Parent of an injured child
Your child was hurt in a road accident, and you are trying to hold everything together at once.
Your child was hurt, and you are somehow expected to manage the hospital, the police, work, and everyone else’s questions at the same time. That is a lot for anyone to carry at once.
Here is one thing that can come off your plate today: there is no legal rush.
You do not have to decide about a claim today
A child’s own injury claim generally does not start its clock until they turn 18.[1] This means the claim can usually still be brought years from now, long after this period has passed.
Right now, your energy can go toward your child’s recovery, not a countdown.
What matters most right now
Medical care comes first, always. Where you have the capacity, keeping copies of hospital records and the police report as they arrive helps later, but it is not something to chase down today if today is too much.
If you feel guilty about what happened
Many parents describe replaying the moment, wondering what they could have done differently. That feeling is common, and it is not the same thing as legal fault.
A court looks at the driver’s actions and the facts of the crash, not at a parent’s feelings of responsibility. A young child’s own actions are also judged with their age in mind, not against an adult standard.[2]
The practical things worth doing, gently
- Keep hospital and police documents together as they come in
- Note down any witnesses while contact details are easy to get
- Take photographs of the scene if you are able to, or ask someone who was there
- Write a short note of what your child remembers, in their own words, while it is fresh
None of this needs to happen today. It only needs to happen before memories fade.
When you are ready
Child road accident claim explains the fuller process on no particular timeline. Child pedestrian accident covers that specific situation if it applies to your family.
Common questions
Do we have to sort out a claim while my child is still in hospital?
No. Your child's own claim generally does not need to start until they turn 18.[1] Right now, your attention belongs with their care, not a deadline.
I feel like I should have prevented this. Does that affect the claim?
A parent's guilt is not the same as legal fault, and a court does not weigh your feelings this way. Fault is worked out from the driver's actions and the facts of the crash.
Could my child's own actions count against them?
A young child is judged with their age in mind, not held to an adult standard of care.[2] This can reduce an award in some cases, but it does not end a claim.
What can I actually do right now, without adding pressure on myself?
Keep hospital and police paperwork together as it comes in, and note any witnesses while it is easy to do so. That is enough for now. The rest can wait.
Sources
- Thomas Philip, on s.24 Limitation Act 1953 (disability) (accessed 2026-09-22)
- Low & Partners, on s.12 Civil Law Act 1956 (contributory negligence) (accessed 2026-09-22)