A Canadian visitor to New Mexico is facing hurdles as she tries to get the State to reimburse her for damages caused to her vehicle's tires when she hit a large pothole on the highway.
Victoria Choisnet is trying to get the State of New Mexico to pay for her out-of-pocket expenses after hitting a pothole outside of Gallup that popped two of her BMW’s tires, a recent KOB 4 news report said. The State has agreed to reimburse only $1,700 of her requested $2,800, which covers two tires, two rims and one night in a Gallup hotel. Choisnet said that she had to replace all four tires and rims to avoid mixing brands and damaging her vehicle further.
“I’m actually a little bit beside myself because it shows negligence on the part of the Department of Transportation,” Choisnet said in the report. She noted that she did not ask for reimbursement for taxes or food during her stay at the hotel.
KOB 4 reported that an adjuster from the state called the $1,700 amount “fair and reasonable” in an email to Choisnet. State officials further advised Choisnet to file a claim with the insurance company for the General Services Department Property and Casualty Bureau to be considered for a full reimbursement.
Choisnet said that she is considering hiring a lawyer and fighting the decision because she believes the incident shows negligence on the part of the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT).
“I will ask her again, and you know if she wants to fight me on this, my next step will be I will just have to get a lawyer and go through the process, which unfortunately it will cost more for them in the long run,” Choisnet told KOB 4.
Representatives for NMDOT and the Property and Casualty Bureau declined to comment on the claim filed by Choisnet because it was still active.
