As you finish work for the day, you receive the worst news a parent could get—your teen has been in a car wreck. Thankfully, they’re alive, but they’ve been moved to a hospital. You rush to their hospital room to be by their side. You’re so glad they’re okay, but you can’t help but think about what went wrong. You and your spouse taught your child how to drive and put them through driver’s education. Regardless of how much practice your teen has with driving, they could still get in a car accident, and now it’s a 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. Has your teen experienced a vehicle accident in West Virginia? If so, call a teen vehicle accident lawyer from Miley Legal to schedule your free consultation today.
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 auto accidents are often inevitable whether or not you’re a new driver.
Here are some common causes of teen driver accidents:
- Distracted or reckless driving
- Driving while under the influence
- 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 in other locations.
Here are some are the most hazardous roads in West Virginia:
- I-79
- I-68
- US-50
- US-33
While some 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 comparative negligence 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
The statute of limitations is the timeframe the claimant has to seek legal action after their accident. In West Virginia, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years from the date of the wreck.
Policy Limits
A policy limit is the 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 protect them by seeking justice for your 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 a personal injury lawyer from Miley Legal today if your teenager has been in a vehicle accident in West Virginia. Call now to schedule your free consultation.
