Important deadlines that you must meet if your child was hurt in a car accident

By Ben Sessions on February 1st, 2018 in Car / Auto Accident

If your child was hurt in a car accident, some claims belong to you – as the parent – and some claims belong to the child.

It is strange to think that the claims of a parent are separate from the claims of a child hurt in a car accident, but that is the case, and in Georgia, this can lead to some claims, particularly the parents’ claims, being barred by the statute of limitations if they are not timely pursued.

What claims for a child’s injuries in a car accident belong to the parents? 

Hospital bills, chiropractic expenses, bills that were paid by the child’s health insurance provider, and other expenses related to the child’s injuries belong to the parents. There is a 2-year statute of limitations that will bar parents’ claims for reimbursement of these expenses after 2 years from the date of the incident. 

What claims for injuries resulting from a car accident belong to the child?

Claims regarding physical and mental pain and suffering and future medical expenses after the child is 18 years old belong to the child. The statute of limitations is tolled until the child reaches 18 on these claims. 

The importance of recognizing these separate claims between the parents and the child cannot be understated, and failure to timely bring the parents’ claims within the statute of limitations can result in the claims being barred / lost forever. If you have questions regarding a car accident injury, call The Sessions Law Firm today.