Pothole Damage: How to Report a Pothole in the State of Ohio

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How to Report a Pothole in the State of Ohio Easily

Potholes are not a fun experience for anyone. Even a shallow pothole can have sharp edges that put your vehicle and your health at risk. Potholes cause tire damage, at best, and multi-vehicle crashes at worst. Reporting a pothole is the best way to make sure it's not there the next time you have to roll through. Whether you had an unpleasant bump or a damaging experience, you can through one of several possible avenues.

The trouble is, of course, finding out just who to report the pothole to. And if you get injured or your vehicle is damaged, you face the additional hassle of filing a claim to get proper compensation. DoNotPay can help make sure those Ohio potholes get filled and that any claims you have are properly processed without the hassle.

How To Report an Issue to the State?

  1. Determine Which Authority Owns the Road
  2. Inside a city, township, or county?
  3. On an interstate or state road?
  4. Identify the Correct Dept of Transportation
  5. Find the DOT Contact Form
  6. Submit the Required Paperwork Online or In-Person

How to Know Which Type of Road the Pothole is On

The first major hassle for reporting a pothole is knowing who to report it to. means determining which road you are on, and who officially manages that road. ODOT, the Ohio Dept of Transportation, only handles interstate, state, and non-municipal roads. Otherwise, you'll need to find the specific city, county, or township the road belongs to.

Contact ODOTIf you are on an interstate, a state road, or a state route
Check for the nearest municipalityIf you are within city limits, inside a township, or on a road managed by the county

Report a Pothole to ODOT on State Roads

ODOT offers an online form called the Roadway Defect or Damage Incident reporting form. Fill this out online with all the information on the location of the pothole to let the ODOT know where to send the road crew. You will need to provide

  • The route type
  • The route number
  • The nearest milepost, intersection, or exit
  • The lane the pothole is in
  • Direction of travel
  • The time you hit the pothole
  • Whether the area is a construction zone
  • The result
  • Your Name

Report a Pothole on Local Roads

Unfortunately, there's no easy answer for where to report a municipal or local road. Every Ohio city and county has its own DOT to deal with these things. Some have an online form; some don't. There's also the challenge of telling whether a road is managed by the city or the county, as reporting an Ohio pothole to the wrong office will result in no action.

Injured as a Result of a Pothole in Ohio? Send Demand Letters To for Compensation.

If you get injured or your property is damaged by a pothole incident, you have a right to compensation. While most municipalities would like you to shrug it off and soak the cost, you don't have to. However, you will need to file the claim through your local Small Claims Court, which can be a huge hassle. Fortunately, you don't have to do this alone.

DoNotPay makes it easier to deal with your local or state Small Claims Court. To be eligible for a successful claim, you will need to have medical and/or property damage expenses and file within 2 years. Working with DoNotPay, we can help you submit your claim to the right office to make sure it isn't lost in the paper shuffle.

How to Use DoNotPay to Report an Ohio Pothole

The good news? You don't have to handle this huge hassle on your own. Whether you suffered damage or you just want that pothole fixed before you drive through again, it can be tough to find which road you're on, who to report it to, and breakthrough the municipal red tape to actually get your report accepted. Fortunately, DoNotPay can do all of this for you.

You tell us where you encountered the pothole and what happened, and we'll figure out who to tell and how to make sure it's processed.

If you want to file a city repair report but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 6 easy steps:

  1. Go to the City Repairs product on DoNotPay.

  2. Choose one of the following options:
    1. Report a maintenance issue to the city
    2. Send Demand Letters To the city for compensation

  3. If you want to report an issue, choose which problem you would like to report (pothole, broken lights, etc.) and tell us more about when you first noticed the issue.

  4. If you want to request compensation, tell us whether you 1) suffered a personal injury, or 2) suffered from property damage. Then tell us more about the incident date, where it took place, and any expenses you have already paid. Include the names of witnesses if applicable.

  5. Upload supporting documents and other evidence files.

  6. Enter the amount you want to be compensated in damages and verify your e-signature.

What Do I Do if My First Claim Doesn't Get a Response?

It's the general policy to quietly reject or ignore claims against your local or state DOT for pothole damage. But you still have a right to compensation. Don't worry; there is no limit to the number of DoNotPay reports that can be filed. You can resubmit with additional evidence from your doctor, mechanic, or even go back to the spot to take photos.

DoNotPay has a high success rate in getting city reports files and acted on.

DoNotPay Can Help You with All Sorts of City and State Reporting

Have other local issues you'd like to report? Know someone far away who also wants to report potholes and municipal damage? DoNotPay can help!

What Else Can DoNotPay do?

DoNotPay is designed to help you with all types of hassle involving unnecessary payments and annoying local government offices. Here are a few other things we can help you take care of:

Whether your vehicle is damaged by a pothole, you have medical expenses to cover from a road damage incident, or you just want to see the roads you travel actually repaired, contact us today. DoNotPay is here to make your life easier and better without the hassle of dealing with government offices and unresponsive DOTs.

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