Car damaged by protruding bollard on pavement

[Abz79]

Hi,

 

I was doing a left-turn onto a road when all of a sudden I heard this loud bang and scraping noise on the botom left side of my car.

 

I stopped the car a few metres in front of a restaurant and got out of my car to check what happend.

 

I noticed the bottom part of my left front door was dented and the left side bumper damaged.

 

I looked back at the pavement and I saw there was a small uprooted bollard which was protruding from the pavement and was the actual cause of the damage.

 

Apparently the bollard was not sitting properly on the pavement and was protruding onto the road and could not be visually identified at the time of the turn and that is what has caused the damage.

 

I understand the Borough or the Local Council has a part in ensuring that all bollards are safe and properly maintained but how do I go about contacting them.

 

Do I march down to the Local Town Hall, see Citizens Advice Bureaux or contact a No Win No Fee company to pursue claim for damages.

 

The cost of repairing the damages is approximately £700. Also the owner of the restaurant has also told me that this has happend to a dozen other motorists.

 

I appreciate any advice and thank you for readng this.

Edited September 11, 2012 by Abz79

[dx100uk]

so you drove up on a pavement and got your car damaged?

 

dx

[Abz79]

I did not drive up on a pavement. The bollard was protruding onto the road from the pavement.

[BankFodder]

Take lots of pictures of the bollard from all angles and all distances.

Take pictures of the damage to your car. Get full written estimates - competing estimates and keep maximum paperwork. Do everything i writing to get a full papertrail.

 

You need a statement from the restauranteur which makes it clear that the bollard has been in this state for XX months, that to his knowledge at least XX other motorists have had their car damaged in a similar way.

If you are able to locate other motorists, so much the better.

 

I would send an FOI request to the council to discover anything they have about the bollard - are they aware of the damage, when was it reported, any complaints or claims from other motorists.

 

Once I had all that done, I owl dbegin a claim against the council and if they didn't cough up PDQ, I owuld move it to the LA Ombudsman for added pressure.

[Ganymede]

Hi,

 

I was doing a left-turn onto a road when all of a sudden I heard this loud bang and scraping noise on the botom left side of my car.

 

I stopped the car a few metres in front of a restaurant and got out of my car to check what happend.

 

I noticed the bottom part of my left front door was dented and the left side bumper damaged.

 

I looked back at the pavement and I saw there was a small uprooted bollard which was protruding from the pavement and was the actual cause of the damage.

 

Apparently the bollard was not sitting properly on the pavement and was protruding onto the road and could not be visually identified at the time of the turn and that is what has caused the damage.

 

I understand the Borough or the Local Council has a part in ensuring that all bollards are safe and properly maintained but how do I go about contacting them.

 

Do I march down to the Local Town Hall, see Citizens Advice Bureaux or contact a No Win No Fee company to pursue claim for damages.

 

The cost of repairing the damages is approximately £700. Also the owner of the restaurant has also told me that this has happend to a dozen other motorists.

 

I appreciate any advice and thank you for readng this.

 

 

 

Hi,

 

Take photos of the defect and send them to the Council with a quote for repairs. Send it to the head office address.

 

You will have to go it alone as no solicitor will touch it on a 'no win no fee' agreement.