Did you know the summer is one of the most dangerous times to drive? Not only do you have construction on the roads, but you also have new teen drivers on the road with school being out. Rather than being unprepared in the case of an accident, the DiPasquale Moore team is here to provide some insight on what a person should do if a teen driver hits them.
First Steps After a Collision with a Teen Driver
If you were recently hit and injured by a teen driver, the first thing you should do is seek medical attention. Even if you don’t think you’re injured, you must get checked out by a doctor or go to the emergency room. Once you’ve taken care of your health and recovered, you can start thinking about what to do next.
Filing a Claim
If the teen driver’s negligence caused the accident, you might be able to file a personal injury claim against them or their parents’ insurance policy. You will need to gather evidence to support your claim, so it’s important to take pictures of the accident scene and get the contact information of any witnesses. You should also keep track of any medical bills or other expenses related to the accident.
In certain states, the family purpose doctrine can be applied. This doctrine declares that the owner of the car that hit you can be held liable as long as another family member was driving. However, this doctrine can only be applied if a minor was using the car with their family member’s consent for any family-related purpose. We suggest speaking with our car accident attorneys to see if this applies to you.