Are the parents of a licensed minor in Florida liable for any accidents their child causes?
Fort Walton Beach, FL—Before the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) issues a driver’s license to a person who is under the age of 18, their parent or guardian is required to sign the child’s application. This signature acknowledges that the minor’s parent or legal guardian is “jointly and severally liable with such minor for any damages caused by such negligence or willful misconduct,” according to Florida Statute § 322.09. Essentially, what this means is that if a driver who is under the age of 18 causes an accident that results in property damage or injuries, they and their parent may be held finally liable for covering the expenses that arise from this.
What if a teen driver is only partially liable for an accident?
Although teens are often presumed to be at fault for the accidents they are involved in due to their lack of experience with driving, not always is a teen driver liable for an entire accident. This is one of the reasons why drivers or the parent of a teen driver are encouraged to contact a Fort Walton Beach, FL car accident lawyer following the occurrence of a wreck. Sometimes, a driver may attempt to place all of the blame on a teen driver when they actually share some of the blame.
Instead of a teen driver and their parent being held liable for an accident that another driver may have contributed to, they can contact a car accident attorney in Fort Walton Beach, FL, who can help them understand their rights and determine what their percentage of fault actually is. And in the event a teen driver suffered injuries or sustained property damage, an attorney can help determine what they should be provided with in terms of compensation.
How Florida’s At-Fault Insurance Laws Can Help a Teen Who May Have Caused an Accident
If a teen driver was liable or partially liable for a wreck, they may be entitled to recover compensation under their parent’s personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. All drivers in the State of Florida are required to carry PIP insurance coverage, which generally pays up to $10,000 in medical expenses and can be used regardless of who causes an accident.
If the parent of a teen driver needs more information on recovering compensation on behalf of their teen who was involved in an accident in Fort Walton Beach, they can contact Browning Law Firm. The FL car accident lawyers at Browning Law Firm would be happy to discuss with the parent of a teen driver what their legal rights are and even evaluate their case to determine what it might be worth.
Browning Law Firm can be reached at:
418 Racetrack Rd. NE, Ste B
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547
Phone: 850-344-1736
Website: www.browninglawfirm.com
