Taxes Paid Twice: INDOT Policy to Sue for Property Damages in Question

Averitt Express Inc. lost a driver in an accident in 2011 on I-70. The accident damaged guardrail and pavement, and Averitt was held responsible for paying the $59,969 in damages to the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). Averitt is now taking that case to the Indiana Court of Appeals. IndyBar member and attorney Michael Langford is representing Averitt in this case. He says that the issue is that taxpayers should not be asked to fund the same government functions twice.

The policy of collecting money for highway repairs has been in practice for a long time at INDOT. Should this case rule those collections illegal, it would affect motorists across Indiana and take away a significant amount of revenue for the state.Last year, INDOT billed for $7.1 million in property damage.

To read more about this case, check out this article by the Indiana Business Journal.