If someone hit your car and offered you the money would you accept that? Do you think accepting the money is the right act or not? Well, most at-fault drivers after making the mistake of hitting someone’s car then offer the cash to avoid the hassle of police and legal process. They believe that the victim will not complain after accepting the money.
However, an at-fault driver can offer you the money and it is up to you whether you accept the money or not but just take a minute and think. Would this money be enough to compensate for all of the medical bills for the treatment of injuries and expenses for the repair of car damage you faced? Obviously, these offers do not cover the full cost of your damage. Though it is better to consult a Kansas City Car Accident Lawyer and take legal advice and ask the lawyer about your legal rights. Further, your lawyer will make calculations and let you know how much amount you deserve.
If The At-fault Driver Is Offering Money, Does He Break The Law?
No doubt that the at-fault driver is responsible for all the damage you have gone through. Though this is not illegal or he is not breaking any law if he is offering the money at the scene. Offering the money is simply easy to avoid lawyers and courts. And the at-fault drivers know that severe accidents result in severe medical expenses. And they know if the victim reported to the police and hired a lawyer then the at-fault driver has to pay huge expenses.
However, you should not accept the money at the scene. It is the short-term profit. If you think about the long term then you will realise that medical expenses are so much more expensive and car repair expenses are also huge. Though most of the victims do not feel pain on the spot after the accident but after some days their pains start getting worse and they will get to know that some incidents show pain later.
Sometimes severe injuries result in
- Hospital stays
- Surgeries
- Physical therapy
- Doctors visits
- Drug prescription
Medical expenses do not end but they increase till the patient recovers completely. And maybe due to injuries, it becomes hard for you to go to the office and you can suffer from lost wages. Well, If you accept the money at the scene, you won’t be able to claim for future medical expenses and lost wages and nor will you be able to claim insurance from the at-fault party.
Importance Of Contacting A Police
It is important to call the police after a car accident or when
- Someone badly hit your car
- If you have got injuries or your loved one died due to the fault of another person
- The vehicle got damaged and unable to move
- The driver fled the scene after the accident
- Driver is drunk
- The driver has no licence
- If the driver is not willing to share his contact number.
Sometimes the at-fault driver offers you a small amount and makes a promise that you can contact him later if you need more money but what if he betrayed you and provided the wrong contact number.
Therefore, contacting the police can save you from fraud. Police will record each and everything about the incident and they will note the phone number of both the parties involved in the accident. Further, a police report can be used as evidence and you can also claim compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Some Essential Steps Are Must Be Taken
After contacting the police, some steps must be taken
- If necessary seek medical help
- Exchange the contact details with the at-fault party
- Record testimonies of the eye-witnesses
- Take the pictures of the injuries and car damage for the evidence
- If you have insurance then call your insurance company and provide the correct details
- You can also contact the insurance company of the at-fault party
- If damage is severe then it is a must to hire a lawyer and claim compensation.
What If The Insurance Company Is Making Trouble?
If the insurance companies are making problems and not providing the amount that you deserve then don’t worry and contact a lawyer. Your lawyer knows how to deal with the insurance companies and make a fair settlement.
Final Words
After a car accident the victim suffers from physical injury, emotional trauma, lost wages and property damage. And it is the responsibility of the at-fault party to provide compensation for all the damage. But if the at-fault driver is paying off some money at the scene then you should not accept that because it is your legal right to claim compensation for all the damages including expensive medical bills, lost wages, car repair bills and even non-economic damages.
However, If you are still confused then you can take help from a car accident lawyer. He will help you to make the best decision.
