When a teen is injured in an accident, parents may – very understandably – panic. If you are a parent to a teen who has recently been hurt in a crash, your first instinct is likely to be ensuring that your child is safe and receiving proper medical care. Once those immediate concerns are addressed, it’s important to calm down and seek support when it comes to your family’s legal and financial future.
In Arizona, teens are too often seriously hurt in car crashes, bike collisions, pedestrian accidents and more. And while young drivers are often assumed to be the cause of such accidents, that assumption does not always reflect the truth.
The reality is that teens, like adults, can be victims of someone else’s negligence. Even if your teen played some role in their recent incident, that does not automatically bar them from seeking and receiving compensation.
Seeking justice for your teenager
Arizona follows a comparative negligence rule, which means that an injured party can still recover damages even if they were partially at fault—though their compensation may be reduced based on their share of the blame. Let’s say your teen was driving slightly over the speed limit, but another driver ran a red light. Even if your teen is found 20 percent at fault, they may still recover 80 percent of the total damages. That compensation could cover medical bills, therapy, pain and suffering and more.
If your teen was injured as a pedestrian, passenger or cyclist, their right to pursue a claim may be even stronger. Adults have a legal responsibility to exercise caution around young people. Drivers who fail to yield, speed through school zones, or drive distracted can and should be held accountable.
Unfortunately, insurance companies may try to shift blame onto your teen to minimize what they’re liable to pay your family. They may point to your child’s age, driving record or even social media activity to suggest recklessness. This is just one of the many reasons why it is important to speak with a personal injury legal team as soon as possible.
After an accident, your teen needs more than just time to heal—they need support, protection and a strong advocate on their side. Working with a legal team that can process the details of your teen’s situation and manage their pursuit for compensation effectively is a good way to start moving forward.
