TL;DR: Car accident cases involving minors pause the statute of limitations until the child turns 18, unlike cases involving only adults. This delay protects injured children but parents must prove driver fault and preserve evidence early before memories fade after a crash.
Highlights:
- Call 911 and request medical evaluation for every child involved.
- Keep the child secured in the car seat until responders advise otherwise.
- Photograph the car seat, installation, and vehicle interior before removal.
- Get names and contact details for witnesses who saw the crash.
- Ask police how to obtain the traffic collision report and case number.
- Save hospital records, discharge papers, and all follow-up care receipts.
- California: A minor’s lawsuit deadline is paused until 18, then 2 years.
Tip: When speaking with insurers or police, stick to observable facts and avoid guessing about fault or signals.
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Actor Danny Trejo might be well-known for playing some of the scariest villains in films, but he also appears to be one of Hollywood’s well-loved celebrities. The actor looked like a real-life action star when he rushed to free a boy from a car after a two-car crash in Los Angeles.
Not only does the former Sons of Anarchy celebrity possess the reputation of being one of the kindest and most caring people on the planet, but on Wednesday afternoon, he also earned the title of a real-life hero following his help in rescuing a child from an overturned vehicle. Captured on video, Trejo, who was wearing a white tank top and rocking a Trejo’s Taco hat from his collection of Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles, said that he just so happened to be in the Sylmar area in Southern California when two cars crashed into each other at the intersection of Hubbard Street and Jackman Avenue.
After witnessing the accident, the Machete celebrity and an additional bystander, a lady, rushed toward the wreckage. To get the child out of the car, Trejo tried to crawl into the wreckage from one angle but wasn’t able to unbuckle the kid’s car seat from that side.
The female bystander helping Trejo then crawled through from the opposite corner and was able to successfully unclasp the car seat buckle, which enabled Trejo to pull the young boy out from the wreckage safely.
While the cause of the accident is still under investigation, Trejo said that it appeared one of the drivers might have run a red light. The Los Angeles Fire Department said three people involved in the car accident were taken to a nearby hospital for injuries. However, none of them were life-threatening. “There was a baby inside & grandma,” Trejo explained. “I crawled through the window, but she got in & undid the seatbelt.”
“He was panicked. I said ‘OK, we have to use our superpowers. So he screamed ‘superpowers’ and we started yelling ‘superpowers,’” Trejo said. “I said, do this, with the muscles. He said ‘muscles.’”
Trejo is well-known for his unforgettable roles in the AMC series Breaking Bad, the Spy Kids trilogy, Heat, Con Air, and Desperado. With his tattoos and tough demeanor, Trejo appears to be one of the scariest males on screen, but in person, he’s as sweet as can be.
Afterward, he told ABC News, “Pay attention,” he said, “And the only thing which saved that little kid was his car seat, honest to God.”
The breaking news of Trejo’s voluntary involvement in helping save a baby boy in the car accident quickly went viral on Twitter. When there seems to be horrible and tragic news flooding Twitter’s timeline, Trejo’s story is a welcome reprieve. He was called the “Latin Keanu Reeves,” and people wondered if there was anything he could not do.
How Do Car Accident Cases Involving Minors Differ From Cases Involving Only Adults?
Generally, personal injury cases can be complicated, but the challenges increase when minors are involved. In a typical personal injury case, such as a motor vehicle accident involving only adults, the statute of limitations is typically two years from the date of the crash. When a minor is involved in an accident, the situation is different.
When an underage individual is involved, the statute of limitations is usually paused until the minor turns 18. In many states, including California, this means that if a 7-year-old were involved in an accident, the statute of limitations would not start until the child turns 18, and then they would have until their 20th birthday to file a lawsuit.
At Arash Law, we have handled a wide range of car accident cases for clients of all ages throughout California, including those in Los Angeles and Sylmar. Cases involving minors can present unique challenges, and our team has the experience and knowledge to guide you through these situations. To learn more about the differences between cases involving minors and adults, call us at (888) 488-1391 for a free initial consultation with our car accident lawyers.
