Legal Question in Personal Injury in North Carolina

Can financial charges be placed on an adult for a juvenile offense

My step-daughter had an accident in NC at the age of 16. She is now 21 and a judgement has been placed against her by an insurance company for that accident. Can she be held responsible for this since she was a juvenile at the time of the accident?


Asked on 4/20/04, 12:40 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

John Kirby Law Offices of John M. Kirby

Re: Can financial charges be placed on an adult for a juvenile offense

Generally speaking, yes, she can be held fully accountable. There are a couple of procedural issues (e.g. I believe a guardian should have been appointed, and there must have been proper "service," and I wonder if the action was filed within the statute of limitations). But, generally speaking, I believe they can get a judgment against her. I do, however, have lots of questions (e.g. was a lawsuit filed, was the insurance company the plaintiff, was your daughter served with the suit papers, did she answer them, did she contact an attorney, does she have any assets, did she have insurance etc....). You probably want to consult a lawyer about this matter.

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Answered on 4/23/04, 10:32 pm


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