Can I Sue a Child’s Parents if Their Child Injured Mine?

If you are a parent, your priority is keeping your child safe and injury-free. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. There are times when the negligence of a child injures innocent people, including one of your children. If your child was injured because of another child’s negligence, you are likely seeking to hold that child’s parents responsible. 

If your child has been injured by another child’s negligence, let an experienced Florida personal injury lawyer at Searcy Denney help. We’ll examine your case and provide you with options and recommendations at your free consultation.

Suing on Behalf of Your Child in Florida

In Florida, parents do indeed have the right to sue on behalf of their children for negligence-related injuries. When a child is injured due to the negligence of another child, the injured child’s parents have the right to recover damages related to the impact that the accident has had on their child’s life. 

What Are Some of the Most Common Accidents Suffered by Children?

Some of the more common accidents children can suffer through include:

• Accidents involving defective products 
• Slip-and-fall accidents
• Motor vehicle accidents, such as car, truck, and boating accidents,
• Premises liability accidents, such as accidents involving trampolines, pools, and poorly maintained property
• Medical malpractice

Filing Your Claim

Like many other states, Florida has passed laws that spell out when parents will be responsible for the actions of their children. Specifically, Florida’s Parental Responsibility Laws focus on driving and vandalism. Still, parental liability for children’s actions may also be based on common law; in other words, court-made law. Bringing a successful lawsuit against a parent for a child’s actions requires the same things that any other successful legal claim requires: gathering evidence, establishing fault, rebutting defenses, and quantifying your child’s losses.

Damages That Can Be Recovered

If your child has been injured in an accident, you can claim both economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages include the financial costs of your child’s injuries, such as doctor’s visits, hospital bills, physical therapy, and more. On the other hand, non-economic damages include non-monetary damages that may be difficult to establish, such as pain and suffering, disfigurement, the loss of enjoyment of life, and more. 

Contact a Florida Personal Injury Lawyer for Help if Your Child Has Been Injured by Another Child in Florida

If your child has been injured by another child, suing the child’s parents can be awkward and uncomfortable, especially if your children are friends and/or classmates. Still, you’re entitled to financial compensation for your child’s damages. If you find yourself in this situation in Florida, let us be the “bad guys” on your behalf. Simply contact a Florida personal injury lawyer at Searcy Denney, and you can schedule your free consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis.