Injured in an Orlando crash involving a teen driver? The Nunez Law Firm investigates fault, vehicle ownership, insurance coverage, injuries, and evidence that may affect your claim
Responsibility may extend beyond the teen driver
A teen driver may be responsible when negligent driving caused the crash. If the driver was under 18, the person who signed the driver’s permit or license application may also face responsibility when Florida Statute § 322.09 applies. Vehicle ownership and permission to drive can create separate liability issues. The analysis depends on the driver’s age and license status, who owned the vehicle, whether the teen had permission to use it, applicable insurance, and how the collision occurred.
Age alone does not establish fault
Fault still depends on evidence of how the crash happened. Speeding, distraction, failure to yield, unsafe lane movement, or other conduct must be supported by the facts
Teen-driver claims can involve liability and insurance questions that do not arise in every Orlando car accident
Speed, right of way, following distance, distraction, traffic controls, and lane position may affect fault
Florida § 322.09 can create responsibility for the person who signed a minor’s permit or license application when its requirements apply
Ownership and permissive use can create separate liability issues, subject to Florida law and applicable statutory limits
Who gave the teen access to the vehicle can matter to both liability and insurance coverage
Learner’s-license rules and age-based nighttime restrictions may be relevant to the investigation
Liability coverage, PIP, UM/UIM, household policies, and policy definitions may affect available benefits
Video and electronic evidence can disappear. Surveillance may be overwritten, vehicles may be repaired, and electronic data may become harder to obtain as time passes
Florida’s age-based nighttime restrictions apply to licensed drivers under 18. An 18- or 19-year-old is not subject to those curfews solely because the driver is still a teenager
A learner’s-license holder must be accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21 and occupies the closest seat to the driver’s right. Driving is initially limited to daylight hours. After three months following issuance, the learner may drive until 10 p.m
A licensed driver under 17 generally may not drive after 11 p.m. and before 6 a.m. unless accompanied by a properly licensed driver age 21 or older or driving directly to or from work
A 17-year-old licensed driver generally may not drive after 1 a.m. and before 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a properly licensed driver age 21 or older or driving directly to or from work
Not by itself. In Brackin v. Boles, the Florida Supreme Court explained that a driver’s violation of a license restriction must be relevant to the issues in the case. A licensing violation does not automatically establish negligent operation of the vehicle
There is no standard settlement amount. Recoverable damages depend on liability, insurance coverage, medical evidence, financial losses, comparative fault, and the effects of the injuries
Florida PIP may apply depending on the injured person’s insured status and the circumstances of the crash. Florida § 627.736 requires qualifying initial services and care within 14 days of the motor vehicle accident for PIP medical benefits
Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may become important when a legally responsible driver has no bodily injury liability coverage or insufficient limits. Application depends on the policy, insured status, available limits, and any valid written rejection or coverage selection
Florida § 768.81 generally reduces damages according to the claimant’s percentage of fault. In an applicable negligence action, a party found more than 50% at fault for his or her own harm may not recover damages
Florida law can impose separate liability on a vehicle owner when a vehicle is entrusted to a permissive user. Florida § 324.021(9)(b) contains statutory rules and limits that can affect owner liability
Contact The Nunez Law Firm for a free case assessment. We can review what happened, identify the key liability and insurance issues, and explain the next steps available for your claim. There is no obligation to proceed after the initial assessment
Attorney-fee and case-cost terms are governed by the written representation agreement
