Family Members may be Liable
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A recent accident involved an adult driving a motorcycle with an eleven year old girl on board. According to the Tacoma New Tribune,
An Olympia woman was killed and a child injured when their motorcycle crashed into a pickup truck Wednesday afternoon in Thurston County, the Washington State Patrol reported.The truck was westbound on 62nd Avenue Southwest and was making a left onto Nels Street Southwest about 4:15 p.m. The woman, 34, and an 11-year-old girl were on a motorcycle, going north on Nels, and collided with the truck, troopers reported.
If the accident were the fault of the woman driving the motorcycle, she could be liable to the child riding behind her. If you are the driver of a vehicle and your passenger is injured, you may be liable no matter who your passenger is. If you are riding with your spouse, child, or parent, and the driver does something negligent to injure the passengers, the passengers have a claim against the driver, even if they are related, live together, or are covered under the same insurance policy.
Often, children make claims against the parents who were driving negligently. If there is insurance coverage, the parent is covered and the insurance makes the payment to the child for his or her injuries. Most parents want their child to recover for their injuries. In addition, a wife may sue a husband or vice versa. Spouses have a right to insurance payments if they are injured through the negligence of their significant other.
Many people don't pursue these claims because they are afraid to make a claim against their own family member. However, insurance will cover the claim if it is legitimate and the family member will not have to pay the claim out of their own pocket.
If you have been injured by a friend or family member, you should consult a personal injury attorney immediately to discuss your rights and available insurance coverage.