MidnightRider

Last week I parked my car in Washington DC using a valet parking garage run by Colonial Parking. Upon returning home, I found front end damage including deep gouges in the area between the kidney grills, gouged license plate holder, and a deep crease in my customized front license plate. I took the car to my dealer and got an estimate for $1K to remove, repair, paint and replace the front bumper cover and license plate holder. I called Colonial Parking and filed a claim which they promptly denied claiming the damage was not reported at the time I picked up the car in the garage. "That is our policy" I was told.

Like most of us, I keep my car in immaculate condition so this damage is exceptionally irritating. I usually avoid valet parking for exactly this reason but I was on my way to a business meeting and this garage was in the building.

I would like to press the issue. I question if their policy is even legal or just a deterent from claim pursuit. Should I file a report with the Washington DC Police Department for a hit and run incident? Is small claims court an option and how do my odds look?

Gene

AFAIK, as the valet company stated, it was not reported before you left the lot/@ time of pick up, they are not responsible for it. So this turns into a their word vs. yours argument...it would be very hard for you to prove that the damage was done under their supervision and easy for them to disprove that damage was incurred under their care as well. Most companies even have that disclaimer somewhere on their valet ticket, something to the effect of any damage not reported at time of drop off or pick up they are not responsible for...


has happened to me twice with 2 different cars...the first time they actually stole money from my car....picked up my car from valet, didn't look to take the cash out until I got home...only to find it was gone...same reply was given to me when i called the next day.."you didn't report it before you drove off the lot"

the second time I got home and found a good sized gash in my bumper, they must have backed up into a the bumper of a another car..causing the license plate to damage my bumper....I didn't even bother to try and report this one...

I did report this to both establishments that employed the valet's in question tho...


unfortunately both times: lessons learned....never leave anything of value in the car when you go to valet....and walk the valet around the car at drop off and pick up to make sure they note any damage....


sorry to hear about the damage..hope things get resolved quickly and to your satisfaction...

juris335

+1 and after it happend to me (I stay at the University Club) I found a solution that was not Small Claims Court - I never drive in that corrupt jurisdiction anymore. The law is whatever the judge says it is...period. Good luck.

lorinzo

Hate to hear about the damage. This is my fear each time I use a valet.

You can certainly bring a small claims case but, ultimately, your case rests solely on your testimony that the damage was caused by the valet. The valet is going to claim that the damage was not caused by them and will note that your discovery of the damage occurred long after the car was in their possession.

After hearing this, the Judge will look to you and ask if you have any other evidence. When you say "no," he or she will rule in favor of the defendant because it is your burden to prove the case by a preponderance of the evidence.

I think your best bet is to write a letter to the valet company and see if you can work out a compromise. Going to small claims to defend the case will cost them a few bucks and they might rather settle than spend the time going to court.

e6t

i do not valet my cars.

theXman

+1 Must do all the time

luigi524td

You could try to press the issue - but I'm afraid once the horse has run out the barn, it's a bit late to close the door! That said, perhaps the establishment has surveillance video - you might throw some fear their way by telling (and then following thru) that your lawyer will subpoena the videos and then file suit. At any rate the place needs to know their drivers are careless and damaging customers cars ... and publicity about that might cause customers like you to spend their money elsewhere.

wolf

I have had two of my cars damaged in parking lots. In each case, I caught it (and reported it) before leaving the lot. EVEN with this done, it still became a battle with the lot. It seems their general process is to immediately deny it. Ultimately I was paid for repairs but it took a lot of fighting. I believe if I had not reported it before leaving I never would have gotten anything.

Interesting twist on this that might be helpful. In one of the cases I used leverage against the lot. The lot was in the Waldorf Astoria in New York. Specifically the "Tower" at the Waldorf. The lot was blowing me off. So...I contacted the General Manager of the hotel and told them that I was shocked that this is the way guests were handled at his hotel. Well...you can bet he pushed on the parking lot company. Things turned around after that call...

Possibly you can work through the property management company that owns the building that the lot was in. Even then it is an uphill battle as you left the property before reporting. However, you might want to try this approach....

Good luck

dmahon

Sorry to hear about the damage. DC valet parking should be labeled "User beware". A friend of mine had a similar experience, tried to work it through insurance and the valet service, but they (valet) just said it was "pre-existing" and got away with some pretty significant damage. Have you ever noticed all the little pock marks on bumpers up here? Most of it is damage from parking garages...bottom line, the valets just don't care.

Masterspy

Sorry about what happened. This is one reason I don't Valet park my car.