What To Do If Your Minor Is Involved In A Car Accident
A good number of children die on roads in the United States yearly. While most of these accidents mostly happen when a minor is playing or driving, others happen due to others negligence. When a minor gets involved in an accident, seeking compensation has a massive impact on the life of the minor and the family.
If your minor has been involved in an accident, you will have lots of questions on seeking medical attention, how much to expect for compensation, and much more. This guide can help you understand how to go about the issue and get the best legal advice for your child’s unique case.
Dealing With A Minor In A Car Accident
If your child has been involved in a motor vehicle accident and you believe this was someone’s negligence, there are steps you may take that would be of great help when seeking compensation. They include:
- Record everything: If your minor is in a position to talk, ask them for any information they could be having of how the accident happened, before, during, and after the car accident.
- Ask for witnesses: With the above information, you can get credible witnesses who may help in your case. Such witnesses’ contacts should be handed over to an experienced lawyer who can ask the right questions to be used in negotiations or legal proceedings.
- For compensation, you can take pictures at the scene of the accident of other vehicles involved, weather, or any other relevant information.
When seeking compensation, the insurance company will be so concerned to have proof of expenses that you could have incurred due to the minor’s injuries. Besides, they will also be concerned with the medical report provided by the doctor. For the right recovery, the medical records should not only contain the injuries suffered, but they should also indicate how long the injuries are expected to last. Seeking compensation for your minor can help you get off the financial burden of taking care of your minor. But getting the right compensation is only possible if you use Wasilla car accident lawyers who work tirelessly to help families seek compensation for their minors.
Dealing With The Insurance Claim Adjuster
There are several things the insurance company will have to look out for to accept your claim. For instance, for one to drive in Alaska, he/she must be at least 16 years of age or older. If your minor was driving without a provisional license or a graduated driver’s license, you might have a hard time trying to recover compensation. However, you can get the best for your minor if you can deal with the insurance company in the below ways:
- Have a lawyer talk on behalf of your minor: There are things one should not say to an insurance adjuster when they are handling your case. Things such as “I feel I am okay” may be one way to have a claim denied. Your lawyer can stand up against the claim adjusters as they will not act in your best interest.
- Cooperation is the key: Once you cooperate in the investigation of the claim, the insurance adjuster will not think about any hidden information. As such, you may have your case settled within the first few phone calls.
- Don’t settle too fast: One way car accident victims regret afterwards is by accepting the first offer presented to them. Once the claim adjuster makes the plaintiff sign a release, the case is over.
The above is why you should contact a car accident lawyer immediately after learning of your minor accident. Although cases involving minors may be slightly different from adult car accident cases, this may not affect the duration of time you could take to have your case finalized. How much you will recover as compensation will determine the issues surrounding your case. Such will also determine the time that will be taken to get your compensation payout.
Speak To An Experienced Car Accident Lawyer
Most minors are always at risk of being involved in car accidents, either due to lack of enough skills, driving under the influence, or other nasty behaviors. Others find themselves into such accidents due to other’s negligence acts. If your minor has been injured in a car crash caused by a negligent driver in Alaska, you can file a claim against the driver and seek damages for your child’s injuries. The financial recovery could go a long way to help you cover your child’s ongoing and future treatment.
It is better to avoid the paperwork and other nasty processes involved that may eat your working time. If not sure where to start, you can have free consultation and have your entire claim questions answered depending on the uniqueness of your child’s case.