After utility crews severed a power line near their St. Petersburg home on February 17, John Deermount and his wife spent months trying to recover more than $6,000 in losses while sorting through the multiple companies involved in the project.
Here's what to know
According to WFLA, the couple received a $6,201 reimbursement seven months after the incident, after trying to determine which company was responsible. Deermount said the trouble began on February 17, when crews working in his neighborhood accidentally severed a 110-volt line running into his house.
Deermount recalled the moment things went wrong.
"All of a sudden we heard a loud explosion, and we weren't sure what it was. We ran outside; some of our lights went kind of crazy, and some of our electrical equipment. And, initially, we didn't really know what it was. And ultimately we found out that accidentally they severed one of the 110-volt lines coming into our house," he said.
According to Deermount, ceiling lights and other electrical equipment were damaged, with the biggest impact hitting the home's pool equipment. The repair timeline also stretched out for months.
"This happened February 17th, and we didn't get repaired … by another contractor of Duke's until the middle of May, so some of these items were out that long," he said.
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The project involved underground utility lines for a communications provider, and several businesses were tied to the work, but none initially accepted responsibility.
More background
As WFLA reported, Deermount's early calls brought only denials, leaving the couple to sort out which company handled each part of the job.
He eventually found that the problem traced back to the company hired to mark the utility lines before the work started.
"Ultimately, it was determined it was the flagging company," Deermount said. "So the flags were put in the wrong place, and therefore the contractor didn't know where the proper utilities were, and that's why it happened."
What can be done?
Deermount received a resolution only after pushing through the initial denials and identifying the third party responsible for marking the lines. Once that company acknowledged the mistake, it paid the claim.
WFLA advised keeping thorough notes and holding onto receipts for any repairs linked to the incident.
Repairs do not always happen immediately, or all at once, and a paper trail can help connect those costs to the initial error.
Where can I learn more?
When several companies are involved, figuring out who is responsible can become a headache of its own. Other coverage has discussed utility disputes, disaster payouts, and repair problems that left homeowners fighting over who should pay.
• In California, disaster survivors said a utility offered unconscionable rebates after devastating losses.
• A utility asked regulators to approve billing customers for $1.7 billion in wildfire damages.
• A Florida homeowner turned an $800 power bill into a $300 credit with solar.
• One homeowner saw avoidable damage after heavy rain spread across a new yard.
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