If you were injured in an accident and are concerned about how to meet your child support obligations, you may benefit from speaking with a family lawyer. If the accident was caused by someone else’s negligence or carelessness, you may be eligible to receive compensation from the at-fault party. A personal injury lawyer can assist you with your claim and represent you should you decide to escalate the claim to a lawsuit. It’s an unfortunate fact of life that the unexpected may occur and disrupt our plans and routines. However, there may be options and legal recourse that can assist someone during a difficult chapter in their life.
The Potential Impacts of a Personal Injury
If an injury is serious enough, it can greatly impact the person’s life in more areas than they initially realized. Here are several common examples, any one of which can make it difficult if not impossible to meet one’s legal and moral obligation to pay child support:
- A slip and fall accident could result in a broken leg, arm, hip, or even a brain injury. The resulting injury will require costly but necessary and possibly life-saving medical treatment. The injury itself and the recovery time may prevent the individual from being able to perform the duties of their job. It may make it impossible for them to drive a vehicle and commute to work. Public transportation may not be available or it may be an impractical solution. The added financial burden as well as the lack of income may hamper their ability to pay child support for a short time. If the accident occurred because of a property owner’s negligence, the victim may be able to recover their damages in an injury claim. The settlement can ease their financial burden by covering their medical costs and lost wages, and that would enable them to pay child support.
- A car accident may result in hospitalization for injuries, followed by a long recovery time at home. Unless the individual is able to work remotely from home, they may not be able to earn income and pay their bills. If the car accident was caused by another driver, a car accident lawyer can file a claim on their behalf against the at-fault driver. While waiting for a settlement check, the victim may qualify for delayed billing of their medical bills. This could make it possible for them to meet all or some of their child support payments.
- A dog bite accident may require surgery and a full round of antibiotics to prevent a life-threatening infection. The dog’s owner may be liable to the victim for their costs. A dog bite lawyer can provide more information about how to proceed with a claim against the owner.
Petitioning the Family Law Court for a Reprieve
A child custody lawyer can petition the court on your behalf and request a temporary reprieve of your payment obligations to the other parent. If it is granted, you will likely have to make up the shortfall once you return to work. Talk to a child custody lawyer to learn if your circumstances warrant a petition to the court in this regard.