Roads tearing up my car - compensation?

Submitted by slippery_eagle t3_11qba16 in vermont

A few years ago a friend told me she got compensation from the state for car repairs - she had to drive over a nasty piece of route 12 and eventually had to pay over $3000 for repairs.

I'm not in touch with her anymore so I can't ask about it. Was I tripping or is this actually possible?

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VTPeWPeW247 t1_jc28yid wrote

Lol, idk but the population of VT has a standing in a lawsuit if we are allowed to sue for damages due to poorly maintained roads.

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Lundgren_pup t1_jc2da1a wrote

Probably not helpful, but I know there was a case like this in NH a few years ago and the the woman did get some kind of compensation for repairs accrued after having to commute over a badly damaged road for an entire summer. In her case, the only other detail I remember is that it was the only road to her house, so her option was to try carefully driving it in her sedan, or lose her job.

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Tchukachinchina t1_jc2hj7d wrote

Replying to ResponsibleExcuse727 (#2,220,841)

I’ve always lived on the NH side of the VT/NH border, and quite often worked in VT. When I was younger I asked someone why I had to pay VT income tax if I was an NH resident and I was told “you pay for the pleasure of driving on VT roads.”

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Commercial_Case_7475 t1_jc2m7p9 wrote

I really think people don't understand the amount of money it would take to ensure that all of the dirt roads in every town somehow don't develop pot holes or frost heaves. My town has only 1000 people, and has to maintain 50 miles of road. I would be paying 2x to 3x taxes (at least) just to fund a multi year effort to get the roads rebuilt to drain water better, not to mention constant grading (which is not even possible in very wet conditions). Honestly the best approach is to drive slowly when roads are rough, and really just try to drive cars appropriately suited for Vermont.

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happyonthehill802 t1_jc2r1hx wrote

You moved to a state with shitty roads. Deal with it. All of our vehicles are rotting out and making noises.

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BudsKind802 t1_jc2samr wrote

Replying to Commercial_Case_7475 (#2,221,096)

I live in a similar town (or maybe the same one!). My Class II dirt road has been undergoing its worst mud season ever that started in Mid-January, and the town can't get the maintenance equipment on it either until it dries out in April/May. They've taken to sprinkling the worst bits with loose rocks to help with traction.

On the positive side, my road isn't being used as a cut-through anymore.

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sound_of_apocalypto t1_jc2venn wrote

I hit a sink hole on a state road a few years ago. It did a number on my front suspension. The hole opened up due to a water main leak. The town encouraged me to get the state to pay for it. The state just said "no". I never would have thought to try to get the state to pay for it on my own.

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ReasonableLiving5958 t1_jc32dhl wrote

Replying to sound_of_apocalypto (#2,221,459)

It is horrible. Had to drive a box truck through there since a customer was along that road towards the top so I didn't have a choice. I had driven my regular car through there a couple years prior so figured it'd be fine (and the truck was plenty small enough to safely take the curves)

Its astounding how fast it deteriorated in those couple of years. Even the little cars behind me were bouncing up and down like mad and we were crawling along at less than 20 the whole way.

Over 10 years with my CDL and that is easily the worst road I've ever been on in Vermont other than maybe Big Hollow Road in Starksboro during a bad mud season.

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