Legal Question in Consumer Law in Illinois

Hello,

I had hired a contractor to redo my outdoor balcony in June. In August, my electricity went out and ComEd came out for the repair. They claimed that the contractor had damaged the underground cable wire, which caused the power outage. They proceeded with the repair.

I received a bill from ComEd for nearly $12,000.00 for their repair services. I was never made aware that I would be responsible for the charges associated with the repair, nor was I ever given an estimate prior to the repair. Can they just slap me with a 12k bill so easily? I feel it is unjust that I should be responsible for such an exorbitant amount, without prior knowledge or consent. I am seeking advice on what my rights are and how to best dispute this charge.

Thanks,

Julie


Asked on 11/02/11, 12:33 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Stephen Messutta

If the contractor damaged ComEd's property, ComEd is entitled to fix it and charge the party they believe caused the damage. If the contractor damaged YOUR line on YOUR property, however, that may be a different story. But either way this should be an insurance claim against the contractor; I hope the contractor gave you a certificate of insurance. If you are unsure how to deal with this, an attorney can certainly help, and depending on the contract you had with the contractor and the insurance they gave you, attorney fees to help you out here could be covered too.

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Answered on 11/03/11, 7:27 am


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