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Caltrans May Pick Up The Tab For Your Car's Pothole Damage

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Heavy rains can take a toll on roadways, leaving drivers swerving to avoid potholes, or hitting them and having to deal with the damage.

Caltrans crews were busy trying to fill the potholes weeks before Thursday's storm.

"We got to a number of them, mainly the ones that were of concern," said Caltrans spokesman Dennis Keaton.

As the potholes pop up, many drivers wonder when they will be filled and how long it will take, and even if you can get money back when your car is damaged by one.

"It doesn't take that long at all," Keaton said about repairing the potholes. "What does take long, is more cumbersome, is making sure we have the lanes closed; being able to get in there and do the work is part of it but most of the battle is making sure our guys are basically safe."

How are the pothole repairs prioritized?

"We try and prioritize with it being the most urgent issue is it a safety hazard, is it going to cause damage to a vehicle," he said.

Claims can be filed on the Caltrans website, where drivers can fill out a form. The claims will be reviewed, then assessed on how the damaged happened and what kind of damage was done.

Caltrans crews are monitoring and and all reports, but it isn't the wet weather that brings the most reports. It's when the sun comes out and the holes begin to open up.

"When it starts getting a little warmer you may start to see them appear," Keaton said.

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