My Child Got Hit By a Car, Can I Claim On Their Behalf?

In this guide, we aim to answer your question, ‘my child got hit by a car, can I claim’ along with other questions you may have about the claims process. Children are exempt from the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021. This means when making a claim on your child’s behalf for injuries such as whiplash injuries you would claim through the traditional channels. 

my child got hit by a car can i claim

My Child Got Hit By a Car, Can I Claim On Their Behalf?

We discuss how you can make a claim on your child’s behalf, including how to claim through the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) if your child was injured by an uninsured driver or in a hit and run accident. We explore litigation friends and why your child will need one to claim compensation. 

In addition, we explore potential compensation that could be claimed on your child’s behalf. We also take a look at special damages and provide some examples of what costs could be recovered. 

If you would like to use a No Win No Fee lawyer to ease the claims process, we discuss what No Win No Fee actually means. To learn more and hopefully answer your questions, read on.  

To get in touch with our advisors: 

Select A Section

  1. My Child Got Hit By A Car, Can I Claim?
  2. Can You Claim If The Driver Is Untraced Or Uninsured?
  3. Road Users Duty Of Care To Children
  4. How Does A Child Car Accident Claim Work?
  5. My Child Got Hit By A Car, Can I Claim Compensation?
  6. Get Compensation For A Child Hit By A Car

My Child Got Hit By A Car, Can I Claim?

If your child was injured when they got hit by a car, you may be able to claim on their behalf. For your child to have a valid claim it would need to be proven that a road user who owed a duty of care caused the accident that resulted in your child’s injuries. 

Your child’s accident compensation claim will be similar to a traditional compensation claim. However, there will be some differences, such as appointing a litigation friend. We explain who can act as a litigation friend and how to become one further in this guide. 

You could also claim on their behalf if your child was hit by an uninsured driver or in a hit and run accident. The process is different to claiming against the other party’s insurance. We explore claims made through the Motor Insurers Bureau later on in this guide. 

”If my child got hit by a car, can I claim?” You may wish to hire a No Win No Fee solicitor to handle this type of claim. If you would like to start your child’s claim now, our advisors are standing by. 

Can You Claim If The Driver Is Untraced Or Uninsured?

If your child got hit by a car, you can claim on their behalf, even if that driver is uninsured or untraceable, such as in a hit and run accident. The Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) handles claims when the driver is uninsured or untraceable. However, you would still need to prove that the accident was caused by the negligence of the uninsured or untraced driver. 

In order to help with the MIB claims process, you might want to hire a No Win No Fee lawyer. You will need to supply evidence towards the claim, which may include medical evidence, such as from a medical assessment. A No Win No Fee solicitor could help gather other forms of evidence, including a police report, to strengthen the claim. 

Our advisors can offer free legal advice if your child got hit by a car and you would like to find out if you can make a claim on their behalf. 

Road Users’ Duty Of Care To Children

All road users including drivers owe a duty of care in regard to other road users, including child pedestrians. This means that drivers must pay attention, especially if they are driving somewhere children are likely to walk into the road, such as past a school. Pedestrian accidents can happen to children just as they can to adults. Therefore, drivers could slow down where people might be walking. 

According to the changes in the Highway Code, there is now a hierarchy of the most vulnerable road users. It also means that those who drive bigger vehicles and can cause more damage in an accident have an increased responsibility on the roads. 

You may be wondering, ‘My child got hit by a car, can I claim?’. If the driver breached their duty of care, such as speeding, and this caused your child to be injured you could be appointed as a litigation friend and claim on their behalf. 

How Does A Child Car Accident Claim Work?

Claiming compensation on behalf of a child works much like a traditional compensation claim, however, you will need to be appointed as a litigation friend. If you cannot act as a litigation friend, someone will have to be appointed to act on behalf of your child. If no one is suitable, your child will have three years after they turn 18 to begin their own claim under the Limitation Act 1980. 

Acting As A Litigation Friend

Minors cannot claim by themselves while under the age of 18, this is why a litigation friend must be appointed if the child wishes to pursue their claim before they reach adulthood.

A litigation friend acts in the best interest of the child during the claims process up until they turn 18. If your child received a head injury, for example, and that means they are mentally incapacitated beyond their 18th birthday, you can continue to act as their litigation friend while making their claim. 

To be your child’s litigation friend you must apply. If you are deemed unsuitable to act in the best interest of your child or have conflicting interests, someone else may apply, including a friend or another family member. 

Our team of advisors can advise you on what to do if your child got hit by a car and you think you can claim on their behalf. 

My Child Got Hit By A Car, Can I Claim Compensation?

Road traffic accident compensation, even on the behalf of a child, could come with two heads; general damages and special damages. 

General Damages

If your child was hit by a car, and the personal injury claim was successful they may be awarded general damages. Physical injuries as well as any psychological injury they suffered could be compensated under this head. To value this head of claim, solicitors refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This document contains a list of injuries alongside their compensation bracket. We’ve included some examples in the table below. 

InjuryPotential CompensationNotes
Less severe brain damage£14,380 to £40,410May still be persisting problems, but overall, a good recovery.
Moderate psychiatric damage£5,500 to £17,900There may have been some problems coping with life, school and relationships, but some improvements made and a good prognosis.
Chest injuries (g)Up to £3,710Rib fractures and soft tissue injuries lasting weeks only.
Moderate neck injuries (i)£23,460 to £36,120Severe immediate symptoms from fractures or dislocations.
Severe back injuries (ii)£69,600 to £82,980Back injuries with special features, such as nerve damage leading to loss of sensation.
Serious shoulder injuries£11,980 to £18,020Shoulder dislocation with damage to lower brachial plexus.
Simple fractures of forearm£6,190 to £18,020Forearm fractures
Wrist injuries (b)£22,990 to £36,770Some useful movement but still a significant and permanent disability.
Severe knee injuries (ii)£48,920 to £65,440Leg fracture extending into knee joint with permanent disability.
Very severe facial scarring£27,940 to £91,350In young claimanents. Disfigurement with severe psychological reaction.

Special Damages

You or your child may have incurred costs related to the injury. Special damages is the head of the claim where you could recover these costs back. Evidence must be supplied to prove these expenses, however, such as receipts. 

If your child got hit by a car, you could claim:

  • Lost income. You may have to take time off work to care for your child. You could recover your loss of earnings.
  • Care costs. Your child may require specialised care. These costs could be recovered under special damages. 
  • Cosmetic costs. Your child may require plastic surgery, for example, or special makeup to conceal scars. 

Our advisors can provide a more personalised estimate based on your child’s circumstances and advise you on what evidence you could use to claim special damages. 

Get Compensation For A Child Hit By A Car

If your child got hit by a car, you could make the claim on their behalf with the help of a No Win No Fee solicitor. You might find the claims process easier, however, with a No Win No Fee solicitor.

A solicitor could calculate how much compensation your child could receive and run through your expenses to see what you could claim under special damages. They could also assist with gathering evidence when making a claim.

A No Win No Fee arrangement, such as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) means no upfront fees are needed to hire the solicitor. A legally capped success fee is taken from the awards of successful claims. There is no success fee to pay when claims fail. 

Our advisors could connect you to our panel of personal injury solicitors if the claim seems eligible. They can also answer the question, ‘my child got hit by a car, can I claim’ along with other questions you may have. 

To get in touch:

Related Child Accident Claims

We’ve provided some links that you might find useful:

If your child got hit by a car, and you would like to claim, we’ve provided some more guides that you might find helpful:

Thank you for taking the time to read this guide ”If my child got hit by a car, can I claim?” if you have any additional questions please call our advisors for free advice.

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Published by AL.