VIC Financial Hardship - Letter of Demand for Excess Costs?

[JasmineCherie]

I was involved in a car accident where the other person claims I was at fault. I have received a letter of demand from their lawyer to pay costs in excess of $10,000.

I am currently on Centrelink benefits as income only and have no significant assets (ie. Car, house, etc). What should my response be and what happens if they try to take me to court?

I am already in financial hardship and have no possible means of paying.

 

[Cobra1972]

Can I ask the following:

Was your car registered?

Did you have insurance?

 

[JasmineCherie]

Registered car, no insurance

 

[Bill Murray]

Were you at fault?

 

[JasmineCherie]

Were you at fault?

We are both disputing who was at fault.

 

[AllForHer]

If the matter of who was at fault is in dispute, then don't pay anything until it's resolved. If the Court is needed to resolve it, then so be it.

 

[Bill Murray]

Probably get third party insurance at a minimum. If you can't afford to pay for damage you could potentially cause then insurance is a good idea.

Since you don't have insurance you will need to fight it yourself. If you have insurance they deal with it.

EDIT: Did the Police attend, if so, who got a ticket? Who gets a ticket doesn't always determine liability but its usually a good indicator.

 

[Lucaslly97]

Try describing the situation in here, maybe we can give us some opinions on who's at fault.