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Overcast Potholes damaging vehicles and roads
Drivers across Long Island are on the lookout for disintegrating road surfaces and widening potholes. If your vehicle is damaged in an encounter with a pothole, the local municipality may be liable for the damage. It is important to notify the village, town or county of the location of the pothole, or you will have no potential liability claim.
Michael Deery, director of communications for the Town of Hempstead, said the town is doing its best to keep up with the problem. The town is asking people to report potholes by calling (516) 489-6000. “Someone will be dispatched either the same day or within a few days to investigate,” Deery said. If the town does not know about the damaged road, it is not liable, so it is important to report potholes, even if you are not a local resident.
Once the town is notified about a pothole, and a “reasonable amount of time” is allowed to make repairs, the town is liable for subsequent damage to vehicles.
According to town code, the town clerk or commissioner of highways most be notified in person, or by registered or certified letter, of the damage to a vehicle. A written notice must include the location where the damage occurred, and a description of the road as well as the damage to the vehicle.
Mary Studdert, a spokeswoman for the Nassau County Department of Public Works, confirmed what many drivers have no doubt concluded in recent weeks: “We have seen more potholes this year due to the severity of winter weather we have experienced,”she said.
Potholes can also be reported to the county DPW’s Highway Maintenance Unit, at (516) 571-6900, or through the Nassau Now mobile application. They will usually be inspected within 24 hours, unless it is an emergency, Studdert said. “The county is constantly out repairing potholes,” she added. “When we receive complaints, we try to address them in a timely manner and prioritize them based on danger and those located in major areas.”
