The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that a teen driver’s inexperience and immaturity makes them more likely to be in a car accident than an adult driver.
If you suffered injuries in a car accident caused by a teen driver, you may be entitled to compensation from the teen’s parents or guardians. Call a teen car accident lawyer in Florida at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine for a free consultation.
Proving Liability for Your Injuries in a Teen Car Accident
Teen drivers are subject to the same rules of the road as adults, and the same negligence laws bind them as any other driver in Florida. Our Florida car accident lawyers can help determine the extent of a teen driver’s negligence by establishing the following:
- The teen owed a duty of care to you and other motorists to drive safely and to follow the rules of the road.
- The teen violated their duty owed to you, perhaps by running a red light, swerving into your lane, or failing to obey the speed limit.
- The teen caused the car accident.
- You suffered an injury as a result of the accident the teen caused.
While many factors contribute to car accidents, some causes are more prevalent than usual when a teen is behind the wheel:
- Distracted driving: Texting, checking messages, looking at social media accounts, talking on the phone, eating, putting on makeup, adjusting the radio, and talking to passengers can all take the teen’s attention away from their driving.
- Speeding: Speeding is a leading cause of accidents involving teen drivers.
- Impaired driving: Drinking alcohol or taking drugs can cause teen accidents.
- Fatigued driving: Failing to get adequate sleep may impact a teen’s driving.
If you suffered injuries in an accident caused by a teen driver, call a teen car accident lawyer at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine for help. Our attorneys can go to the accident scene, gather evidence, and interview witnesses to help build your case.
Determining Who Is Liable for Your Injuries in a Teen Car Accident
In Florida, a parent can be liable when a teen causes your injuries in a car accident under certain circumstances:
- A parent or guardian must sign the application for a teen under the age of 18 to obtain a driver’s license. If the negligence or willful conduct of the teen driver causes a car accident, the parent or guardian is liable.
- After the teen turns 18 years of age, a parent can be liable if the teen is driving a car owned by the parent at the time of the accident.
Determining the Applicability of Insurance in a Teen Car Accident
In Florida, your own insurance covers the first $10,000 for your injuries and loss of income. A parent or guardian’s insurance policy may cover the teen driver, or the teen may have a policy of their own. If the amount of your damages exceeds the policy limits, you may proceed under your own underinsured motorist policy.
Our attorneys can guide you through what you need to know to make a car insurance claim. We can also help determine the applicable insurance coverage and work to reach a settlement that will compensate you for your injuries.
Recovering Compensation for Your Injuries in a Teen Car Accident
Damages that you can recover in a teen car accident include:
- Medical expenses: Your medical expenses include any future medical care made necessary by your injuries caused by the teen car accident. If you suffer a catastrophic injury, you may also receive compensation for lifetime care.
- Lost wages: You can be compensated for lost income after a car accident. This can also include related doctor and therapy appointments after you return to work.
- Lost earning capacity: If you cannot return to work because of injuries you suffered in a teen car accident, you are entitled to compensation for the difference between what you earned before the accident and what you are able to earn after the accident.
- Pain and suffering: Our attorneys can help determine how much pain and suffering is worth in a car accident.
- Mental anxiety: You may receive compensation for the mental stress caused by the accident.
- Property damage: Compensation could cover repairs to your car or its replacement value.
Our attorneys can prove your damages by:
- Talking to your doctors and consult with medical experts to establish the extent of your injuries.
- Determining your lost earning capacity.
- Interviewing your caretakers to help establish your pain and suffering after the accident.
- Speak with you, your family, and your co-workers to determine how much the accident has impacted you from a mental standpoint.
- Discuss any ongoing care you may need with your doctors and life care planners after a catastrophic injury. This includes in-home services as well as any renovations required to make your home wheelchair-accessible.
If your suffered injuries in an accident caused by a teen driver, call a teen car accident lawyer in Florida at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine for a free consultation. You only have four years to file a personal injury lawsuit in Florida. Call now to let our attorneys start working on your case right away, so you can focus on getting better.
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