subject: Claiming Compensation On Behalf Of Children [print this page] Making a personal injury claim can seem like a particularly daunting task, but this process is made even more complex when the victim involved is a minor.
Children by nature are involved in bumps and scrapes every day, but sometimes they can suffer an accident through no fault of their own - for instance, falling off a piece of equipment in a poorly maintained playground or slipping over on a wet floor at a nursery.
If your child is badly injured as a result of someone else's negligent care of duty, you may wish to seek accident compensation. Accident compensation is sometimes held up as an example of compensation culture which has gone too far, but arguably without such a system there would be less of an incentive to adhere to strict health and safety best practice. If someone's neglect has hurt your child, it is possible that you will hope that they think twice before engaging in risky behaviour again.
In the case of children's accident claims, it is important to seek specialist legal advice as the court will want to protect the minor's interests both now and in the future. For instance, whilst most adults have a time limit on injury claims, a child does not have to begin the legal process for accident compensation until they reach eighteen years old.
If you decide to claim on their behalf, a specialist accident claims solicitor such as Claims Solicitor can offer you legal advice on seeking compensation for a minor. A court must approve the 'litigation friend' making the claim before the case even begins, and should you claim successfully their accident compensation will normally be invested until the child reaches adulthood.
In the event of a serious injury that could affect their long term development, your solicitor will also claim for immediate financial provisions to cope with the child's care and support network.
