DALLAS (1080 KRLD)- Hours after learning their cars were underwater in Love Field's parking garage, customers were told the city has no intention of paying for damages. The law seems to be on the city's side.
Under the Texas tort laws the city of Dallas has a lot of protections against suits over property damage. Since Love Field, and the parking garages are owned by the city, it falls under the same tort protection.
Some of the dozens of people who lost their cars in the flood a couple days ago say Love Field told them to contact the City of Dallas Risk Management department. They say their claims are already being denied.
Attorney Ed Klein, a legal analyst for KRLD, says there are a couple things that come into play including whether the city knew about the problem. The exact thing had happened 9 days earlier. Did the city have a chance to fix the problem? The city says it thought it had fixed the clogged sewer lines before the Tuesday night/Wednesday morning rains.
But Klein adds there could have been another remedy.
"Maybe something simple like just putting cones up, or baricades for that particular area to keep cars out so that they don't get damaged." Klein said.
Those who lost their cars are being told to contact their own insurance agents. Klein says that may be the best move because a comprehensive policy will cover the damage. He says few attorneys will be willing to take a case against the city over damages because of the way the laws are written.
