7 On Your Side: Sinkhole victim no longer sunk

NEWARK (WABC) -- A man who drove a work truck into a sinkhole on a Newark street has been fighting for a year to be made whole. His claim for damages was denied, even after Seven On Your Side went to bat for him.

But Nina Pineda kept on the case until they came out on top.

A lot of patience and persistence went into the fight, with the hard working businessman claiming he kept sending letters and calling. But he said the city continually denied receipt of the claim. In the end, it was Newark's new mayor who got on our side.

"I lost faith," Fred Zungri said. "I did. I totally lost faith."

It was a tough bill to swallow for a small business, with $5,000 in damages after the exterminator's only work truck got stuck in a Newark sinkhole he says city public works employees let him drive right into.

Zungri was interviewed by Eyewitness News last April after his van was partially swallowed by the sinkhole. He says he sent in the claim three times to be paid for his damages. First, the city of Newark denied ever getting the forms. Then, they denied the claim, stating the clock ran out.

"It turned my stomach," Zungri said.

Ours too. So we asked Newark's Mayor Ras Baraka to step in.

"Oh, I wasn't the mayor then, you have to ask the mayor then," he told us.

But in reality, the rejection letter denying the claim came from him, as he had already been inaugurated.

"But the incident happened when I wasn't here, so we have to investigate," he said.

They did, and two months later, Newark's lawyer invited all parties to City hall.

"We have a check for him today in the amount of 4,677," Newark Corporation Counsel Willie Parker said.

The full cost of the truck damages were repaid, courtesy of Mayor Ras Baraka.

"This matter had happened prior to him coming into office," Parker said. "And (he) asked us to re-look into it. We did."

And thankfully, Zungri had enough proof to back up his claim.

"He kept a very good track records showing that he was trying to get in touch with us," Newark Corporation Counsel Avion Benjamin said. "And based on that, we felt it was in the best interest to settle the claim, and we're glad."

No one is happier than Zungri, who can now pay back the debt the sinkhole sunk him in.

"Seven On Your Side was awesome," he said. "You worked so hard and you cared, and watching you work, it was going to happen."

The takeaway is to send all documents certified, return-receipt requested, and get a tracking number any time you're dealing with time-sensitive dispute or claims. And keep a detailed log, including full names of everyone you speak to regarding your issue.