Chicago Tribune What’s Your Problem? column [Chicago Tribune]

Nov. 29--The wedding reception could not have been more delightful. The food was top-notch, the conversation even better, and Shirley Kalergis left Salvatore's Ristorante on Oct. 9 feeling great.

She gave her ticket to the valet, who quickly returned with her Lexus RX 350.

Kalergis said she was ready to retrieve her keys when the valet suddenly hit reverse -- and smashed into a parked car.

"Everybody there just kind of gasped," she said. "I was in shock. ... He was a young boy. I don't know how much experience he had driving cars."

The valet got of her Lexus, handed her the keys and said, "I'm sorry."

Kalergis quickly scanned her vehicle. The impact of the crash had pushed her rear bumper off its hinges. She pushed it back into place and looked for other damage.

It was dark, making it difficult to see other scrapes or cracks, she said. She told the valet she would take her crossover SUV home and call Salvatore's in the morning.

In the daylight, her Lexus looked a bit worse than Kalergis had thought. The bumper was badly scratched and a taillight was cracked.

On the morning of Oct. 10, Kalergis called the Lincoln Park restaurant and reception hall.

"They said to send pictures via email," Kalergis said.

A short time later, Salvatore's wrote back.

"They acknowledged they received them and said they'd get back to me," Kalergis said.

They didn't.

Undeterred, she went to a Schaumburg body shop Oct. 14 and received an estimate for repairs: $1,043.76. Kalergis said she forwarded the estimate to Salvatore's, but again heard nothing back.

When she called the restaurant once more, a representative there told her to file a claim with her insurance.

"I called my agent and they advised against it since I would have to pay the deductible and it would go on my record and possibly raise my premium in the future," she said. "Since it was not my fault, I shouldn't do it."

Kalergis said she called Salvatore's and told the manager she did not want to file with her insurance. She asked for the restaurant's insurance company so she could file a claim with it, but again did not receive a call back.

With her Lexus still damaged, Kalergis emailed What's Your Problem?

"I don't know what to do next," she said. "I have been very patient and polite, but I need to get my car fixed before winter because the taillight is damaged and could go out completely with the freeze-thaw effect of winter weather."

The Problem Solver called Salvatore's owner, Sherife Jusufi, who said she was aware of the incident.

Jusufi said Kalergis should have stayed that night and made a report. By driving home and calling the next morning, the restaurant could not verify that the valet actually caused the damages, Jusufi said.

Still, the restaurant owner said she was willing to work with Kalergis. Jusufi admitted she could have been more responsive.

"I'm really sorry. Sometimes I just lose track," she said. "I have a bar and a restaurant and I'm a full-time mom so sometimes I get caught up between the three places."

The initial $1,034.76 estimate was simply too high, she said. She asked Kalergis to take it to another auto body shop for review.

Last week, Kalergis received a second estimate, from a body shop in Des Plaines. That shop said it could fix her SUV for $745.84.

Jusufi agreed to pay that amount.

"I have to send them a check, no problem," she said Monday. "I'll head over to my office. I'll send it out this afternoon."

Jusufi said she has also made changes to ensure better communication at her restaurant.

Kalergis was elated.

"It looks like (Jusufi) is in agreement on it," she said.

She plans to get her SUV repaired later this week.

The Problem Solver will provide updates as warranted.

Ticketgate

Speaking of updates, last week the Problem Solver wrote that the Fraternal Order of Police was upset that Chicago Police Officer Steven Sabatino had been suspended without pay for his alleged role in writing bogus tickets to Orland Park resident Mark Geinosky.

The union was particularly dismayed because Sabatino is serving with the Air National Guard in Afghanistan and is not able to defend himself.

The Problem Solver asked police spokeswoman Maureen Biggane for a comment before the column ran Nov. 22, but she did not respond.

On Thursday, she sent an email saying Sabatino is, in fact, still receiving pay.

"Officer Steven Sabatino has not been served with charges," Biggane said. "I have been advised that he continues to receive full pay and benefits."

Another officer implicated in the ticket case, William Whelehan, was fired Oct. 20 after the Chicago Police Board found him guilty of violating six Police Department rules in an unrelated incident.

On Wednesday, Whelehan filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court, asking a judge to overturn the ruling.

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