§ 60-453 Offer to discount claim, not evidence of invalidity.

If someone offers, promises, or agrees to accept money or something else to settle a claim, that offer can't be used in court to argue the claim wasn't valid. In other words, just because a person was willing to settle for a certain amount doesn't mean their original claim was weak or wrong.

This rule exists to encourage people to work out settlements without fear that their willingness to compromise will be held against them later. If people knew that offering to settle could be used as proof their claim was bogus, they would be much less likely to negotiate. So courts keep this kind of evidence out, letting people settle disputes freely without worrying it will hurt their case if the settlement falls through.

For example, if you offer to accept $5,000 to settle a $10,000 claim, the other side can't later tell a jury that your offer proves your claim was only worth $5,000 or wasn't valid at all. The settlement offer stays separate from the question of whether the underlying claim has merit.