I ordered some lumber from Lowe's, and the delivery driver used a forklift to unload the pallets directly onto my driveway. Instead of making separate trips for each pallet, he stacked them on top of one another, which resulted in cracking and sinking my driveway. I've reached out to Lowe's, but they told me to contact the third-party delivery company. I've filed a claim with them, but I haven't heard back after my initial emails and calls. What should I do next?
4 Answers
You might want to contact your insurance company. They typically handle claims like these and might go after the delivery company for you. Just make sure to document everything about the damage!
Before you reach out to your insurance, it’s a good idea to get a repair quote from a concrete or asphalt company. If the cost is less than your deductible, then you might just want to handle it out of pocket.
First, check if the damage is where the forklift drove or where the pallets were set down. Also, is your driveway made of asphalt or concrete? Depending on that, the delivery company might be liable, or it could just be an issue with your driveway itself.
You should find the Certificate of Insurance (COI) for the delivery company and file a claim against their insurance. Just be cautious and read the delivery contract—it usually states whether they're responsible for driveway damage. Many of them only do curbside delivery, which means they aren't liable if they mess up your property moving their equipment.
Yeah, but sometimes they may not pursue it. Definitely worth checking though!