How To Get Reimbursed For Pothole Damage

If your car has been damaged by a pothole, you can seek reimbursement for the damage from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), a city government, a county government, or your insurance company.

California was hit by 31 atmospheric rivers from October 2022 through March 2023. The weather events brought with them heavy precipitation, which led to problems like car accidents and flooding.

The heavy rains also brought another problem to the state: potholes.

Caltrans repaired 85,883 potholes in 2023’s first quarter, more than 2.5 times the amount of potholes they repaired in 2022’s first quarter. The City of Los Angeles has received over 19,000 pothole repair requests since late December. Pothole repair requests have increased by over two times since December in San Jose. Pothole repair requests have tripled in Fresno during the first three months of 2023 compared with the first quarter of 2022.

Potholes occur when rainwater seeps through pavement cracks, softening the material below pavement until the pavement collapses under traffic’s weight.

Potholes can cause damage to automobiles, including damage to tires, wheels, suspensions, undercarriages, bodies and exhausts. It is common for potholes to cause a flat tire.

If your vehicle has suffered damage due to a pothole, you may be able to get that damage reimbursed by a Caltrans program, a city government or a county government.

If you believe your vehicle damage was caused by a pothole which existed due to the fault of Caltrans, you can file a claim for reimbursement directly with Caltrans seeking $10,000 or less in reimbursement. You will want to send the claim form as well as supporting documentation to the proper Caltrans District Claims Office.

Potholes can cause serious damage, too. If you suffered over $10,000 in pothole damage and you think it’s Caltrans’ fault, you will need to submit a claim to the California Government Claims Program. This will allow you to formally demand compensation for your damages, and might lead to a settlement without needing to file any lawsuit.

If you believe your vehicle damage was caused by a pothole which existed due to the fault of a city government, you can file a claim for reimbursement with the city. You will want to provide supporting documentation along with any form you submit.

If you believe your vehicle damage was caused by a pothole which existed due to the fault of a county government, you can file a claim for reimbursement with the county. You will want to provide supporting documentation along with any form you submit.

Supporting documentation for a pothole damage claim can include:

• Photographs of damage
• Receipts
• Itemized repair estimates
• The exact location of the pothole
• Contact information of witnesses

Claims against government entities such as Caltrans, city governments or county governments must be filed within six months of the date of the vehicle damage. This time limit is known as a statute of limitations.

Where To File Pothole Damage Claims

Caltrans

You can click here for the form for and instructions on submitting a claim arising from pothole damage on California freeways to Caltrans. This is for claims of $10,000 or less. You are eligible to submit a claim if you believe that Caltrans’ “action or inaction” caused you to suffer monetary loss due to a pothole.

If you suffered over $10,000 worth of damage and think it is the fault of Caltrans, submit a claim to the Government Claims Program Office of Risk and Insurance Management Department of General Services here.

City Of Los Angeles

You can click here for instructions on submitting a claim for pothole damage to your vehicle to the City of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County’s claim form for pothole damage can be found here.

City Of Palm Desert

The form for filing a claim for pothole damage with the City of Palm Desert can be found at Palm Desert City Hall.

City Of Bakersfield

The form for filing a claim for pothole damage with the City of Bakersfield can be found here.

Kern County

The form for filing a claim for pothole damage with Kern County, as well as instructions on how to file the claim, can be found here.

Fresno County

You can find a form to file a pothole damage claim form with Fresno County here.

City Of Modesto

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with the City of Modesto can be found here.

Stanislaus County

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with Stanislaus County can be found here.

City Of Tracy

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with the City of Tracy, as well as instructions on filing the claim, can be found here.

San Joaquin County

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with San Joaquin County can be found here.

City Of Richmond

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with the City of Richmond, as well as instructions on filing the claim, can be found here.

Contra Costa County

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with Contra Costa County can be found here.

City Of Hayward

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with the City of Hayward can be found here.

Alameda County

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with Alameda County can be found here.

San Francisco

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with the City and County of San Francisco can be found here.

City Of Santa Rosa

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with the City of Santa Rosa can be found here.

Sonoma County

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with Sonoma County can be found here.

City Of Susanville

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with the City of Susanville can be found here.

Lassen County

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with Lassen County can be found here.

Plumas County

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with Plumas County can be found here.

City Of Sacramento

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with the City of Sacramento can be found here.

Sacramento County

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with Sacramento County can be found here.

City of Yreka

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with the City of Yreka can be found here.

Siskiyou County

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with Siskiyou County can be found here.

Monterey County

The form for filing a pothole damage claim with Monterey County can be found here.

Filing A Pothole Damage Claim With Your Insurance

If you pay for optional collision coverage, you may be able to obtain reimbursement for your pothole damage through your insurance company.

However, you may not wish to file a claim for a couple of reasons. First, you will need to pay a deductible if you file such a claim. So, if your deductible is $1,000 and you received less than $1,000 worth of damage, your insurance will not pay you anything for your pothole damage. If your deductible is $1,000 and you suffered $2,000 worth of damage, your insurance will only pay you $1,000 for your pothole damage.

In addition, you may end up with higher premiums if you submit a pothole damage claim with your auto insurance. This is because pothole damage incidents are usually deemed single vehicle accidents by insurance companies, which insurance companies will typically deem you at fault for, unless you have evidence that a separate vehicle made you run over the pothole.

How To Avoid Pothole Damage

The Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA) provides tips on avoiding potholes and protecting your vehicle from pothole damage, including:

• Making sure your tires are adequately inflated
• Driving at a safe speed for the weather conditions
• Slowing down and straightening your steering before hitting a pothole instead of braking over a pothole

Filing A Claim For Injuries After An Accident Caused By A Pothole

If you or a loved one were injured in an accident that was caused by a pothole, you’re not going to want to handle filing a claim for reimbursement yourself. You will need experienced car accident lawyers like Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers representing you if you want to recover all of the compensation you are entitled to under California law. Studies show that injury victims who are represented by a lawyer receive far more compensation for their injuries than victims who aren’t represented by a lawyer, even after attorney fees are taken into account.

We are contingency fee lawyers, so we will not charge you a fee unless and until we obtain financial compensation for your injuries. The only fee we charge is a percentage of any financial recovery we obtain for you. We do not charge any upfront fees. We do not charge any out-of-pocket fees. You will not owe us any fee until and unless we win your case.

We have been representing those injured in auto accidents since 1990. We have recovered $750,000,000 for our clients. We have the experience and expertise to recover the most compensation possible for your injuries.

Call us today for a free consultation if you or a loved one suffered injuries in an auto accident caused by a pothole. Don’t delay; call us today. You only have six months to file an injury claim against a government entity like Caltrans, a city government or a county government. Calling us today gives us as much time as possible to build a strong case for you and ensure that any relevant claims are filed on time.