Norfolk, Va. - Several damage claims were filed by drivers for potholes on I-264 in Norfolk.
According to TME Enterprises’ own monthly reports, the company has not paid out any claims for potholes in the past five years.
NewsChannel 3 received hundreds of pages of documents in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, and they show the actual call logs kept by TME each time a driver files a claim.
One was sent in by a Navy Sailor in April of 2010.
"Two months ago, I hit a pothole while driving west on Interstate 64. I went and made a complaint online, but nothing ever came of it. Three days ago I hit another pothole...can you please assist me in this matter?"
The response from TME: "As you can well understand, we cannot be responsible/liable for impromptu road hazards...we can attest that we mitigate impromptu road hazards as soon as they are discovered."
According to their contract, TME must fix all potholes within 48 hours of being notified they exist, but call logs kept by TME's own staff show the company doesn't always follow policy.
In this claim from October of 2012, a driver says she hit a pothole on I-64 eastbound between 4th View and Granby Street.
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In their claim record TME even notes that a work order was put in for that area 9 days before.
The pothole was not fixed within 48 hours, but TME still denied this woman's claim.
The angry responses from drivers were also logged in TME's monthly reports.
"I am totally frustrated that a company is not willing to accept responsibility when the work is proven faulty or failed."
"To date, I have left 3-4 messages and have yet to get a response...overall I see it as really poor customer service."
NewsChannel 3 went to TME last week, asking them to provide any proof that we were wrong, that maybe claims payment information was missing from these monthly reports.
Matt Ehrenzeller, president of TME, says they have indeed paid claims over the past five years, but he did not provide any documentation to back that up.
As for VDOT, they say they are still awaiting the commissioner's report on the I-264 potholes to see what oversight has been lacking in the past.
Click on the links below to read NewsChannel 3's coverage of potholes on I-264:
VDOT Internal Reports: TME didn’t patch potholes in timely manner, problems festered for months
Crews conduct repair work on I-264 EB potholes over the weekend
Taking Action Against Potholes
VDOT commissioner apologizes to drivers for I-264 potholes
Who will hold VDOT accountable for I-264 potholes?
Drivers file claims with VDOT for damage from Friday’s potholes
State Police close two lanes of I-264 East over dangerous potholes
Beach crews work to repair potholes around the city
NewsChannel 3 takes your questions to VDOT about pothole failures
