Glossary
Runner (capper)
Someone paid to find accident victims and steer them to a particular lawyer, clinic or repair shop. Using runners is illegal in some states, including California and Texas.
General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state.
Quick answer
A runner, also called a capper, is someone paid to find accident victims and steer them to a particular lawyer, medical clinic or repair shop. Runners may show up at a crash scene, a hospital or your door, or call soon after a crash. Using them is illegal in many places.
In a car accident claim#
Runners matter because the person steering you is being paid by someone else, not looking out for you. In California, it is unlawful to act as a runner or capper for lawyers, including in and around hospitals. In Texas, paid solicitation of this kind is Barratry. Stirring up lawsuits or soliciting clients illegally, for example by paying people to sign up crash victims for a lawyer. Some states, including Texas, make it a crime. Glossary, which can be a third-degree felony, and lawyers, doctors and chiropractors may not send unsolicited solicitations about a crash for 30 days afterward.
The ABA model ethics rules point the same way: a lawyer may not pay anyone for recommending them, except the usual charges of a legal service plan or a not-for-profit or qualified lawyer referral service, and may not solicit you by live person-to-person contact when a significant motive is the lawyer's financial gain, with narrow exceptions. If someone approaches you, the guide to red flags explains how to report it, and lawyer referral services describes the legitimate, bar-run way to find a lawyer.
Example#
Related terms#
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a runner and a referral service?
A runner is paid to steer you to one provider and may not tell you who is paying them. A bar-run lawyer referral service is an approved program that matches you with lawyers on its panel, and the ABA model rule allows lawyers to pay its usual charges.
What happens to a contract signed through a runner?
It depends on the state. In Texas, a legal services contract obtained through barratry is voidable by the client. A licensed attorney in your state can explain the options.
Sources
- American Bar Association, Model Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.3: Solicitation of Clients — limits on lawyers' direct solicitation
- California Legislature, Business and Professions Code § 6152(a) — as of October 2026
- Texas Legislature, Penal Code § 38.12(f) — as of October 2026
- American Bar Association, Model Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.2(b) — as of October 2026
- Texas Legislature, Government Code § 82.065(b) — as of October 2026
Last reviewed October 29, 2026 by the Accident Claim Facts editorial team. Found an error? Tell us.
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