Dishonesty

[CatholicMan64]

So I have a friend i’ve known for some 19 or 20 years. He’s a non-denominational Christian and has been over the years a very good and true friend very devout and by all accounts very honest. In all the time that i’ve known him he has never worn his seat belt while driving. He’s quite large and I think it’s probably just too uncomfortable for him.

He gets in a car accident the other day. He suffered minor injuries (thank God) his car was really damaged if not totaled. And it was not his fault.

The driver that caused the accident was not drinking but was ticketed for careless driving. He tells me on the phone that they’re going to have to payout basically for his pain a suffering. I think he’s looking for a “cash cow”. And I have a suspicion that he’s telling everyone including me that he was wearing his seat belt because if you don’t and are in an accident it negatively affects your case. In fact you are comparatively negligent.

Other than repairing or replacing your car and paying medical bills, what do you want? I could understand lost wages too if you’re working but he’s retired. They talk about crooked lawyers but what about us looking to gain monetarily from every situation.

What’s the Christian response?

 

[Christy_Beth]

I think the cost of repairing or replacing the car is one thing. But pain and suffering? I’m not to sure on that one. If the other driver wanted to push it, there could be fall out if your friend tries to go for much of anything here. I mean, to what extent could his injuries be because of his failure to wear a seat belt? If he wasn’t wearing one, and it can be proved, then he couldn’t really make a case there. It would depend on what shows up in the accident report that the police fill out.

But I’ll admit that that is mostly personal experience. And my dad was a Claims adjuster. The one time I was involved in an accident, his first question was “Was it her fault?” Forget asking if I were injured. Anyway, the other driver was completely at fault and didn’t try to get out of it. Oh, and my dad got upset because I hadn’t gotten the other drivers insurance information. He had to wait until he could get it from the police (3 days here in Kansas, but 10 days in Missouri). I suppose I could have gotten something for pain and suffering if I had pushed it. After all, I got broad sided on the driver’s side and my car was totaled. But I wasn’t injured. It just shook me up really bad.

 

[Matthew_Light]

Are you asking whether or not you should tell your friend that lying is unethical? It sounds like you believe he is lying about wearing the seatbelt but don’t know for sure?

 

[crystal_waters]

If hes telling everyone that he was wearing his seatbelt when the accident ocurred and you know that he never wears it then ask him why he is lying about it…
You say he is a good christian…remind him that one of the commandments is thou shall not lie…

Also tell him that they will know if hes lying as tbe injuries you would get from not wearing a seatbelt would be different from wearing a seatbelt…

Try and get him to be honest and tell him how disappointed you are with him and how you thought he was better than that!

 

[Kay_Cee]

If hes telling everyone that he was wearing his seatbelt when the accident ocurred and you know that he never wears it then ask him why he is lying about it…
You say he is a good christian…remind him that one of the commandments is thou shall not lie…

Also tell him that they will know if hes lying as tbe injuries you would get from not wearing a seatbelt would be different from wearing a seatbelt…

This is so true. While stopped at a red light, I was hit from behind from a guy going 40 mph. I ended up bruised where the seat belt kept me from flying into the steering wheel: on my shoulder and across my abdomen.

Try and get him to be honest and tell him how disappointed you are with him and how you thought he was better than that!

I agree. If he lies, he is bearing false witness against his neighbor.