Discovering your teen has been injured by someone is a heart-wrenching experience for any parent. For that reason, you may retain representation for an immediate personal injury lawsuit. While that unfolds, you've got to help your teen get through this and support their case with the solid advice below.
Encourage Truth-Telling
Whether or not your teenager is known for telling fibs or omitting details, once a lawsuit has started they may feel reluctant to reveal certain information, particularly if it's self-incriminating. They may attempt to conceal details in an effort to spare themselves from your anger or to protect friends. Encourage them to tell the truth and assure them that in this case, you may respond more calmly or be lenient with punishments.
Contact Police
You may.be reluctant to get police involved, especially since you weren't present at the incident and none of the teens at the scene called them. However, police authorities can be necessary partners for getting at the truth and getting statements from all parties before memories start to disappear. Through their investigative work, they may come upon details that support your teenager's version of events.
Ask About Bullying
Once news escapes that your family is seeking legal consequences for their injuries, the gossip mill might go well into overdrive. Your teenager could find themselves being berated or bullied about it, especially at school. Ask your teenager whether this is happening so that you can speak with teachers, coaches, counselors and school administration personnel about how this can be stopped.
Discuss Social Media
Most teenagers use social media multiple times a day. However, because of your case, your teenager needs to be counseled about their online activities during this time. Investigators could find your teen's profiles and glean information that works against them. Not only that, but online bullying can also take place. You might advise that they lay low online until the situation is over.
Avoid Other Parents
When other teenagers are implicated in your teen's injuries, it's best to avoid the parents of the other kids involved. You may feel urged to hash it out with them or simply want to vent, but that can result in sabotage of the case and negative feelings on everyone's part.
As your teen's injuries heal, discuss these issues. Your lawyer will ably handle legal aspects of the case so that you and your family can start to move ahead after this incident. Contact a law firm, like Velde Moore Limited, for more help.
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