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Teen Accidents and Who is Responsible

It’s no surprise that teen driving accidents account for a large number of car wrecks in Wichita, Hutchinson and Topeka. Combine inexperience with lack of care and throw in some texting while driving and you have a recipe for disaster. In 2010, almost 300,000 teens were injured in a wreck.

When an accident with a novice driver happens, who’s responsible? Who is liable – the teen driver, the car’s owner or the teen’s parents? Each scenario is different, with a variety of issues involved.

The Teen Crashed the Family Car

A family car, owned by the teen’s parent or guardian, is most likely to be involved in an accident. In this case, the parent or guardian is held responsible for negligent entrustment since they allowed the teen to drive the car. The parent or guardian will be liable for the damages.

The Teen Crashed a Friend’s Car

Car owners are responsible just like parents for lending their car. What is commonly referred to as “owner’s liability,” holds the owner responsible for damages, even though the injured party may also sue the teen driver. Both parties may end up jointly liable.

The Teen Driver is Uninsured

Thankfully, Kansas law requires your insurance policy to include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. It doesn’t matter if it’s a teen or a hit-and-run driver, you can recover for your losses if you are hit by a driver that does not have any insurance. This doesn’t mean the teen is off the hook though. It is completely legal for someone involved in a wreck to sue a teen for damages, despite the likelihood that teen’s parents will end up paying.

Since teen driving accidents can entail many different factors, it is wise to discuss your case with a Wichita personal injury attorney to learn what the best way to recover damages is. For more information on what damages can be recovered, read our article here.

At Ray Hodge & Associates, we believe in personal injury handled personally. At our office you see a lawyer from the very first meeting because we believe your case deserves an experienced personal injury attorney right from the start.

If you have had a Kansas car wreck injury that was not your fault and need medical treatment, you need an experienced professional who can help you get back on the road to recovery. Call us today at 316-269-1414 or visit our contact page here. Our Kansas personal injury attorneys will provide you a free initial consultation and if we take your case you don’t pay a dime unless we recover money for you. Even then we only take a percentage of the total amount of your recovery.

If you have questions on what you should be looking for when you are making a decision to hire a Kansas personal injury lawyer, read our article located here.

Make sure you download our free car accident app for iPhone or Droid to protect yourself in event of an auto accident.

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Ray Hodge & Associates proudly represents victims and their families across the state of Kansas, including Wichita, Andover, Derby, Goddard, Haysville, Mulvane, Rose Hill, Newton, El Dorado and Hutchinson. Call today for a free consultation all over the state of Kansas. We have proudly served clients in Sedgwick, Butler, Sumner, Harvey, Kingman and Reno Counties.