Parking Garage Doors Shut on Car, Advice?

Lnoop5 on 06/10/2020 - 20:54

Was driving out of client's underground parking garage. Parked in visitor spot, tight right hand turn to driveway and gates. Got the car in as good a position as I could, hit the button, gates parted to the left and right. Put the car into D and R a few times to navigate the tight corner. Car got halfway through the gates, no warning, they closed on the car automatically.

Told work all the details. Rang up insurance, had comprehensive, they told me most likely it would be my fault, for hitting stationary object, even if they negotiated with the building management.

Was thinking of asking the client for some help, seemed quite well off.

Am I SoL? Would like some insight into probable outcomes and options from knowledgeable people.

Automotive

Comments

  • 2pro4sho on 06/10/2020 - 21:02
    +2

    Why wouldn't your work pay for this via insurance? Why are you on the hook?

    • bohn on 06/10/2020 - 21:10

      Thought it would be more the owners corporation insurance.
      Surely there is a facilities manager who would assist.

    • brad1-8tsi on 06/10/2020 - 21:36
      +1

      Where I work (state government), if you are using your own car for business purposes their maximum obligation is 70c/km.

      They insist you have comprehensive insurance and any incidents are your problem and they won't pay the excess either. It's one of the reasons I get a hire car when I need to drive for work.

      I learnt the hard way. Stuff 'em

      • noop5 on 06/10/2020 - 21:49

        Yeah this looks like exactly the same speech they gave. Thinking of just paying privately for repairs, mate's relative is a repairer, might get a discount, instead of tanking increases to excess and/or premium

        • SelfMade on 06/10/2020 - 22:35
          +1

          That dreaded increase to excess and premiums! Insurance companies would love this line of thought.

    • noop5 on 06/10/2020 - 21:44

      Workers in this org use their own cars, as someone else said they give a certain amount per km travelled for all the car usage costs.

      Think work just passes this off to workers' own car insurances, probably no work insurance from how they phrased it

      • coin saver on 07/10/2020 - 10:16

        I hope you also have the appropriate insurance my insurance does not cover the vehicle if being used for business purposes.

        • brad1-8tsi on 07/10/2020 - 15:08
          +1

          I doubt that's the case.

          There is a "fair use" clause in every policy I have had that allows for a limited use of your vehicle for employment purposes. As an employee you aren't a "business".

  • FocusRider on 06/10/2020 - 21:04

    What car was it?

    • bmerigan on 06/10/2020 - 21:38
      +1

      Why…

      • Euphemistic on 06/10/2020 - 21:58
        +1

        Makes difference in offering suggestions for repair. Brand new car, metallic paint might be better to go through insurance. 10yo white corolla, get replacement parts from wrecker.

        • noop5 on 07/10/2020 - 13:07

          yeah car's relatively new, about 5 yrs old, with a fancy paint option, worth a few grand more than a 10 yo corolla, although those are somewhat expensive due to reliability reputation

          • Euphemistic on 07/10/2020 - 13:21

            @noop5: What’s the damage? Cash job at a smash repairers might be cheaper than an insurance claim.

            • noop5 on 07/10/2020 - 16:07

              @Euphemistic: front bumper and quarter scratches, about 1/8 the bumper, mostly paint, little bit of wheel arch deformation. another scratch, pretty shallow, on a door

  • Quantumcat on 06/10/2020 - 21:09

    The gates weren't really a stationary object were they, if they closed on your car. Not sure how they can claim that?

    And agreed, this should be work's problem. They can chase up the client if they want to.

    • noop5 on 06/10/2020 - 21:47

      Yeah i dunno how insurance can claim that either, but that was the insurance worker's opinion on what's gonna happen if I pay the mandatory upfront excess fee, provide building management details, and have the insurance try to negotiate.

    • dizzle on 06/10/2020 - 23:43

      If it was a work car with work insurance then you're probably right. However some jobs pay a car allowance which is supposed to cover portions of fuel, wear and tear, and insurance. It would be up to OP to

      Their insurance/workers comp should cover for injury to OP caused while working, but not cover their property.

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 06/10/2020 - 21:10

    Dash cam footage?

    • jackinyourbox on 06/10/2020 - 21:35

      Yeah somthjng is suss

      • noop5 on 06/10/2020 - 21:53
        +3

        nah the only thing that might be considered suss is me taking a bit longer to navigate car out of visitor spot, past the gates and onto road, because the path from spot to gates was tight, a turn and had a slope in the turn.

        But IMO gates should detect when a car is there and not close gates on it. Car is stock so should be no detection issues.

        • jackinyourbox on 06/10/2020 - 21:57
          +2

          Every motorised gate has a proximity sensor to detect a car. It will not close unless you waited like 20 mins in a stationary position which it would then slowly close.

          Either than or their sensor is broken . Some have both an optical and magnetic

          • noop5 on 07/10/2020 - 13:04

            @jackinyourbox: nah waited max like 30 secs, the gates only stopped when they touched the sides of the car.

      • noop5 on 06/10/2020 - 21:54

        yeah was pretty much this situation, but succeeding in avoiding bumps until the gates shut on me

    • noop5 on 06/10/2020 - 21:45

      nah unfortunately not.

  • djones145 on 06/10/2020 - 21:13
    +4

    the building might have cctv, see if u can get it

  • Cheeper on 06/10/2020 - 23:22
    +3

    Gates like that should have proximity sensors and be checked regularly. This is not just to avoid damage to vehicles but also any pedestrian in the vicinity. If there is none fitted or it is faulty then the building owner is liable.

    • spersephone on 07/10/2020 - 12:39
      +1

      Surely there should also be some kind of warning signal that they are closing?

    • noop5 on 07/10/2020 - 13:11

      oh if true this would be really helpful, thanks for mentioning, would anyone be so helpful as to provide some sources? sorry, I'm not knowledgeable about these things.

  • Willco88 on 06/10/2020 - 23:25
    -1

    Too slow

  • xuqi on 06/10/2020 - 23:56

    Could you have parked your car somewhere other than the garage?

    • noop5 on 07/10/2020 - 13:10

      nah street parking was full, the client also offered a few times through a few visits themself for me to park in their underground parking garage.

  • Love a bargain on 07/10/2020 - 14:12

    What did building management say when you contact them? Sounds like faulty sensor/ incorrect sensor set up.

    Client shouldn't be responsible for the damage (so whether they're well off should not be part of the equation) but you might need their help in your contact with building management.

    • noop5 on 07/10/2020 - 16:12

      working on getting building management deets now

  • Brick Tamland on 07/10/2020 - 19:37
    +2

    Yeah I’d be chasing up the owners Corp. automatic gates should have sensors. If the Gaye is faulty you might have some claim for the damage.

  • SgtBatten on 09/10/2020 - 12:45

    I don't really understand how exiting through the gate could be so tight. if it was actually as difficult as you claim then they would have people 10 point turning constantly getting doors shut on them. were you being excessively cautious? in any case, just pay the insurance and forget it.

    • noop5 on 09/10/2020 - 13:01

      the complex only has 3 units with people living there, they all have their own garages inside the parking garage, and they rarely get visitors

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