Driver’s Claim Denied After Massive Illinois Tollway Pothole Causes $3,500 In Damages

It takes the pothole cringe moment to a new level.

While we're all pretty good at dodging potholes by now, there's always one that we hit and it jars us so much that we apologize to the car. That seems to be the case for this lady driver in Illinois.

Back in June, a colossal pothole opened up on I-294 in Chicago, measuring 8 ft by 3 ft, and yes, causing plenty of flat tires for about 15 cars. Crews came on the scene helping with tire changes and patching up the road but the left lanes of the interstate were closed for several hours.

The Illinois Tollway said the pavement had buckled because of the "prolonged, extreme heat". Here was what it looked like at the time:

You'd have to work really hard to avoid that one, especially on the interstate.

Driver Liz Benson told NBC Chicago that the pothole caused a lot of damage to her car, specifically $3,500 worth. She said both of her tires were blown out, she had to be towed to an auto shop, go to the dealership, where they told her she also had a broken strut and a wheel.

Benson was instructed to submit a claim to the Illinois Tollway for reimbursement for the incident, which she did. Her claim was denied.

Why?

The Illinois Tollway made the argument that it was a "naturally occurring hazard" and they weren't aware of the pothole when Benson hit it.

Benson said the pothole looked "like a piece of cake was taken out of the pan and taken out. And we just went through the cake. It was a really hard hit."

But still, claims can be filed for damage you run into like this on the Illinois Tollway's website under 'roadside assistance'.