You taught your child how to drive and put them through driver’s education. Regardless of how much practice your teen has with driving, however, they still get in a car accident, and that’s a hard reality for you. Your child has serious injuries, your car is wrecked, and you’ll soon have to pay outrageous medical bills. At this point, you don’t know who caused the accident, which means you could have a car accident claim on your hands.
If your child has been in a car accident caused by another’s negligence, they could be entitled to financial compensation. Even if they were partially at fault for the accident, they might be entitled to some settlement money.
Has your teen experienced a vehicle accident in West Virginia? If so, contact us today at Miley Legal and schedule a free consultation with a West Virginia teen vehicle accident lawyer.
Common Causes of Teen Vehicle Accidents
Teens typically get a reputation for being bad drivers, but they’re just less experienced than most adults. Still, teens need to drive to earn more experience, and car accidents are often inevitable whether or not you’re a new driver.
Here are some common causes of teen driver accidents:
- Distracted driving
- Reckless driving
- Drunk driving
- Aggressive or fast driving
- Driving on bad roads
- Driving in bad weather conditions
- Driving at night
It’s also important to remember that your teenage driver could’ve experienced an accident they didn’t cause. For example, they could be a victim of another motorist driving recklessly.
Teen drivers may be able to earn compensation for car accident damages depending on how responsible they were for the crash.
Where Do Accidents Commonly Occur in West Virginia?
A car crash can occur anywhere, whether it’s a busy highway or an empty street. West Virginia’s mountainous terrain is also a significant factor in car crashes as it can be dangerous to drive on mountains. However, some wrecks occur more frequently on certain roads than other locations.
Here are some are the most hazardous roads in West Virginia:
- I-79
- I-68
- US-50
- US-33
While some motor vehicle accidents are inevitable, it’s crucial to teach your teen safe driving habits so they can avoid experiencing a crash.
Personal Injury Law Explained
Filing a personal injury claim can be complicated, especially for teen drivers. So it might be helpful to understand the most common terms and concepts.
Negligence
Negligence is when someone acts recklessly, usually resulting in harming others. West Virginia follows a modified comparative fault standard, which means that the claimant can earn compensation for their damages if they’re 50% or less responsible for the accident. However, the total amount they receive will be reduced by the percentage of damages that they cause.
Statute of Limitations
A statute of limitations is the timeframe the claimant has to seek legal action after their accident. The West Virginia statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years from the date of the wreck. After two years, your teen may not be able to pursue any lawsuit related to the accident or be awarded any compensation for their damages.
Policy Limits
A policy limit is a maximum amount the other insurance company will pay for the claimant’s injuries. If your teen’s injuries exceed the insurance company’s policy limit, the rest of their compensation will come from the defendant’s finances.
Contact a West Virginia Teen Vehicle Accident Lawyer
As a parent, all you want to do is to keep your children safe. Unfortunately, car accidents can happen to anyone. If your teen experiences an auto accident, you can still help them by seeking justice for their damages.
The car accident attorneys at Miley Legal are here to help you through the claims process. Our WV car accident attorneys will do everything we can to help your teen earn the compensation they deserve.
Contact us today for a free consultation if your teenager has been in a vehicle accident in West Virginia.
