On the evening of April 4, Hillary Cohen and her husband had a frightening experience while driving on Highway 40 east in Montreal’s St-Laurent borough. They encountered a piece of debris, resembling a meteor, that caused damage to their Volvo sedan. Cohen believes the debris came from another vehicle driving over a pothole. After posting about the incident on social media, they discovered that other motorists in the area had also experienced flat tires or broken windshields that same evening. The couple plans to make a claim against the transport ministry for the damages, although CAA Quebec warns that getting compensation for pothole damage can be challenging.
According to CAA Quebec spokesperson Nicolas Ryan, in order to successfully claim compensation from the government for pothole damage, the citizen must prove that the government was aware of the pothole and took no action to fix it. Cohen is aware of the difficulty in making a successful claim and is collaborating with other affected motorists to address the issue. Although Transports Québec has not commented on Cohen’s specific incident, they did issue an advisory on social media about debris on the highway at the same time that Cohen’s incident occurred. The ministry received a report from the Sûreté du Québec about a vehicle damaged by debris on the A-40 East near the A-13 overpass, possibly related to lost cargo from a vehicle.
The transport ministry’s statement indicates that punctures related to potholes were reported on the A-40 West near the A-13 after a storm, and the potholes were filled during the night. However, the incident involving Cohen and her husband occurred in the eastbound lanes. The couple is determined to find out the cause of the accident and hold the responsible party accountable. Cohen emphasizes the importance of working together with other affected motorists in seeking justice and compensation for the damages incurred. Despite the challenges in claiming compensation for pothole damage, Cohen remains determined to pursue the matter and ensure that the authorities address the issue to prevent similar incidents in the future.
