The law states that people under the age of eighteen are not entitled to bring an action in their own right as they lack 'legal capacity'.

An adult will be appointed to act on behalf of the child if the action is commenced before the child's eighteenth birthday. The adult is usually a relative but may be any adult willing to act, and is known throughout the proceedings as the 'Litigation Friend'.

The function of the Litigation Friend is to make decisions on the child's behalf and generally protect the child's interests throughout the litigation.


See next > "Compensation Amount"