‘I had no fault in this’: Cleveland woman says sinkhole swallowing car cost her thousands

Melissa Reid
·2 min read
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CLEVELAND (WJW) – Every time Erin Miller of Cleveland drives home, she’s triggered by the stop sign at West 128th Street and Belden Avenue on the city’s west side.

“I still think, ‘oh my God, the street could fall out from underneath me.’ Every time I go through an intersection, I think, ‘is it going to happen again to me?'” said Miller.

Back on Feb. 1, Miller’s car was swallowed up by a massive sinkhole. Cleveland Water said a six-inch water main break was to blame.

“It was a lot of hassle, it took me a couple months to get through it all,” said Miller.

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Miller said her vehicle, which was less than a year old, was totaled by her insurance company.

She replaced it with almost the same exact car, but due to car depreciation, Miller said she paid almost $12,000 out of pocket.

So, she filed a claim with the city. Last week, she got their offer.

“$806. I was stunned. I was leery on the process anyway. I was hoping they would give me a little bit more than that for what I went through,” said Miller.

FOX 8 reached out to the city regarding Miller’s claim. They released a statement that reads, in part:

“The claimant in this case had full coverage insurance. The city paid her deductible and the rental car cost that she paid out of pocket. When insurance pays for the damage, we do not pay twice. We pay a claimant’s actual losses.”

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Meanwhile, neighbors say they’ve long complained about the road conditions on West 128th.

“The city should do more. The streets are really bad. I see cars fall into potholes and have accidents and stuff,” said resident Carlos Redondo.

It’s because of that Miller believes the city should cover more in this case.

“It was completely their fault. I had no fault in this. I shouldn’t be out $11,000 for it,” said Miller.

The city’s letter says Miller has 30 days to agree or the offer will be rescinded.

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