Jyväskylä to pay 110 euros for asphalt-damaged trainers

The city of Jyväskylä will pay a woman 110 euros after her Hoka trainers were stained by soft asphalt, Yle reported. The shoes cost 130 euros and had been in use for only a few months.

The damage happened in August on a pavement opposite Toivola’s old courtyard, where paving work was under way. The woman said she had started wearing the trainers in May and submitted photos with her compensation claim. The temperature at the nearby Jyväskylä Airport measuring station was about 20 degrees Celsius at the time, the city said.

Street manager Tuula Smolander approved the compensation in an official decision this week. City lawyer Timo Lampinen said the payment was justified because the damage occurred on a public pedestrian route, where people should be able to walk without risk of harm.

The city receives about 20 compensation claims related to street works each year, Lampinen said. He estimates that about half are approved. Claims usually involve vehicle damage, such as damage to tyres and rims, or injuries from slipping. Compensation for damaged shoes is very rare: Lampinen recalled two earlier cases involving shoes stained during tar repairs.

Work areas are generally marked with warnings and, when necessary, barriers. If road users have been warned about the work, responsibility for damage shifts to them, the city said.