Posted on 03/06/2020 6:53:08 AM PST by RummyChick
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) The United States Postal Service (USPS) refused to cover the cost of repairs after a working mail carrier jumped on the back of an east side residents truck while fleeing from a neighbors unleashed dogs.
The incident occurred Sept. 9, 2019 in the 700 block of Melvenia Street, according to Marcus French, the owner of the Dodge Ram 1500.
French provided copies of repair estimates for dents and paint damage he alleged were caused by the mail carrier, totaling approximately $4,500.
Footage from home security cameras obtained by News 8 shows the frenzied chase from at least two angles.
In the video, the unidentified USPS mail carrier can be seen tossing a handful of envelopes in the air and running up Frenchs driveway with two pit bull-type dogs in hot pursuit.
The video shows him leaping onto the back of the truck, swinging his legs over the side of the vehicle and resting his feet behind the cab in an apparent effort to escape the dogs.
The security footage has no audio.
(Excerpt) Read more at wishtv.com ...
The cost of the repair seems outrageous.
Seems like the owner of the dogs is at fault.
looked to see what kind of neighberhood. A house a block down is listed on Zillow for $28k
Yep.
“French provided copies of repair estimates for dents and paint damage he alleged were caused by the mail carrier, totaling approximately $4,500.”
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Back in the day, my Dad could have gotten a dozen good used cars for that money. He could really wheel-deal and knew autos well enough.
Ahh... is there anywhere in the US that has homes at $28,000?
Sure there are. Just look for cars worth $1500 with $10,000 rims and a $15,000 sound system.
Given the neighborhood..it is good possibility that the people are renters or don’t have that kind of money. It would be up to homeowners insurance to pay.
i don’t fault the Postal guy...and the guy with the truck is nuts to think a dude running for his life is going to think about all of his options. He is in flight mode.
It gives me some sympathy (which I dont normally have for the PO) for postal carriers.
hell I just bought one for 5 bucks..
my truck was hit by a hit and run driver a few months back. the insurance company and I are still fighting..
They think a fender, headlight, bumper, bumper cover and several other little bits are only with 1800 bucks before my deduct..
my truck is a 2014..
my estimates are only in the 2500-3000 range
I think it would be inconvenient to have a vehicle damaged in that way but I would actually be happy to have been able to help the maiman. It is a small price to pay to save someone from serious injury. I doubt that anyone could actually do 1500 worth of damage to a pickup truck by jumping in the back. Not to mention the selfish attitude of the owner. Its just a vehicle and that mailman could be a friend in the future. A vehicle is a treasure that moth and rust consume.
Yes, some neighborhoods in Toledo, OH. Not all necessarily bad ones either, just worn out houses.
Keep fighting...
Their first move is always to deny a claim. If you give up they won.
When it appears you are not, they will back down.
I just had a flood on my property from a driver crashing into a fire hydrant. His insurance company offered $9K for damages.
Before I was done they ‘settled’ for $29K
The cost of repair seems out of step with damage done by the mail carrier jumping onto the back of the truck. It seems much more likely that he needs to take up his dispute with his neighbor who caused the hazard to begin with. The USPS is not at fault, the neighbor is at fault.
Yes indeed. Plenty of them here in Washington County,PA.
Dog owners should be the ones paying.
“They think a fender, headlight, bumper, bumper cover and several other little bits are only with 1800 bucks before my deduct..”
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The advantage back in the day, in the scenario I mentioned, is that the most you were out if the auto were pulverized to smithereens would be 100-200 bucks (usually about 100). Life was a bit easier in those days...
The farm community I grew up in has a lot of modest homes under $30K, but few people these days want to live in the middle of nowhere.
PostMaster should suspend door delivery at that location. Require a curbside mail box that can be serviced from the street or sidewalk -or- a post office mail box.
Somebody should quickly pay up and make this go away and be thankful they are not dealing with Hospital bills and legal fees.
Seems to me that the dogs owners should be liable for the damage, not the USPO...
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