What Should I Do If The Other Driver Offers Me Cash After My Car Crash?

You’re involved in a car accident on the South Carolina roads, and the other driver offers to write you a check or hand over a wad of cash if you forget about the whole thing. What do you do?

Don’t take it!
Car accidents are serious and they can have serious, long-lasting consequences. If you have been injured , you might not realize how severe your condition is for days or weeks after the crash. Accepting payment from the other driver may suggest you are releasing him from liability for your injuries.

There is a legal system designed to protect personal injury victims, and it’s important to go through that system to get the compensation you need and deserve. If you don’t, you might be taken for another rough ride. You might not know what it may cost to repair or replace your vehicle or get ongoing treatment for your injuries, and you want to make sure you get all the money you need.
Of course, that’s the fundamental reason for turning down on-the-spot cash. There are plenty of other reasons to opt for the official system.

How trustworthy is the other driver?
If someone offers to write you a check for thousands of dollars, you would be wise to wonder if he really has the money – or if he’s even writing the check from his own account! How much do you keep in your checking? Many people don’t fill their non-interest accounts with large amounts of money.

Is there a contract?
If the driver is offering something more formal than a roadside exchange and wants you to sign a contract in exchange for a payment, you may be closing your case. You may not be able to pursue any more compensation if you find that your medical bills are mounting faster than you can pay them with the other driver’s money.

It’s messy.
All South Carolina drivers are legally required to have insurance . When you go through the insurance company, it has the financial resources to pay for all of your medical and resulting expenses. The other driver’s pockets probably aren’t as deep.

Making sure justice is served.
Why would someone try to avoid using the established system? Maybe the other driver has a record of dangerous driving that has hurt people in the past. Accepting an under-the-table payment may give him or her the ability to go on getting away with it. You wouldn’t want to read about the crazy driver in your accident killing someone else on the road.

If you have been offered a pay-off from the other driver in your car accident, you shouldn’t take it. Call the knowledgeable legal team at George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers for more information about how the system works.