Teen Driver Car Accidents

Learning how to drive is sometimes one of the most exciting times in a young person’s life. While many new drivers take their responsibility to operate a vehicle safely and responsibly, others may indulge a taste for risk, throw caution to the wind, and put other motorists in serious danger. This is especially true during the summer months when school is out and teens have extra free time. For example, the East Providence High School on Pawtucket Avenue has a graduating class of nearly 500 students in the average year, many of whom have just received their licenses. East Providence car accident lawyer David Tapalian can guide people struck by careless teenagers through the legal process and assist them with bringing a personal injury lawsuit against the teen driver who caused their injuries.

If you have suffered injuries in a teen driver accident, you can bring a negligence action against the teenager to recover compensation. Since teen drivers are legally minors, the action may require the court to appoint a guardian ad litem to oversee the minor’s legal interests. Also, it is likely that the teen is insured under their parent’s insurance policy. Some insurance policies have different approaches to insuring teens, which may affect the amount of compensation available to you.

In the negligence action, you must establish that the teen driver failed to act with reasonable care and skill, similar to how a prudent driver would conduct himself or herself. This standard encompasses a variety of factors, such as paying attention to the weather, carefully navigating around any roadway hazards like construction zones, and observing all applicable traffic laws. Some of the most common reasons that teen driver accidents occur involve distracted driving, intoxicated driving, and excessive speed.

Rhode Island has adopted a graduated licensing system. This means that a new driver must complete certain requirements before they are considered a fully licensed driver. The restrictions generally limit the times of day that the teen driver can operate a vehicle and determine who else can ride in the vehicle with the teen driver. Rhode Island has also adopted a distracted driving law that prohibits motorists from holding a cell phone while operating a vehicle. If you can show that the teen driver violated a driving law at the time of the crash, the jury will assume that the teen was driving negligently unless the defendant can provide countervailing evidence.

Next, the plaintiff must prove that there is a causal link between the injuries that were sustained in the accident and the teen driver’s negligent conduct. The injuries must be a foreseeable outcome of the carelessness. If the teenager can show that another factor was the substantial cause of the injuries that you endured, they may not be required to pay you compensation. An accident reconstruction expert can assist you with explaining to the jury how the accident happened and how it is causally linked to the injuries that you sustained. The last phase of a negligence action requires the plaintiff to support the claim for monetary damages in the lawsuit. This includes providing evidence of medical bills, medications, and physical therapy costs, as well as missed wages and any estimated damages associated with future medical care needs or reduced earning capacity. Maintaining thorough records of your expenditures is a smart way to ensure that you are compensated wholly.

At Tapalian Law, we have counseled numerous accident victims throughout the region, which means that we have seen firsthand how devastating an accident can be for a victim and their loved ones. Even the simplest accident can cause a substantial disruption for a victim. As a result, car accident lawyer David Tapalian knows how important it is for you to receive the compassionate, personalized, and prompt legal representation that you deserve. He offers a free consultation to help you learn about your legal options. Call us now at 401-552-5000 or contact us online to get started on discussing your case with an attorney in East Providence.