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LA City delays $7,000 pothole claim
City of Los Angeles is accused of delaying a man's $7,000 claim stemming from damage his car suffered from hitting a pothole.
LOS ANGELES - Michael Riley says the city of Los Angeles owes him upwards of $7,000 for repairs to his car that were needed after he hit a pothole.
He had just had his car serviced and washed in October 2024 and was driving south on Laurel Canyon Boulevard when the incident happened.
What they're saying:
"Bam! I hit a pothole so hard it ripped the steering wheel out of my hand and threw me into the left lane," said Riley.
He pulled over to check the damage and take photos.
The bumper and both passenger side wheels had to be replaced.
Riley also says he reported the pothole to the city and says the operator told him it had already been reported more than two weeks before he hit it.
"In my case, they had 18-19 days to repair it after it had been reported and not until after the second report did they fix it," said Riley.
Riley says he had some correspondence with the City Attorney's office, which asked him for additional documentation, photos, and an explanation of the damage.
He has the proof that he complied in October but claims he still hasn't heard back and hasn't seen a dime.
"I want to get this resolved. I think a sharp attorney should pick this up and there should be a class action lawsuit," said Riley.
Dig deeper:
Ultimately, Riley tells us he wants the city to better maintain the roads.
"We pay our property taxes and our automobile registration taxes to keep these roads safe, what's the deal?" said Riley.
The other side:
The city attorney’s office says this claim is still under investigation.
The Source: Information for this story came from an interview with Michael Riley.