Q: Car accident w no insurance. There were no visible damages or injuries.
I got into an accident at no fault of mine there were no visible damage to the vehicle no injuries. I didnt have coverage at the time we did exchange info and i took pictures to show that the other vehicle was fine. I didnt have any coverage at the time so there was no police report made. What are my options if the other person tries to charge me a ridiculous amount when there are no damages to the vehicle? I have a witness as well at the time of the accident.
A:
Your options depend on how the other person tries to charge you a ridiculous amount. If he or she is just calling you insisting that you pay them, you can pretty much ignore them for the time being.
If they attempt to sue you, you will need to do more. It also will depend on what they are suing you for. It is not uncommon for a person to be injured in a vehicle that does not show a lot of damage. It is also difficult to contest the amount of someone's injuries without an attorney and hired experts. If they are claiming personal injuries as a result of the crash, you will probably do better if you hire an attorney to help you. If you had insurance at the time, one of the benefits is that they will defend you at no additional cost.
If they are trying to collect money for the car that you say was not damaged, then they might be pursuing this in small claims court. The good news for you is that they won't have a lawyer in small claims court either. Keep in mind the things that they will have to prove to be successful, and focus on how you can disprove any of their claims. The first thing they have to prove is that you were at fault for the accident. Your question indicates that you were not at fault. If that's the case, then it doesn't matter what kind of damages they are claiming, they can't get them from someone who wasn't at fault. Your best outcome in all of this comes from winning a fault determination.
If you are found at fault, the next best thing you can do is decrease the amount you are on the hook for. If they claim bigger property damage than occurred, take your witness with you to testify about what their car looked like. If your car has not had any work done on it, take pictures of your car to show that any alleged damage doesn't match up with your car.
Good luck.
1 user found this answer helpful
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
