Right or Wrong?

[pete]

Originally posted by lms2
The $500 was cash. You have his tag number. How would you feel about yourself for being less than honest about the payoff. That is really the question here. Two wrongs may not make a right, but he was clearly wrong for hitting you just as he was wrong in offering the cash. And if he was gonna offer cash he should have paid the whole bill at the garage of your choice. Ignoring those two wrongs is not right either. Last guy that hit me went to prison for his third strike no license, no insurance, expired tags. My van was 8 days old. My personal opinion is to nail the guy. There is a reason he didn't want to involve the police and that is the exact same reason why you should.

I didn't want to be so blunt.

[lms]

Thats me...open mouth insert foot.

[alexpgrimes]

You don't owe the guy anything. Call the police make a report. Let them deal with him. The same thing happened to me about five years ago. He offerd to pay for everything including a rental car. I got stuck with a geo metro and the truck wasn't fixed properly.. I learned my lesson the hard way. It doesn't pay to be nice.

[Fabulous Shadow]

I dont want to say it was a hity and run, he didn't run. I'd rather call the ins and say he gave me 500.00 to fix my car but that the 500.00 wont cover it. Ask them to hunt him down and go through his insurance. I'll give him his 500.00 back. Here's the catch. If ity turns out he doesnt have insurance or something, maybe my insurance wont pay since I took the cash to begin with? What do you think???
I do have uninsured motorist...

[lms2]

Thats why we have insurance is for stuff like that. You didn't sign any releases. To err is human, but who knows. I will live that up to the insurance experts to answer.

[twonabomber]

she didn't sign a release, but taking the money may be seen as accepting a settlement.

[Ally_Kat]

um...you got $500 cash from this? I don't know anybody who normally carries around $500 cash.

There's something fishy with that. If you can get away with it, I say never mention the transaction since it's cash and there's no record of it exchanging hands and tell your insurance company and/or the cops.

[Coyote]

Can't really answer that, 'cause people out here know how to drive... :D
Except in Helsinki.

[Fabulous Shadow]

I can't do that Ally... I mean I could but I wouldn't. It'd set him up for hit and run and he could get a huge fine for that and that would suck...

[Ally_Kat]

if i had my mustang and someone did that to me, i would so do it, but I can be a bitch like that

[lms]

Originally posted by twonabomber
she didn't sign a release, but taking the money may be seen as accepting a settlement.

That could be, but I don't think it would stand up in court. At any rate the insurance company would spend more than the $1,500 in legal fees trying to defend it. I don't think that would happen and IMO the risk is worth taking to make it right and get the matter worked out. (Just don't come looking for me if I am wrong )

[pete]

Originally posted by Fabulous Shadow
I dont want to say it was a hity and run, he didn't run. I'd rather call the ins and say he gave me 500.00 to fix my car but that the 500.00 wont cover it. Ask them to hunt him down and go through his insurance. I'll give him his 500.00 back. Here's the catch. If ity turns out he doesnt have insurance or something, maybe my insurance wont pay since I took the cash to begin with? What do you think???
I do have uninsured motorist...

I don't know about Cali. In florida Uninsured Motorist only covers bodily injury.

[Fabulous Shadow]

Not sure... He has to be covered sisnce it's a new car. Probably just super high rates already. I just want to turn it in to the insurance and have them contact him. i just dont want the 500.00 biting me in the ass!

[twonabomber]

Originally posted by pete
I don't know about Cali. In florida Uninsured Motorist only covers bodily injury.

i had a California license but i can't remember if there was uninsured available for the vehicle, too. been out of the biz for a year now and i'm starting to forget all that stuff.

[YankeeRose]

Here in SC the guy that hit you would be at fault, no matter what. That's why many people here offer to pay without reporting. My best advice to you is to call legal aid in your area, or look up an accident lawyer that offers free initial consultations...tell them the whole truth, and see what they say about your rights now. Remember, the fact that he called it "paying your deductible" is proof that he expected you to report it to your insurance. It's not your fault if he thought you didn't get any info from him. His tag # will reveal all the information your insurance company needs to track him down.