Never accept cash from the other driver after an accident

Numerous car accidents happen every day around Florida. The media tends to focus on those that result in death or significant injuries, such as one multi-car crash in Neptune Beach that left several people seriously injured. 

When it comes to smaller accidents and fender benders, a lot of drivers assume they do not have to follow the same steps as a more serious car crash. Those steps include contacting your insurance agency and not trying to settle things with the other driver on your own. There have been incidents where the driver clearly at fault offers the other driver cash on the scene to not report the incident. Even if the driver seems nice, you never want to take this money. 

You could have injuries that take weeks to appear

Following a car accident, you want to have a doctor examine you. The symptoms of whiplash typically do not manifest until a few days after the collision. You could have sustained other injuries, such as tissue damage, that are not readily apparent. When you take cash, you harm your ability to collect full damages for all the medical bills you might incur. 

You do not know if the other driver has ulterior motives

When the other driver is clearly at fault, he or she may offer you money to go away. After you leave the scene, this driver contacts the police to file a hit-and-run report. You no longer have any evidence to dispute the driver’s report. This complicates matters greatly, and you could see your auto insurance rates go up as a result. You could also face legal difficulties for your failure to report the accident.

You do not yet know the repair costs

On the surface, it can be tough to see what damage your car has suffered. The body could look fine, but the collision could have caused damage to the transmission. It could take thousands of dollars to repair your car. You need to file a claim with your insurance company to pay for this and make sure you are not left without a safe vehicle to drive.