In Harris County, a local family is confronting a burdensome repair bill, after their car was allegedly damaged by a county maintenance crew during routine vegetation maintenance. According to ABC13, Jordan Duque was driving on Old Greenhouse Road when he experienced "a huge like loud thud on my door." The incident resulted in a significant dent on the passenger door of his car, and despite having followed the claim process as instructed by officials, Duque's family's claim for compensation was rejected by the county.
The family took steps to assemble all necessary documentation, believing the claim to be straightforward, with both Jordan Duque and his mother, Vivian, submitting photographs and a police report detailing the damage; however, they were eventually informed the damages would not be covered. In a conversation retold by Vivian to ABC13, a county representative told her, "Oh, yeah, it's not covered," which led to further inquiries from the family and efforts to understand the basis of this denial.
The CW39 News reported that the Duque family encountered a dead end with the county and now faces repair expenses estimated at around $3,000, placing them in a difficult financial situation. This highlights ongoing concerns regarding the accountability of government agencies in incidents where private property is damaged during the execution of public services.
A local attorney indicated, in a comment to ABC13, that it's a common scenario for government entities to assert immunity in such situations unless an exception applies, which often leaves individuals such as the Duques with no recourse but to file a claim under their own insurance policy, which could potentially drive up their rates, a step Vivian said they'd rather not take admitting "We don't have $3,000 sitting around to go fix it," it wasn't their fault, emphasizing the financial strain caused by the county's denial.
