TEENAGE CHILD CAUSES ACCIDENT DRIVING PARENTS’ CAR – IS PARENT RESPONSIBLE? LAWYERS
Our car accident lawyers handle Minnesota cases where a teenage driver causes a car crash. Of course, we also handle cases where a teenager is injured in a car accident. We are often asked the question: Are parents responsible for the damage or injuries when their child caused a car accident? The answer is, it depends.
First, the owner of a vehicle is always responsible if the vehicle caused an accident. It doesn’t matter if your child was driving, or you loaned the car to a friend. Under MN law, the owner is responsible. Therefore, if the parents own the car, they are definitely responsible for an accident caused by their child.
However, parents will not be responsible if the parents do not own the car. If only the child’s name is on the title, only the child is responsible. Of course, we don’t see that scenario very often. In most cases, the parents own the vehicle or have their name on the title.
Parents can also be responsible for their child’s car accident even if they didn’t give permission to drive their car. For example, if the child lives with them and they know the teenager has a mental health problem or frequently drives drunk or on drugs. In those cases, the parents must take further action to prevent their child from driving their car. Liability is most likely when it’s the parents’ car, i.e. the parents’ names are on the title.
INSURANCE FOR TEENAGER CAR ACCIDENT INJURY
Car insurance for a teenage driver is expensive … for a reason. Teen drivers are a higher accident risk. Nonetheless, our car accident attorneys strongly urge people to purchase adequate insurance for their teenage drivers. There are many good reasons to purchase adequate insurance, including protecting against financial liability.
Sufficient insurance is also important because, in Minnesota, all auto insurance policies come with uninsured and underinsured coverage. This type of insurance provides coverage if you or your child is injured by another driver. Also, if your teenager is injured while a passenger in another vehicle. If the other vehicle is not insured or does not have enough insurance, your uninsured or underinsured coverage takes over. Look carefully at your auto policy, because increasing coverage is usually not expensive.
TOP CAR ACCIDENT LAWYERS
If your teenager is injured in a MN car accident, please call us and speak with a lawyer for a free consultation. Our personal injury car accident attorneys will answer your questions and make sure your rights are protected. A lawyer will also answer discuss parents’ responsibility for a car accident caused by their teenage child. We have more than 25 years’ experience. Our lawyers have successfully represented hundreds of people in car accident cases throughout Minnesota. Our primary focus is to get car accident victims complete compensation for their auto accident injury. We never charge anything unless you receive compensation.