Hampton, Va. - A Hampton family is fighting VDOT and TME after they say potholes damaged the van they use to transport their paralyzed son.
The Sidney family is now facing hundreds of dollars in repair bills after they ran into their own pothole emergency on the Monitor Merrimac on Monday.
The van is now out of commission, sitting unused in their front yard.
Without it, their disabled son has no way of getting around town.
The Sidneys went to TME Enterprises to file a pothole damage claim and say they got the run around.
“That’s how I figure they are getting away with it; they want you to get frustrated, want you to get upset, they want you to let it go. They want you to go through your insurance,” says Shonda.
TME's own records back up Shonda's suspicions.
A NewsChannel 3 investigation uncovered five years’ worth of monthly reports kept by the company, and they show not a single pothole claim has been paid out.
In a call log entry from 2008, a TME claims worker informs a driver that she won't be compensated for damage and "advised her she should consider contacting her insurance agent and reference road hazards policy."
But even though so many before them have failed, this family says they won't give up the fight against TME.
VDOT says crews are on standby for pothole repair ahead of storm
TME Monthly Reports: No drivers paid for pothole damage claims in 5 years
VDOT Internal Reports: TME didn’t patch potholes in timely manner, problems festered for months
VDOT answers for 2nd round of pothole failures during rush hour
NewsChannel 3 takes your questions to VDOT about pothole failures
Taking Action Against Potholes
VDOT commissioner to take second look at I-264 pothole damage claims
Taking action: Finding solutions to pothole problems
TME still turning down claims that came in days before pothole emergency
VDOT Timeline: Officials try to address pothole nightmare on I-264
VDOT to address pothole concerns
VDOT commissioner apologizes to drivers for I-264 potholes
Contractor responsible for I-264 pothole repair donated heavily to public officials
