If your car has become sunken because of an adverse weather event, and it is overwhelmingly likely, at least visually, that the reason behind that is improper maintenance of water disposal system, you may raise a question about holding public officials liable for failure to properly perform their obligations and claim damages in court.

That is the opinion expressed by Drozdova & Partners Law Firm senior partner Mykhailo Honcharov in his interview to Sehodnia newspaper that was looking into the matter of obtaining compensation by car owners for their vehicles damaged recently by downpours in Lviv and Kyiv.

The lawyer pointed out that local authorities are responsible for all local roads and communications and are required to ensure continuous and safe road and pedestrian traffic in the streets and on the roads.

Mr Honcharov also specified five conditions that should be met to claim compensation for damages caused if such a trouble happens to you:

• to take pictures or catch on video the place where your car became sunken;
• to call the police and ask them to record the place of the incident and to prepare a relevant report. The document must specify that the water disposal system was clogged resulting in its improper operation;
• to send a request to the Ukrainian Meteorological Centre asking to provide information about the weather observed on the day and at the time and place of the incident;
• to have your car towed to a service station that could issue documents regarding the scope and price of repair works. It is necessary to prepare a report specifying the condition of the car and damage caused, and to calculate the price of repair works and to attach supporting documents to the report; and
• to prepare and to file the claim for compensation of damages in court.