As the parent of a new driver, your greatest worry is your teen being injured in an accident. Learning that your child was involved in a collision brings forth a lot of emotions, like fear, anger, and disappointment. Of course, your primary concern will be their safety. And once you learn they are safe, your next concern will be liability, and what your responsibilities are.
The process of determining liability and recovering compensation following a teen driver accident will be similar to any car accident case. Your child will obviously not need to handle the process on their own. They are most likely insured under your plan, so you will need to take care of the insurance claim and negotiations with the other driver. You can decide whether or not your child will be involved in the claim process, and to what extent — depending on your circumstances, your teen may need to provide a statement to help with the claim.
Regardless of your child’s fault in a car accident, the other driver’s insurance company will likely attempt to attribute fault to them based on their inexperience. At Eliot Reiner, APLC, our attorneys can represent you and your child and ensure you are treated fairly by insurance companies.
Parental Negligence
It is possible that you could be sued for additional damages if your child causes an accident. If you were injured in a collision with a teen driver, you could bring a case against their parents by alleging parental negligence. Parental negligence in car accident cases defines any instance in which a parent’s failure to supervise their child results in a collision involving the teen driver.
A parent may be liable for additional damages following a teen driver accident if:
- They do not supervise the child, permitting reckless behavior
- They allowed the child to drive without a license
- The child was under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Improper maintenance caused the collision
- The child had a history of reckless driving, yet was provided with a vehicle
What are Young Drivers’ Responsibilities Following a Car Accident?
In the aftermath of a collision, teen drivers must follow the same steps as every other driver: Get medical attention, gather evidence and take pictures, and get the contact and insurance information from the other driver.
During the claim process, the involvement of the teen driver will depend on their role in the collision, the terms of their parent’s insurance policy, and potentially their parent’s desire to involve them in resolving the accident. At a minimum, a teen driver may be asked to provide a statement and other evidence that is relevant to their case.
Depending on the details of the accident, the driver may have their license suspended, revoked, or be required to take safe driving classes. A collision can carry additional penalties for a teen driver if they were driving especially recklessly.
If your child was involved in a car accident or if you were injured in a collision with a teen driver, Eliot Reiner, APLC can help. We can answer your questions about teen driver accidents and guide you through the claim process.
To request a free consultation with our legal team, send us a message or call (916) 778-3228.