I'm hoping someone can help with advice about how to claim compensation from a Local Authority for paint damage to my XFire.

Around 9:15pm last Sunday I was driving at about 50mph along a good 'A' class main road - clear, dry conditions, no other traffic, temp +5C, just outside Newport in Pembrokeshire, when I was passed by a gritting lorry going like a bat out of hell in the opposite direction.

Most of us have had met gritters and usually the grit is spread pretty low to the ground at a fairly low speed and not too much of a problem.

Unfortunately, this gritter was spewing the stuff out in a blanket to above windscreen height - it was like going through a hail of bullets - and so loud I ducked down in case the screen broke. I did manage to slow down at the last second when I saw what I was about to go through, but there was no way I could have avoided the grit.

When I saw the chips and pits next morning I was gutted - the windshield has a few tiny chips (very small) and the front panels have chips in the paint on metal and little dents (grit size) in the plastic panels. None of the damage is mega, but there is quite a lot of it and it wasn't there before.

If anyone in the UK has any experience claiming against a lcal Council for vehicle damage, or can give me advice on the best way to go about making a claim, I would appreciate any help you can give.

Cheers,
Ian.

 

Too sad that you don't reside in the US of A. I'm sure Obama would find a way for the government to reimburse you with taxpayer money.

Sheeeeesh.

 

Im sure you can go for this - local authotiries just anyone else have a Duty of Care to carry out works safely and not endanger or cause damage. Also this infringes Health and Safety regs as they have shown carelessness which has endagered your safety, particularly if the screen has been damaged. It was probably the case that the gritter was being driven too fast thereby scatering grit over a wider area, and causing to increase the velocity of the grit towards you if you were going in opposite direction, hence damage caused.

Search internet to look for a successfull claim and use it as your president.

I claimed for a new screen on my other car when gravel feel from a truck i was behind - the company didnt argue once i mentioned Duty of Care.

good luck

 

Thanks for your reply. Noted.

 

Hi Steve,
Thanks for taking the time to get back to me and for the extremely useful advice you've given - really relevant and appreciated.

Like you, I thought a breakdown lorry was coming toward me with the yellow flashing lights, the last thing I expected in that mild temperature was a gritter. Only at the very last moment did I see the curtain of grit - too late. I'll try and post some pics later.

In over 55 years of driving, this is the first time I've considered making a compensation claim of any kind, and have, up to now, never made a claim on my car insurance. Normally I would put this kind of thing down to experience or bad luck, but the driver was totally irresponsible in the way he operated his vehicle and obviously didn't care about any other road users.

Unbelievably, my wife had exactly the same thing happen as she drove home last night (I hadn't yet mentioned my experience with the gritter). Gritter driving at fast speed toward her, thick shower of grit way too high in the air, little marks over the front of her Cooper. I think we have a Mad Max Gritter driver loose in the County.

Maybe we should both claim - get back a little of the money we payed in high taxes all our working lives. Didn't seem to get anything else for it, although I guess it would be paid for by their Insurer rather than the tax payer.

best wishes,
Ian.