Last night I went out to look at my car after parking a while on the streets in New York. We had this snow storm from tuesday to wednesday. NYC has some fine sanitation workers who do a half-assed job at everything, including plowing. Not only did the city plow all this snow/ice into my car, they dented it. The damage is right behind the front-left wheel. The body and the door obviously do not line up smoothly now. I also need a wash because of salt splashed all over the poor thing.

I didn't have my digital camera so I used my friend's film camera before even cleaning up the ice. I would have posted pictures sooner if I could. I'd say the snow/ice they plowed into me was about 3 feet wide and almost 2 feet tall. The ice accumulated in the dent is higher than else where. I was immobilized because they packed all this ice into the wheels, under the car, and almost over my left muffler. People behind and in front of my car were in similar situations.

I wouldn't know how to start rattling the city's cage to pay me for this. Does anyone know if decent shops can prove the damage was not done by another vehicle or any stationery objects, but rather by pressure from ice (done by jerk driving)? Or should I hire a physicist with a phd to study the dent

 

Unfortunately, you'll probably just have to go through your insurance and eat the claim. The city will never own up to it and there's no way to prove they did it.

 

you will never beable to prove the city did it- it would just we less of a hassle for you to get it fixed yourself- i know crappy deal

 

If you didn't witness it you're screwed. I had a city sanitation worker damage my car about 2 years ago, but in my case I SAW his dumb azz out of my second story window and witnessed him drop-bounce the damn trash can into my fender

I got an estimate, filed a claim with the city, and was paid in full about 8 months later.

But if I didn't actually see him I know I would have had no case. Me physically seeing him do it was the sole reason I won my claim.

When my 240 was sideswipped by city tree-trimmers a few years ago I didn't witness it (heard it, but didn't see it), but they had a crew of about 6 guys on the job that day so they had to stop and fess up to it. City idiots.