What changes to my access will result in compensation from the government under the eminent domain rules?
There are generally three access changes caused by eminent domain that require compensation: a. Direct access before the acquisition is changed to indirect, roundabout access after the taking; b. The taking results in total loss of access; or, c. Access after the taking is limited or restricted to certain uses. Beware that the government will often acknowledge the first two access changes but will understate the required compensation. The government usually won’t acknowledge that the third situation should result in compensation. In the infrequent situations that it is acknowledged, the damages are usually understated.
