New drivers have less experience on the road and may have never driven in certain conditions. This combination of inexperience , lack of judgment,  plus nervousness means that young drivers are far more likely to be involved in car accidents. However, what does this mean if your vehicle is damaged by a car driven by someone underage? If the teenager was driving negligently, their parents could actually also be liable for any damage done. Read on to learn more about who pays when an underage driver hits you and what steps to take after an accident.

Who Is Liable?

Who is liable depends on a few factors including the extent of the damage. While all teens driving in Kentucky should be covered by either their own or their parent’s insurance, there may be damages beyond that covered by insurance. Likely if a teen bumps your car while trying to parallel park, for example, their insurance will kick in and cover the damage. However, in some cases where there is negligence, extensive damage to property and a person that is not fully covered by insurance, or if there is an issue with insurance, then there may need to be someone who has to pay for the damage in a personal injury case. For example, if a teen is found to have been driving recklessly, then their parents share joint liability with them in the event of any damages.

All of these factors may also be made more complicated by additional details such as if there are multiple insurance policies which could cover the teen (such as in the case of divorced parents), who technically owns the vehicle involved in the accident, and more.

Additionally, a parent can’t be found liable if the teenager has been using the vehicle for a purpose beyond what is considered family purpose in the state of Kentucky. For example, if the teen was using the vehicle in a robbery and then crashed into your car, the parents would not be found liable for their teen’s negligence.

Why Should You Contact Car Accident Lawyers About Your Accident?

If you’ve been hurt in an accident, there may be extensive physical, mental and/or emotional and extensive physical harm. This may result in large medical bills, wages lost during time away from work, and long-lasting psychological effects of this trauma. No matter the age of your driver, you deserve to be fairly compensated for the damages you have suffered. 

Proving that the teen driver was negligent may involve aspects such as witness testimonies, police reports from the scene of the accident, photographs of the damage done to the vehicle and of the scene of the accident, security footage from nearby businesses, medical reports from your post-accident assessment and more. Having a car accident attorney help you with compiling this evidence, talking to insurance companies, helping you file paperwork, and representing you should the case go to court, is one of the most effective ways to ensure that you are fairly compensated for damages.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident caused by an underage driver in Kentucky, Rhoads & Rhoads are here to help. We are seasoned car accident attorneys with years of experience proving negligence and ensuring that our clients receive fair settlements. You only pay if we win or settle your case, so there is no risk involved.

Fill out our online form or call our car accident attorneys at 888-709-9329 to discuss your injury case and schedule an appointment with one of our Madisonville or Owensboro Kentucky personal injury attorneys.