Grand Rapids Sink Hole Causes Fingers to Point
Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 400
Edward Michael of Grand Rapids was on his way home from church last Sunday when the pavement under his Geo Prizm literally opened up beneath his car and began to swallow it.
He jumped out of the car and as he called a tow company, he began to watch a sink hole develop around his car that grew in excess of 30x20 feet.
This happened on Birchcrest Dr. SE just north of 28th St SE.
City officials claim that the sink hole was caused by an underground pipe that burst under the property of a neighboring apartment complex. Catherine Mish, a City Attorney in Grand Rapids has denied any liability claiming, "I can't discern that the city did anything wrong and that we failed to take action we should have taken. I would recommend that it's worth his time to talk to the insurance carrier for the apartment complex."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the apartment complex, Chuck Corkum [President of Gordon Management Co. of Royal Oak] claims that the pipe broke under the city owned property, not under his property, so he denies all responsibility.
While the city and the company that owns the apartment complex point fingers at each other, Mr. Michaels is borrowing a car from his cousin to get to his part time jobs.
Usually in situations like this, one insurance company [the city] would pay the claim so that Mr. Michaels could get his car fixed and get to and from work. If it turned out later that the sinkhole was caused by the pipe under the apartment complex, then the City would get reimbursed from the insurance company for the apartment complex.
But, since neither of them are willing to do the right thing, Mr. Michaels is left in the lurch with no car. It just doesn't seem right.
If you're as frustrated as he is regarding being the proverbial taffy in the insurance company taffy-pull, why not let Gordon Management or the City Attorney know how you feel about it.
Gordon Management
115 South Main Street #200
Royal Oak, MI. 48067
(248) 547-0808
To email Grand Rapids Attorney Catherine Mish -> cmish@grcity.us