole. Once you have collected appropriate information at the scene, you can then proceed to have your bike/ car repaired if needed.
Visit several garages to get hold of a few quotes. Which garage you choose to do the repairs is entirely up to you, however make sure you keep all quotes, receipts and invoices. Photo copy all pieces of evidence; this includes the information you collated above, quotes, receipts, invoices plus letters and forms. When writing, or speaking to your council or court, bear in mind to remain courteous, polite and fair at all times.
Write to your local council and enclosed all copied pieces of evidence to support your claim. Often councils reject claims so if you feel this is unfair you can contact them again, but with the aim to see any inspection reports. Keep a copy of all future letters and correspondence just in case the claim goes to court.
Should you be rejected a second time contact your insurance company, or the CAB for legal advice. Pothole damages to your car are considered a collision in some areas and can be very expensive to repair. Only you can decide whether to pursue a claim and if it will be worth all the hassle. The process of reporting and claiming pothole damages is very lengthy and you will be liable to pay for all repairs upfront. Sometimes councils will make you an offer, seriously consider it as court proceedings are also costly and lengthy.
![Claiming compensation for pothole damages - Forums [Biker Match]](/images/backgrounds/strips/8mobileLQ.jpg)
![Claiming compensation for pothole damages - Forums [Biker Match]](/images/backgrounds/strips/8desktopLQ.jpg)
