I own a 58 AC timber farm on a 1 mile dirt road/prirate way. I give ROW to 5 homes that use my dead end road and I give a utility easment for the 30 plus poles to Verizon ( National Grid Power lines also use the Verizon poles). 6 years ago, after years of neglect of maintainece around the poles and wires, the storm that came through level lines to the ground. We were trapped on the properties for 4 days as crews delt with the poles down on the main roads and finally made there was to us. After days of cntacting Verizon, I finally was put in touch with somene who put me in touch with Sedgewick CMS: Verizon's insurance. After a month of submitting documentation for loss of business and damage my property steaming from them failing to maintan their property on my property, I was finally reimbursed.
So here we are again. In 6 years Verzion has not send a crew out once to trim the trees back off the lines. There are several "dead lines" that are on the verge of snaping, trees across them and near the forest floor. Dozens of calls of the years have gone no where. National Grid sent a crew out 3 months ago to trim off their lines but didn't touch anything near Verizon's lines: they told me they were there ONLY for National Grid. Over the years, I pay my subcontracted loggers to trim as best as possible ( without damaging Verizon property) , remove broken limbs that are lying and weghing down lines but their insurance will not allow cutting any closer than 3 feet from the pole. Between the storm on 10/30/13 and the last 3 storms over the last 2 weeks, my accountant informes me between loss of business ( logging trucks will not drive down the roads with low wires or heavy limbs on lnes)and costs specific to removing limbs from ples/tree trimming I'm at almost 10k.
Now after 4 hrs on the phone getting past on to everyone including Verizon Wierless at one pont and even Assurion, I am lookng to find out who and what number do I call once again to fle a claim. I can't afford to maintain their property.
Easements are still your repsonsibility.
Utilities will do some trimming if they believe their lines are in danger.
So did the electrical utility onyl clear the lines down below their lines?
Usually electric lines are above communication lines.
Doubtful you will get Verizon to pay for lost business.
You can try contacting local PSC in regards to lines that are low.
Don’t know what state you reside in but National Grid is in New York if you reside here the http://www.dps.ny.gov and either use the toll free line for faster service or the online complaint form. They are very fast at getting Verizon to contact you to affect a resolution. They have regulatory authority over Verizon.
now if in another northeast state you can google the public utilities commission or public service commission to have them assist you.
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