Last week, many of the schools in Sheffield broke up for the summer holidays. For the most, the summer holidays are a chance to spend time with your children, enjoying the warmer weather and the longer evenings.
Unfortunately for some families, the holidays may also result in an accident involving a child.
There are more than two million children under the age of 15 in the UK who visit A&E as a result of an accident, with the summer holidays often seeing an increase in the number of admissions.
If you are the parent or guardian of a child who has suffered an accident, you are likely to have many questions regarding a potential claim for compensation.
Yes, you can make a claim on behalf of your child if they are under the age of 18. In this situation, the adult representing the child is known as a ‘Litigation Friend’.
As with any personal injury case, it is advisable to make a claim as soon as the accident happened, however, in cases involving children a claim can still be made by a parent or guardian from the date of the accident up until their child’s 18th birthday.
Once a child has reached 18 years old, they have 3 years from the date of the accident to pursue the claim themselves.
If the case settles, the Judge will approve the settlement and make an order for the defendant to pay the compensation into the Court Funds Office, where it will be held until the child reaches 18 years of age, when it is automatically transferred to them.
If your child has been involved in an accident and you think they may have a claim for compensation, contact our personal injury team via email: s.ayres@shulaw.co.uk or via telephone: 0114 225 5891.
Our not-for-profit approach, with a team made up of qualified solicitors, paralegals and students means we can take on cases, ensuring you receive 100% of the compensation.
Once we have received an enquiry, our supervising solicitors will review it and contact you to confirm the next steps to take. In some cases, we may not be able to accept your matter, but will endeavour to help you find a solicitor who can in these circumstances.