No one wants to find out that his or her teen has been involved in a crash. There is a sense of relief knowing that it wasn’t your child’s fault, but that doesn’t make it any easier. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to make sure your teen’s case results in the settlement or payout your son or daughter deserves.
1. Understand what happened
The first step after your teen gets medical treatment is to hear what happened. Talk to the police about the report. If no statement has been made by your teen, talk to him or her about what happened first. Your teenager should tell the truth and has no reason to admit to doing something wrong since the other driver caused the crash.
2. Get a copy of the police report
Now, get a copy of the official police report. This is important for negotiations. Provide this document to your attorney.
3. Write down what you know about the crash
Write down everything your teen tells you after the crash. He or she may start to forget what happened soon after the collision, so be vigilant. Remember to save all medical documents and identify any lost wages or workdays for the court.
4. Get information on the witnesses
If the police have witness statements or you have witness information, this is vital for the case. Gather all documents related to witness statements for your attorney to use during negotiations.
5. Tell the other party to expect a claim
If you do talk to the other party, tell them to expect a claim. This way, there is no confusion that you feel they are to blame for the accident.
6. Get the other party’s insurance information
If you were not at the scene and your teen was unable to get this information, talk to the police. They have records and may have documents to provide to you.
7. Call your attorney
Talk to your attorney after you gather information about your teen’s crash. It’s wise to talk to your attorney while also starting the insurance claim through your insurance provider. Once you talk to your provider, your provider usually takes care of handling the case for you. However, if no insurance coverage is available, then your attorney may need to sue the driver who hit your child directly.
8. Keep everything
As documents continue to accumulate, keep them and send them to your attorney. Your attorney needs this continued information about your teen’s medical needs, your transportation costs and other financial losses to help negotiate the best settlement.
These are just a few things you can do after your teen is in a crash. With the right help, an acceptable settlement is likely.
