Are Parents Liable For Negligent Acts Performed By Children

The parents that are raising children must respect the fact that each of them is legally responsible for any negligent acts that might be performed by a son or daughter. That responsibility covers more than just criminal acts; it concerns commission of civil acts as well.

In other words, whenever a parent has brought a son or daughter to a public event or a public facility, that same child should be closely watched by the accompanying parent. Some facilities have sought to aid enforcement of that particular law. Certain facilities have made it clear that children under a given age cannot enter that specific location, unless they are with an adult.

Some states have put limits on the enforcement

If a child commits a negligent act, while in the presence of a parent, and that same act harms another person, the person that got hurt can sue the negligent child’s parent. In seeking compensation, the person that got hurt can cite each medical expense as a loss. Yet in some states parents do not have nightmares about the possible size of such a loss.

In those states, the law has said that no parent can be burdened with the need to compensate a victim for more than $25,000 in medical expenses. Other states have introduced a limit with a different focus. There are limits on the amount that certain property owners can claim for damages.

What happens when parents become sponsors?

In certain states there are times when the parent of a teenager must assume the role of sponsor. According to the states’ regulations, such a parent gets labeled as a sponsor once a son or daughter has become a driver. At that point, the sponsor becomes responsible for the teen’s driving conduct.

Yes, insurance companies do force a parent to pay a higher premium, if any child has begun to drive a motored vehicle owned by the policy holder. Yet that does not cover every possible situation that might trigger a car accident. For instance, a teenager might arrange to sit at the wheel of someone else’s automobile.

By naming parents as sponsors, states can more easily force a parent to pay for a teenager’s failure to demonstrate a better level of driving skills. By the same token, parents/sponsors can be tasked with assuming responsibility for any accident that was caused by a young driver’s failure to display an acceptable level of consideration towards other drivers. It is best to seek the advice of the personal injury lawyer in Lindsay irrespective of whether your child is at fault or you are the victim.