AT&T tore up my yard and damaged property

@COWGIRL2408 

Actually, AT&T, it's your product being installed, it's workers you hired to do it, so yes, it is your fault.  

No actually the fault can't be determined at this point. We need more information on where these specific damaged instances occurred. 99% chance it was within the Utility Easement unless someone was working outside the Easement which is big issue.

Any Enhancements you make within a Utility Easement you do at your own risk. Be it a fence, shrubs, trees, sprinkler systems, french drains, etc... Most areas in the US provide for utilities to have access up to 48" below grade level.

In most jurisdictions they are only required to return the ground to grade level and put sod, grass seed or other ground cover equal to or better then original ground covering. No replacing or repairing fences, shrubs, hedges, sprinklers or your french drains.

Next up is the Contractor that is actually performing the work in the case of AT&T buried Fiber. They are bonded and insured to operate within your local jurisdiction. So if you want to contact your local city or county Building Code office they should be able to provide you with the registered contact for the Contractor performing the utility work in your neighborhood.

Finally AT&T uses a third party to handle claims reported after the fact. You need to document all the damage with names, dates and Pictures. You arrange the repairs to improvements and you submit a claim. Again depending on where specifically the damage occurred on the property. You may receive 100%, 75%, or even Zero reimbursement. 

I personally feel your pain since I live on a corner lot and both AT&T and Comcast have buried Fiber in my yard and both ISPs installed large in ground vaults in my utility easement in the last 4 years. Comcast came first and ran their lines at 48" below grade. They managed to avoid my sprinklers but managed to hit my main water line right next to the water meter. The Public Water utility was not very happy with a weekend call out and billed Comcast and the Contractor directly since all utilities were clearly marked.

The AT&T Contractor only broke 2 sprinkler lines and they repaired them the next day. They did a shallow trench by hand and had no excuse for hitting the sprinkler lines that were outside of the official Utility easement.

Dave

We're here to point you in the right direction for assistance, @COWGIRL2408!

Thank you for the awesome info, @dave006 !

Just as our ACE mentioned, you need the location of the damage along with visable and clear pictures of what was done. After that you can call us at 800.288.2020 and let an agent know you'd like to file a damage claim. After doing so, if you haven't heard anything in two business days, you can go to MySedgwick and register as a new user using your submitted claim number to track your claim.

Don't hesitate to reach back out if you ever need our assistance again. Thank you for visiting the AT&T Community Forums!

CalebP, AT&T Community Specialist

I didn’t ask for the work to be done. This was done within my neighborhood, in my yard, without my knowledge. Everyone wants to points fingers at everybody else. HOA said it’s AT&T, workers say it’s AT&T and then AT&T says nope sorry not our problem. I work for a company and often times items arrive damaged from the shipper. We take responsibility because we choose to work with those shippers. We help the customer. I’ve seen enough articles regarding this issue and AT&T has not been taking responsibility in any case. I did not want this product, I did not want these lines installed, I did not want my yard torn up and property destroyed. We tried calling that number and the employee kept asking my husband about where he worked, he said it’s on my home property, she said, I understand sir but I need that info, then followed up to say, y’all don’t assist in business damages. Not sure how she couldn’t figure out home property damage when it was stated over and over it’s our home. 

I didn’t ask for the work to be done. This was done within my neighborhood, in my yard, without my knowledge. Everyone wants to points fingers at everybody else. 

This was utility easement work and if your local power utility, cable provider, or water utility wants to make use of the utility easement the same disruption would happen to any improvements you have added to the utility easement.

Dave

This was done within my neighborhood, in my yard,

....and most likely WITHIN the UTILITY EASEMENT.   Have you checked with your local property tax authorities to see where the UTILITY EASEMENT is?

There have been numerous occasions where someone will post with a complaint about outside work being done "on their property" or "in their yard" and after being advised to check on the location of the UTILITY EASEMENT, they rarely (ever?) provide a conclusion to their story.  We can only assume that the work was done within the UTILITY EASEMENT.

Hi everyone. I'm looking at starting a (Edited per community guidelines) (Edited per community guidelines) against AT&T for damaged property, since they will NEVER work with you and accept responsibility. Please let me know if you are interested.

that cant be discussed here and theres no way for anyone in the forums to provide any personal information

Hi, this happened to me to. Who do I talk to about the ugly plastic cylindrical box that is now in the middle of my yard?

I’m seeing everybody talking about the easement the easement that’s fine but when AT&T or their contractors come on your property and leave it looking one way when it didn’t look like that when they started it, they are responsible for the cleanup and all damages that they cause stop trying to put this on The customer that didn’t even ask for them to dig on their property. This young lady is trying to tell you guys that they messed up her property but your intern saying oh did you get any improvements done? No, she clearly said they came on her property messed it up and now she’s (Edited per community guidelines) because she’s getting the runaround  Again, Company comes on your property because of the easement rights and they damage something or they leave a mess. They should have to come back immediately and clean up the mess that they made plan and simple. AT&T makes too much money to give people this runaround. 

@Blessedone2024 

What are you talking about and who's intern? This is an old dead conversation. Never mind I see you are posting junk to multiple conversations adding no value. Sounds like yet another (Edited per community guidelines) post.

Have fun.

Dave