# Are the deadlines different when a child is hurt? Canonical: https://californiapersonalinjurylaws.com/guides/child-injury-deadline/ Reviewed by Andrew (Andy) R. Gillin; publisher reported approval on 2026-11-04. Original review date was not supplied. ## Short answer Some lawsuit time limits can pause while a person is under 18. That does not mean every deadline waits until adulthood. ## Hypothetical example A child’s claim against a private driver may be treated differently from a claim involving a public school or city. ## How the rule works A rule that pauses a lawsuit clock is called tolling. The pause for a child does not cover every required step. A government claim can have a much earlier due date. ## What can change the answer Government-claim deadlines and special statutes may still require early action. Do not use a child’s birthday as the only deadline. ## A useful next step Have the type of claim and the child’s age reviewed soon after the injury. ## Court decisions behind this answer ### Shalabi v. City of Fontana (2021) 11 Cal.5th 842, slip op., pp. 1–2, 19–20. The court examined how to count the filing period after a pause based on a person’s age ended. Limit: The case involved a federal civil-rights claim. It does not pause all state government-claim requirements. Source: https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/2021/s256665.html ### J.M. v. Huntington Beach Union High School District (2017) 2 Cal.5th 648, slip op., pp. 1–2. A child missed the time to seek court relief after a late-claim request was denied. Being a child did not erase that separate deadline. Limit: A child’s age does not pause every government-claim step. Do not assume a late claim will be allowed. Source: https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/2017/s230510.html ## Sources - [Code of Civil Procedure § 352 — Certain pauses in time limits](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CCP§ionNum=352.) - [Government Code § 911.2 — Presenting a government claim](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=911.2.) - [Code of Civil Procedure § 372 — Representation of a minor](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CCP§ionNum=372.) - [Shalabi v. City of Fontana (2021) 11 Cal.5th 842](https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/2021/s256665.html) - [J.M. v. Huntington Beach Union High School District (2017) 2 Cal.5th 648](https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/2017/s230510.html) General information, not legal advice.