I have noticed whilst travelling around for the last week or so that there are a number of very large pot holes that have appeared on the roads. I assume that this has been caused by the very cold weather that we experienced, followed by the current wet weather, which has then undermined already frost damaged roads.
If you are unlucky enough to catch a wheel in one of these pot holes, you should always stop as soon as you can to check for damage. Even if nothing is obviously damaged, I would advise that you consider stopping regularly during your journey to check that nothing is coming lose.
With some holes over a foot wide and very deep, it is not too difficult to damage your tyre, wheel or suspension. Tyre damage could lead to a slow puncture caused by a broken seal and even a small crack in the wheel could gradually get bigger, ultimately caused the wheel to fail.
If you are comprehensively insured, your insurers should consider a claim for damage to wheels and suspension, but won’t usually cover tyre damage, however be warned that depending on the level of your excess, it may not be worth claiming.
The roads are usually the responsibility of the local authority and it is possible that you may have a claim against them for the damage caused to your vehicle. To give you the best possibility of success, you need to collect evidence of the pot hole and how long it has been there as soon after the accident as you can. Naturally Herdens will be happy to provide an independent motor claims investigator to assist you with the evidence gathering, including photographs, measurements, sketch plans and local enquiries. If you are do claim through your insurance, make sure that your insurers are doing their best to recover your losses. Consider using Herdens Motor Claims Advice & Assistance product to help you prove your case to your insurers.
