Rule 409 addresses payments for medical expenses. Which statement accurately describes Rule 409?

Rule 409 addresses payments for medical expenses. Which statement accurately describes Rule 409?

• A. It permits evidence of payment of medical expenses to prove liability
• B. It requires the payment of medical expenses to be relevant
• C. It bars evidence of furnishing, promising to pay, or offering to pay medical expenses to prove liability
• D. It allows evidence of medical expenses as proof of damages

Answer: (C)

Evidence about furnishing, promising to pay, or offering to pay medical expenses arising from an injury is not admissible to prove liability. This rule exists to prevent a party from leaning on financial offers as proof of fault, which could mislead the jury and encourage settlements in ways that don’t directly reflect who caused the injury. The correct understanding is that this kind of evidence cannot be used to establish fault, even if it seems relevant in other ways. The other statements would misstate the rule: paying medical expenses isn’t allowed to prove liability, the rule isn’t about making payment relevant, and it doesn’t grant automatic use of medical expenses as proof of damages.

Evidence about furnishing, promising to pay, or offering to pay medical expenses arising from an injury is not admissible to prove liability. This rule exists to prevent a party from leaning on financial offers as proof of fault, which could mislead the jury and encourage settlements in ways that don’t directly reflect who caused the injury. The correct understanding is that this kind of evidence cannot be used to establish fault, even if it seems relevant in other ways. The other statements would misstate the rule: paying medical expenses isn’t allowed to prove liability, the rule isn’t about making payment relevant, and it doesn’t grant automatic use of medical expenses as proof of damages.