A Virginia woman is still fighting to hold her city accountable after a sanitation truck damaged her car five months ago. Chavonne Grant said the city’s trash truck hit her 2007 BMW 328i parked outside her home in Norfolk, Virginia and caused major damage, but nobody has been held responsible so far.
“There’s a gaping hole right here, the whole tire rod, the tire was flattened. The bumper was pushed up, but the bumper was on the ground. It’s completely cracked. … The hood had to be pushed down,” Grant told WAVY.
The Virginia woman said it was a neighbor who first saw the truck crashing into the BMW. The driver of the truck then apologized to Grant.
“He came out, he explained that he was covering a shift and he was moving too fast and over or underestimated my car,” Grant said.
The driver, according to Grant, also told her that the city’s insurance would cover damages. The Norfolk woman also said a third party adjuster was sent to survey the damaged car after she reached out to a city councilman.
Grant then received a letter stating that the city of Norfolk has sovereign immunity and would not be paying for repairs.
“Given that the City is not liable and has denied the claim, it would be suggested that Ms. Grant should continue to pursue her property damage claim with her insurance company,” officials said in a statement to WAVY.
Grant said her insurance premium would double if she filed a claim with them. There was, however, some good news for Grant when The Elite Auto Body in Virginia Beach offered to repair the car free of charge.
“I just want to say to Elite Auto Body thank you so very much. You have no idea,” Grant said according to the Atlanta Black Star. “I promised myself I wouldn’t be up here crying, so I’m not going to cry.”
