SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. — A Metro East family says they're without a car this winter after it was damaged at a local car rental lot.
Brooke Brotherton dropped a friend off at the Hertz rental lot along Natural Bridge Road on Nov. 28 like she had dozens of times before.
“We got her rental,” said Brooke Brotherton. "I had my personal vehicle after her, and I was told to move forward. I was moving forward, and the operator pushed the button more than one time. As I was going through it came up and destroyed my vehicle.”
She went inside to speak to an attendant, but she says they were anything but helpful.
“It ended up going to me being cursed at being mistreated, demanding my license, and asking for names,” said Brooke Brotherton. “I was asking for names for my insurance, and they said 'my name is corporate.'”
The Brothertons said the Hertz employees were not helpful.
“She was basically met with a lot of rudeness, and told to leave, and that Hertz wasn’t going to be liable for it because it’s a personal vehicle,” said Devin Brotherton.
The Brothertons had their car towed to their Metro East home.
“I know that it’s not drivable,” said Devin Brotherton. Devin said there was fluid leaking from the engine compartment.
“We don’t have a vehicle,” said Brooke Brotherton. “We have four children, it’s the holidays, and we have a Christmas birthday coming up and it’s been very difficult.”
In an effort to get answers they reached out to Hertz corporate offices, but they still couldn’t get help or information.
“I think they think if they just keep pushing me off long enough I’ll take care of it myself and they won’t have to do it,” said Devin Brotherton.
5 On Your Side reached out to Hertz and a company spokesperson said she would pass this issue along to Hertz Customer Service.
She went on to apologize for the delay and added that the company would reach out to the Brothertons in an effort to fast-track a fix.
“The ideal outcome is that they send out an insurance adjuster, my wife’s car is taken care of with Hertz paying for it as their damage that created it,” said Devin Brotherton.
With the holidays around the corner, the Brothertons are stressed out but the situation.
“I just think of all the other people that this has happened to and didn’t have the resources of the time or the patience to be able to wait almost a month with four children,” said Brooke Brotherton.