CMR claims for drop cable

[jat58]

I received a bill from CMR for a cable replacement in my yard. I understand that CMR is the verizon vendor for adjusting property claims, in effect getting me to pay for the cable repair. I have spoken with four different people over a period of weeks and now they are acting more like a bill collector. Verizon may think they have a claim but they dont have a judgement or a debt. My cable was damaged as I pulled up my rain spout drain that sits just under the soil (2 inches). The plastic ribbed 4 inch drain was slit cross wise with the verizon fios cable sitting in the slit. My reason for pulling up the drain pipe was that it was clogged with dirt due to the slit and my gutter was overfowing whenever it rained. I did not reasonably expect that there would be a cable. I live in a corner house and my verizon service enters on the front right corner of my house with the closest verizon service box approximately 25 feet away at the curb. I had some trees removed in that front corner area of my house last year and have a Miss Utility report clearly showing the Verizon "cable" running from the aforesaid corner of my house to the same verizon box 25 feet away. This was the logical installation method. In reality, Verizon when initiating my Verizon fios service, or rather their contractor, ran the cable from a distant box located more than 500 feet away on the side street. This cable runs across my rear side yard and across the earlier mentioned storm drain further across my back yard and up the other side of the house to the point of entry to my house on the right front side, which again is 25 feet from the closest verizon curb box. I should mention that the new cable runs from that closer box. I wrote my response to CMR and had to explain the same story four times over the phone to different CMR agents. Now i get a nasty email saying "verizon can bury their line wherever they want, regardless of where you think it should be buried or what would be "logical"". Then he adds the MD state staute for excavation - "means an operation in which earth, rock, or other material in or on the ground is moved, removed, or otherwise displaced by using ant tool, equipment, or explosive,"  Also said they would not consider whether the verizon contractor cut my rain drain. I'm pretty sure the verizon contractor didn't call Miss Utility or he wouldn't have slit my drain starting all of this nonsense. I expect a verizon moderator will have someone contact me and hopefully not another CMR claim adjustor wanting to "negotiate". 

[LawrenceC · Accepted solution]

Hi jat58,

Your issue has been escalated to a Verizon agent. Before the agent can begin assisting you, they will need to collect further information from you. Please go to your profile page for the forum and look at the top of the middle column where you will find an area titled "My Support Cases". You can reach your profile page by clicking on your name beside your post, or at the top left of this page underneath the title of the board.

Under "My Support Cases" you will find a link to the private board where you and the agent may exchange information. The title of your post is the link. This should be checked on a frequent basis, as the agent may be waiting for information from you before they can proceed with any actions. To ensure you know when they have responded to you, at the top of your support case there is a drop down menu for support case options. Open that and choose "subscribe". Please keep all correspondence regarding your issue in the private support portal.