Garage denies car's damage despite surveillance video

NEW YORK (WABC) -- He has surveillance video of his car getting smacked by a parking lot attendant; an eyewitness who was in the car, and a cracked bumper, he says was caused by the fender bender.

Yet when he asked the lot to pay to fix it?

"He actually hung up on me," said Truman Terrell, the car owner.

Truman Terrell parked his Ford Explorer at Smart Park JFK, a private lot near the airport.

The drop off day, the lot even took a "before" video of his car.

"There is no crack in the bumper," Truman Terrell said.

After his trip, Truman's son was picking up the SUV. The surveillance video shows a lot employee backing up a white Chrysler, striking the front of the Ford.

Next you see his son, Kyle, pointing out the damage to the attendant and even getting a report from the lot saying there's a crack in the bumper.

But a week later, everything changed.

"They're denying it completely, Truman Terrell said.

Denying they caused the damage, the manager even sent Truman video of the accident as proof.

"Don't you think it's asinine that they sent you the tape?" asked 7 On Your Side's Nina Pineda.

"Yes," Truman Terrell said.

So 7 On Your Side went to the lot and met the manager.

"You see it hitting it right?" Pineda asked.

"Yes of course," said Diego Ullari, Smart Park manager.

But even after that admission, he denied that cracked the bumper.

"In your opinion, this car backing out and rocking that Explorer could not have cracked the bumper?" Pineda asked.

"No," Ullari said.

He said the Chrysler's bumper's too high to cause the damage so low on the Ford's bumper.

"The whole side of the front of the car hit this whole side," Pineda said, "What did the car levitate? You think the car lifted up and only hit this area? Diego, Please."

After an hour of this the manager wouldn't budge. So 7 On Your Side sent the video to Smart Park's owner.

"A day later I get a check. It was unbelievable," Truman Terrell said.

"We're on your side," Pineda said.

"You are on my side," Truman Terrell said.

The big takeaway here is to take video and pictures of your car "before" leaving it with anyone.

Get a written report of the cars condition. That way if there's a disagreement, you'll have indisputable proof.

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7 on your side, nina pineda

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