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Frmundr's avatar
Frmundr
Explorer
May 31, 2013

Damage to fiver due to road construction

Monday, Memorial day May 27, we were s/b I55 in MS just north of exit 271 in Desoto Co going thru a construction zone. Cruise was set below the speed limit and I was in the right hand lane. We came off of a bridge and experienced a rather large drop in the road level. It was such a dramatic drop that it knocked my cruise control off. A few miles down the road I heard a knocking sound so we pulled over to find a metal panel had come loose from the front edge of the trailer and was banging against the side of the trailer. So there I am, on the side of I55 with my cordless drill doing a temp fix with a few screws. At the campsite I found that the panels on the other side of the trailer were now bulging away from the side in what looked like a bubble. There was a seem in the master br (in the front of the trailer) that had come apart between the wall panels and a part of the canopy arm had been knocked off where the arm hooks over to secure it for storage. I contacted MDOT and the referred me to Leahmon Roberts, who was contracted to do the construction. I have left a message for them and am awaiting a return phone call. Has anyone ever experienced something like this? What was the outcome?

Thanks
Tracy
Seeking Advice

38 Replies

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  • B_s_Bunch's avatar
    B_s_Bunch
    Explorer
    May 31, 2013
    I just can't figure it out. They put a man on the moon but cannot seem to make a road meet a bridge :h This is new or completed road construction. Drive safe Larry
  • DutchmenSport's avatar
    DutchmenSport
    Explorer
    May 31, 2013
    More than likely, you'll get nowhere with MDOT. Besides, what do you want them to do anyway? You you might as well put a claim on your insurance and get it fixed. If it were to come down to a court of law, the courts would declare it a "road hazard" and YOU as the driver should have control to keep such damage from occurring.... I know, this isn't right, but that's what would happen.

    When we lived in Ohio many years ago, we learned that if you slid off an icy road in the middle of winter and called the authorities, you'd get a ticket for "failure to control your vehicle", even if no one else was involved. Well, when this happened to my wife on a curvy road, a local farmer on a tractor helped pull her out of the ditch and never called the authorities, and never claimed (minor) damage to the insurance (for the same reason), and bit the bullet and got the dent fixed on our own dime.

    I'm just saying ... you'll get nowhere with MDOT.
  • rockhillmanor's avatar
    rockhillmanor
    Explorer II
    May 31, 2013
    Sorry, I couldn't get past leaving the cruise control on while driving an RV in a 'construction zone', whether it was set below the speed limit or not. And would only hope it was the reduced construction zone speed.

    As far as IDOT paying you for damages? No. Especially when you tell them the road conditions in a construction zone "dropped your cruise control off" :B
  • HappyKayakers's avatar
    HappyKayakers
    Explorer III
    May 31, 2013
    It wasn't a construction zone but I did hit a very bumpy section of I-65 in Indiana. Watching the front of the 5er in the rearview mirror I was very concerned at the amount of bouncing. About 30 miles up the road, I looked in the side view mirror and saw one of the trailer tires smoking. I limped into a truck stop and got it repaired the next morning. The center pin in one of the trailer leaf springs had broken and allowed the rear axle to skew. I believe the cause was that bumpy stretch but Indiana DOT (if I'd filed a claim) could also have argued that I've been fulltiming in this rig for 7 yrs and it was normal wear and tear. Cost of leaf spring repair and new tire was under $500.
  • wannavolunteerF's avatar
    wannavolunteerF
    Explorer
    May 31, 2013
    Not with an RV, but many years ago, I lived in a small mobile home while in college. the road I lived just off was being widened and they were blasting away at the hill to make the grade less. Somehow they messed up and rock blew all over the neighborhood. Several of us had rocks come crashing through our roof.. I was in shower, when trailer rocked and then loud bang.. as I hurried to dress and find out what was going on found a fist size piece of granite on floor of closet. It had come through roof, clothes in the closet and still had enough force to tear the vinyl floor. Company was very quick to temporarily cover the hole and get a repair guy to fix my roof... think the pictures in the newspaper and the thought that they could be fined for their bad blasting made them be quite eager to fix any issues we had. Not sure about the drop in highway, but good luck in getting the company to cover your repairs... Make lots of pictures, contact your insurance company and let them fight the battle for you.
  • BuckBarker's avatar
    BuckBarker
    Explorer
    May 31, 2013
    Once while living in MI I encountered road construction debris in the road that I hit and was reimbursed for damages but NEVER have I thought it was a good idea to drive through a construction site with the cruise control on.

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