She just wanted her Miss Vickies Spicy Dill Pickle chips. Instead, she left with $2,000 in damage and a crash course in corporate liability.

A viral clip from TikToker Makayla (@makayla.n.b.) is letting many people know about her mishap at a local Walmart, where a temporary parking sign fell on her Kia Telluride, causing a costly dent that the retail giant said it’d pay to have fixed. 

According to the video, the Walmart in her area was undergoing a remodel and had moved its grocery pickup signage into temporary stands—plastic bases weighted with water rather than fixed posts in the ground.

While parked and waiting for her order, which included five bags of Miss Vickies Spicy Dill Pickle Chips, a loud bang interrupted her conversation with the store associate. A temporary parking sign had tipped over and landed directly on her SUV. The employee witnessed the incident, assured her that Walmart would “take care of it,” and went inside to summon a manager.

After lifting the sign off her car herself and surveying the damage, the owner began what would become a days-long odyssey to get the repairs covered.

From Helpful Manager to Runaround

Initially, the store seemed ready to handle the issue. The manager on duty, whom Makayla described as “super frantic,” helped initiate a formal incident report on an in-store iPad and assured her that Walmart would cover the repairs. But after a few days with no follow-up, things got complicated, and an initial call inquiring about the claim resulted in denials from a worker who she said didn’t seem to grasp what had happened.

She eventually contacted Walmart’s third-party claims administrator. Though she doesn’t name it in the video, Walmart has used Sedgwick Claims Management Services for similar cases in the past.

Despite initial confusion, the company eventually confirmed her claim and allowed her to submit repair estimates, which totaled over $2,000 for the hood repair plus reimbursement for a rental car equivalent.

Who’s Liable in Lot Mishaps?

It’s not uncommon for drivers to experience damage in a store parking lot from loose carts, falling signs, or cracked pavement, but liability isn’t always straightforward.

When something damages your vehicle in a store parking lot—a runaway cart, falling signage, or even crumbling infrastructure—it’s not always obvious who’s responsible. But in many cases, a retailer like Walmart can be held liable if negligence is involved.

To strengthen your claim if something similar happens:

• Take photos or video of the damage and the hazard (e.g., a tipped-over sign).
• Get names and statements from store employees or other witnesses.
• Ask for a copy of the store’s internal incident report.
• Document the time and location carefully, especially if there are cameras nearby.

Most major retailers utilize third-party administrators, such as Sedgwick, to limit liability and standardize claims. These administrators can approve or deny your claim based on their investigation, often citing a lack of evidence or denying fault. If they reject a valid claim, car owners can sometimes pursue small claims court or submit through their auto insurance, with the option to subrogate against the retailer.

Why SUV Hoods Like the Telluride’s Can Be Expensive to Fix

A dented hood might not sound like a big deal, but on modern SUVs like the Kia Telluride, repairs can get expensive fast.

Here’s why:

• Size matters: Large hood panels require more material and labor to remove, reshape, and repaint.
• Material complexity: Depending on the trim and year, the Telluride may use aluminum hood panels, which are lighter but more difficult to repair than steel.
• Sensor systems: Advanced driver-assistance system features like forward collision warning or radar cruise control often place sensors behind the grille or under the hood, and recalibration after repair can add hundreds to the bill.
• Paint-matching costs: Kia’s premium paint options (like Wolf Gray or Sangria) may require special blending techniques to get an exact match.

Most reputable experts agree that the average hood dent repair on a mid-size SUV can range from $600 to $1,500; however, aluminum or sensor-equipped hoods can push the cost past $2,000, especially if the damage is near structural seams or the paint has chipped.

Motor1 reached out to Makayla via direct message and to Walmart via online contact form.