A mother Asked to Pay Nearly $700 for Guardrail Her Daughter Hit Right Before Dying in a Car Accident
The last thing any parent wants to hear is that their son or daughter was killed in a tragic auto accident. But, what this one mother received in the mail will leave you feeling her sympathy and possibly even the frustration she must have felt when she opened up a document sent to her from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).
Let’s backtrack for a minute.
Naturally, the guardrail sustained some serious damage and is considered state property but the family wasn’t exactly concerned after they just lost their daughter.
After the tragic incident, while the Harrington family has been working to piece their lives back together, but ABC On Your Side reported that the mother of the young girl received a letter from ODOT stating she owed them $664.06 for the damage caused to the guardrail from the accident her daughter was involved in.
As you can imagine, Harrington was shocked and upset which resulted in her reaching out to ABC 6/Fox28. When ODOT was contacted regarding the matter, they admitted that it was a mistake on their end and that the bill shouldn’t have been sent out. While the police report indicated that the accident was a fatal one, ODOT typically will send a bill to the insurance company or the person’s estate when state property is damaged.
ODOT Admitted They Made a Mistake
Although it can be understood that a mistake could have been made, Harrington is still frustrated over the entire matter. She stated, “We pay our taxes already, so, like, they’re double-dipping. That’s how I feel.” Perhaps because the car was registered in Harrington’s name, ODOT sent out the bill without considering the details of the accident. But, this devastated mother is now concerned that this could also happen to other families who might be experiencing the same or similar circumstances. Not only did this accident take the life of her daughter, but now the state is trying to collect money for damaged property that technically is already being paid for by citizens taxes.
It’s never easy to overcome the loss of a loved one or the serious injuries you may have sustained if you were recently involved in a car accident. However, there is help and support available to you and Columbus, OH car accident lawyer E. Ray Critchett is the professional who can provide it to you. Rather than have to deal with frustrating matters such as the one described above, you can have your auto crash attorney work to get the matter resolved.
If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a vehicular accident in Columbus, Ohio, don’t hesitate to contact E. Ray Critchett, LLC by calling 740-282-5393 today.
