What if a Driver Offers to Pay You After an Accident?
Some drivers are very afraid of the consequences of a car accident. Their insurance could go up, and they could even be personally liable for your damages. Some may offer to pay you money at the scene of a car accident. Do not ever accept it from them because it could keep you from being able to receive full legal compensation for your injuries.
If you take cash at the scene of an accident, you would be forgoing getting the other driver’s insurance information and reporting the accident to your own insurance company. Even if an accident seems minor at the scene, you do not know the full extent of your damages until the days after an accident. For example,
- You could learn in the days and weeks after an accident that you suffered whiplash
- Cars have expensive sensors and machinery that could be damaged even in a seemingly minor car accident
Do Not Give Up Your Legal Protections
When you try to go “off the books” with an accident, you lose the ability to be fully compensated for the full value of your injuries. Even though an insurance claim seems like a hassle and hard work, it is a process that you must go through to be paid.
If a driver offers to pay you cash at the scene, politely refuse and insist on getting their insurance information. Make sure to take down their license plate number and get their driver’s license information in case they have no insurance.
Contact a Beverly Hills California Car Accident Lawyer
Jalilvand Law is here for you when you have suffered damages in a car accident. You can reach us online or call us at 310.470.5800 to schedule your free initial consultation.
