Everyone says parents can just sign for their child, but actually yes, often they cannot.

From the insurance company's perspective, they want you to believe a parent in Biddeford can wrap it up with a release and a check, especially after a summer crash on Route 1, a daycare injury, or a tourist-season collision where a distracted delivery driver clipped the family car. That version is fast, cheap, and usually favors the carrier.

Reality: when a minor is the injured person in Maine, the claim belongs to the child, not the parent. A parent usually handles the claim, but a meaningful settlement often needs court approval before it is final and before the money can be properly protected for the child. Insurers know this. They also know court review can block a low offer.

A few Maine rules matter right away:

• For most injury claims, Maine's statute of limitations is 6 years, but for a child it is generally tolled until age 18, so the clock usually does not run the same way it does for adults.
• If the claim is against a public school, town, or other government body, Maine's Tort Claims Act can require a notice of claim in as little as 180 days.
• If the child is found 50% or more at fault, Maine's modified comparative fault rule bars recovery.

The money issue is why judges get involved. Court approval is meant to make sure the settlement is fair, medical bills and liens are handled correctly, and the child's share is protected instead of disappearing into household expenses.

That matters in real Biddeford cases, whether it is a school injury, a daycare incident, or a summer highway wreck investigated by the Maine State Police after a tire blowout and a long trooper response time.