WHEELING, W.Va. (WTRF) – It’s the time of year when the weather switches from warmer temperatures to below freezing conditions. This often causes roads to crack and creates potholes in the road.

So how do you get money if your car gets damaged from a pothole in West Virginia?

Over the past month– AutoWise come has tracked geotagged tweets talking about potholes. And West Virginia placed in the top ten for states complaining about potholes.

But it may come as a surprise for some to know that you can actually have the state pay for the pothole damage done to your vehicle.

They pay either the deductible if you have collision coverage on your insurance, or up to the full amount if you have no insurance coverage.

For small claims like potholes, you will not have to attend a hearing.

All you do is snap a picture of the damage and the pothole, provide the estimation for the damage, where it happened, and file the claim. The commission will then approve the claim, and the money will be disbursed at the end of the legislative session.

With the simple filing of the claim form, an with a little bit of effort, and it’s all online with all the directions. They’re very clear. Then, it might take a year, sometimes a year or two depending on when the legislature approves it, you’re gonna get your money. Diana Crutchfield – 7News Legal Analyst

Over one thousand pothole claims are filed each year in the state, amounting in close to one million dollars in claim costs annually. Some large cities also have their own claims process.