Call Rafael: City of Indianapolis truck crash causes Indy man to lose $500

INDIANAPOLIS — For most of us, driving to and from work is a matter of routine and not much happens.

However, that routine was shattered for an Indy man when his car was hit by a City of Indianapolis truck during a work commute – leaving him with thousands of dollars in damage.

That man, Rick Cole, reached out to Call Rafael for help and our own Rafael Sanchez did research into how to handle the situation.

Cole had just celebrated a birthday, and said he won’t forget the force that shook him up on May 4, 2023.

“When he hit me from the left side, I thought someone was trying to push me off the road,” Cole said. “It lasted that long.”

Cole did the right thing using his phone to document the damage after the truck hit his vehicle. He also called Indianapolis Metro police to a get an official accident report. He then called his wife Marcia Cole.

The accident happened near 17th Street and Arlington Avenue while Rick was on his way to work. Page 1 of the police report regarding the crash said the city truck was involved in an improper lane change.

The total damage to the vehicle was $5,068.73, with a rental car costing another $1,727.62. The total claim exceeded $6,700.

The Cole’s insurer, Progressive, paid that total while the couple paid their $500 deductible. $500 is the amount the insurance company will refund if the City of Indianapolis steps up and pays for what happened with the city vehicle.

“I don’t know what’s the hold up,” Rick said.

“It’s the city I was born and raised in,” Marcia said. “They should set the standard for excellence as far as customer service goes.”

The city told Rafael that it won’t comment on the Cole’s claim because it involves a lawsuit. The insurer had to take legal action for something that was simple to resolve.

Rafael has been communicating with the insurance company to see if the Coles could get their $500 dollars while the company waits to get paid.

While researching the case, Rafael found that many car accident tips were followed. These include checking your surroundings and making sure you’re safe after an accident, calling 911, asking for a police report, taking lots of pictures of the damage, area and license plate and letting the people involved know you are beginning a claims process.