Rule 5.409 Payment of expenses

If someone offers to pay for another person's medical bills or other costs after an accident, that offer cannot be used in court as proof that they caused the accident or did something wrong. For example, if a driver tells another driver "don't worry, I'll cover your hospital bills," that statement can't later be used against them to show they were at fault.

The reasoning behind this rule is simple. People should feel free to help others after an accident without worrying that their kindness will be used against them later. If offering to help could be seen as admitting fault, people might stop helping altogether, even when it's the right thing to do.

It's worth noting that this rule only blocks the offer to pay from being used to prove fault. If someone makes other statements while offering to pay, like admitting they were texting while driving, those separate statements could still be used as evidence, even though the payment offer itself cannot.