Target 11 Investigates Claims Paid By City

Target 11 has obtained the list of claims paid by the city last year. We examined every claim and determined the most expensive and the most common.

The most frequent claims were for accidents involving city vehicles. 138 people received more than $111,000. 116 homeowners got $71,000 for tree roots that damaged their sidewalks. The trees were planted by the city. The city paid 42 drivers nearly $15,000 for potholes that damaged their vehicles.

List Of Who The City Paid Claims ToWhat Kind Of Claims People Are Getting Paid For

Lawrenceville resident Larry McManus filed a claim with the city after he hit a pothole on Stanton avenue, and sustained damage to his vehicle. The city paid McManus $500.

"Did you think they would cover this?" Target 11 investigator Rick Earle asked McManus. "I didn't think they would until I talked to them. If they can't get around to fixing them, at least they hold themselves responsible," said McManus.

Point Breeze resident Robert Thompson got a check for nearly $2,000 from the city after he filed a claim because city trees had buckled his sidewalks. Thompson told Earle that it was preventing a hazard and he was worried that someone would trip and get hurt.

The largest single claims paid by the city are:

-$452,000 to Norfolk Southern after a landslide damaged railroad tracks.

-$290,000 for injuries suffered during a collision with an emergency services vehicle.

-$165,000 to a man who fell into a hole on a city sidewalk.

-$20,000 after the city tore down the wrong building.

City Controller Michael Lamb told Target 11 that many of the claims are "just the cost of doing business." But Lamb said some of the claims could have been prevented, especially when it comes to pothole and sidewalk damages.

"We are sending out building inspectors and citing people for sidewalk damage, property owners, homeowners, taxpayers from the city of Pittsburgh, and we're not maintaining our own sidewalks. That's doubly troubling for me," said Lamb.

Councilman Bill Peduto said the system is broken, and he's calling for a risk management plant to pinpoint potential hazards before they turn into costly claims.

"I think as more people find out that there's someone to pay for your broken suspension, we may be on the hook for more until we fix the system," Peduto said.