Settlement of Personal Injury Cases for Minors

Most states require that personal injury cases for minors be approved by the court. In cases exceeding a certain amount, the court will require a hearing attended by both the minor and legal guardian.

The intent is to protect the minor child from an unreasonable settlement and to ensure that the funds will be used for the benefit of the minor.

If there is any doubt how the funds will be managed, a judge will require that the funds be deposited in an interest-bearing account in the court clerk’s office. In this case, the child could access the funds when he/she reaches the age of majority (18 in most states).