If your child is injured in a car accident, it can be a scary situation for you as a parent. While you are worried about their well being, you should also consider if the child is covered by insurance and whose insurance covers them.
In Connecticut, your child is considered a fault-free passenger and is covered by the at-fault driver's insurance if they were injured in an accident. If there is underinsured motorist coverage available, your child would be covered as well. Uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance, often known as UM/UIM, protects you if the other driver has no insurance or insufficient coverage, and is required in Connecticut.
If any injuries occurred in an accident, especially with your child, it's important to seek medical help first, but secondly, consult with a CT car accident attorney. Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law has worked with countless clients to help them recover compensation they are due.
Steps to Take After Your Child is Injured in An Accident
There are some actions to take immediately after any car accident, especially one that involves your child. But, some of the steps will be detrimental to the success of your claim, which is why it's important to follow. These steps include:
- Getting medical care immediately to check your injuries
- File a police report and obtain a copy
- Get the driver's insurance information
- Ensure your child's injuries aren't getting worse
What If My Child Is Severely Injured?
Your own UM/UIM auto insurance protection would also cover your child in the event of a serious injury. Therefore, if your child is hurt in a car accident, three or more auto insurance policies may provide coverage as a fault-free passenger.
In Connecticut, it is required that all drivers obtain UM COVERAGE in the amount of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident. Despite these rules, Connecticut has a high rate of uninsured drivers. You probably won't be protected even if the at-fault driver carries the bare minimum of liability insurance. The majority of the cases surpass the minimum required coverage of $20,000 per person. This is why it's beneficial to carry your own additional insurance. You are permitted to buy twice as much uninsured motorist coverage (UM COVERAGE) as liability protection. For instance, if your liability insurance is $250,000/$500,000, you can have UM COVERAGE of $500,000 per person and $1,000,000 per accident. The expense of this extra coverage is more than justified by the very affordable premium.
When Can I File a Claim?
As soon as possible following the accident is recommended for parents of children hurt in accidents to file a personal injury claim. This is due to the statute of limitations, which sets a timeframe for when a claim must be filed. The statute of limitations in Connecticut is two years after the accident. Missing this deadline could forfeit your opportunity to seek compensation.
Know Your Child's Rights As A Passenger
You have the legal right to file personal injury claims if your child was injured in an accident while riding in a car. As a passenger, your child can file a claim against the at-fault driver or other parties. You may move forward with pursuing compensation from the relevant insurance once investigators have established which driver was at fault for the accident (or if both drivers shared fault). No matter which driver is at fault, if you were hurt in a collision while a passenger, the attorneys at Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law, may be able to assist you. Our main focus is on assisting passengers in obtaining the compensation they are due for any injuries sustained in auto accidents.
Since we operate on a contingency basis, you never make any upfront payments or out-of-pocket expenses. Call us for a free case evaluation today.