DON’T RUSH TO SETTLE CLAIM FOR A CHILD VICTIM OF A CAR ACCIDENT

If your child suffers injuries in a crash, will you know what action to take that would be in the long-term best interest of your child? When a child is involved in a car accident in British Columbia, any legal actions taken on the child’s behalf are subject to specific laws. You may be talked into accepting an insurance settlement without realizing that it would not be in the child’s best interest.

A more appropriate step might be to seek independent advice from legal professionals such as the team of lawyers at Michael Golden Law Corporation in Burnaby. When a settlement is reached with ICBC, the Public Guardian and Trustee of British Columbia or the court must approve it. The funds must then be held in a trust until the child turns 19 years old — the age of majority.

Another difference in the handling of child injury claims is the time limit. The normal statute of limitations for adults does not apply, and a child has until his or her 19th birthday before the clock will start ticking on the time to file a claim. Exceptions exist if a notice is received from the responsible party. When a child is injured in a car accident, the parents are naturally overwhelmed by the emotional devastation.

Delayed symptoms of the injuries may only become apparent in time, and our legal team at Michael Golden Law Corporation understands the emotions parents go through after such a car accident. We are experienced in providing sound but compassionate legal advice that will be in the best interest of your child for now and the long-term. In addition to English, we also speak and Vietnameseand use translators to consult in other languages.