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​Experienced ILLINOIS Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
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Teen Driver Accidents

Car Crash Lawyers Helping Chicago Residents

Teenage drivers are not only less experienced at operating a motor vehicle than the majority of adults, but also they are especially susceptible to distractions while driving. While Illinois law has addressed some of these potential safety issues through enacting legislation that requires specific driving practice and imposes certain rules before obtaining a license, accidents involving teenage drivers remain relatively frequent. If you or someone you love has been hurt in a teen driver accident, a Chicago car accident attorney can explain your legal rights and help you seek compensation for your harm. At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, we understand the importance of holding careless drivers accountable, regardless of their age. We advance the rights of victims in claims against teenage drivers who have caused a crash.

Understanding Your Options Following a Teen Driver Accident

Illinois law addresses the risks posed by teenage drivers by mandating specific practice-driving hours, as well as prohibiting teenagers of a certain age from driving during late night hours. Teenagers in Illinois may receive a driving license after completing a graduated driving license program. The program provides low-risk situations to help teens gain the skills necessary to become safe drivers. After receiving an instruction permit, teenagers receive an initial driving license and eventually a full driving license that imposes no time or passenger restrictions.

Despite regulations, teenage drivers continue to cause motor vehicle collisions. Pursuing a claim against a teen driver offers a method to protect your legal rights and hold them accountable. Regardless of the age of a driver who has caused an accident, individuals injured by their conduct may pursue a legal claim for compensation. Many teenage drivers are insured under their parents’ automobile insurance policy, and parents may be financially responsible for accident-related injuries. In some situations, the parents also may be deemed legally at fault, such as if the teen was completing family business on behalf of the parents at the time of the accident.

Breaching the duty to drive as a reasonable person would drive under similar circumstances exposes a driver to liability. Under a negligence theory of law, drivers who breach their duty of care will be deemed at fault if their conduct has led to an accident and injuries. Teenage drivers may be more likely than more experienced drivers to speed, for example, and unfortunately, they may be less equipped to handle the hazards encountered while driving.

It is important for victims of teen driver accidents to prove the legal elements of causation and damages. A teenage driver’s careless actions must have directly led to the collision in order for them to be held accountable. Causation is shown by evidence that there was not another, intervening factor that actually led to the crash. Damages may be set forth as quantifiable costs, including medical bills and property damage.

Collisions caused by teen drivers may cause serious injuries. If accident victims can show that a teen driver’s negligence caused their injuries, compensation may help ease the financial strain following the accident. For example, medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and missed wages due to the accident may be recovered in a successful lawsuit. Additionally, victims may be able to secure damages for pain and suffering and a decreased quality of life after the accident. If the crash led to a fatality, family members may bring a wrongful death claim that seeks damages for funeral or burial costs, as well as other accident-related losses.

Consult an Experienced Chicago Attorney Following a Teen Driver Accident

After a collision caused by a teenage driver, a skilled Chicago attorney can help protect and preserve your legal rights. At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, our motor vehicle collision lawyers are familiar with state laws and insurance policies concerning teenage drivers and automobile liability coverage. By advocating on your behalf following a collision, we can seek the monetary compensation that you deserve. We also represent people in Aurora, Champaign, Springfield, Rockford, Quincy, and other areas of Winnebago, Sangamon, Kane, Adams, and Cook Counties. Call our office at 312-724-5846 or complete our online form to set up a free consultation.