By Matthew Saint, personal injury attorney of Saint & Watzke, PLLP
Tulsa drivers maneuver around orange cones and city construction workers every day. However, the city wants them to know that their inconvenience is not in vain. The construction that is taking place is desperately needed, and city crews are getting out to any roads in disrepair as quickly as possible.
It was back in the 1980s when a catalogue was created of every city street in Tulsa. Now, those same streets are ranked from 0 to 100, to indicate the amount of repair they need. The lower the score, the more repairs are needed. In addition to this, residents of the city are welcome to call the city and complain about specific issues, such as if a large pothole is causing great inconvenience or damage to the vehicles that travel over them. City crews say that they try to get out and fix the problems associated with these complaints within 24 hours.
Despite the fairly comprehensive system the city has when it comes to fixing the roads, drivers often face more than mere annoyances when their cars are damaged due to the poor conditions of the road. This is not only contributing to the amount of construction but also the increase in the number of claims filed with the city.
The repairs drivers need to make to their vehicles are not cheap. For example, when road conditions cause so much damage to a tire it takes out the sidewall, drivers must replace the entire tire. It is an expense that can cost hundreds of dollars and is one the driver should not have to pay.
Claims can be made with the city to seek compensation for any damages to vehicles caused by the poor road conditions. Some have already been filed, while many more are expected as construction reaches its peak in the spring.
Drivers will also be happy to hear that crews are working on the issues as fast as they can. This, however, does not absolve the city of being held responsible for repairs.
Matthew Saint is a Tulsa personal injury attorney of Saint & Watzke, PLLP. The attorneys at Saint & Watzke, PLLP handle cases involving car accidents, premises liability, and medical malpractice. To find out more about Matthew Saint, visit Twitter and Yelp.