Every social media addiction claim has a deadline to file. Once it passes, a family can lose the right to seek compensation, no matter how serious the harm. The deadline depends on the state where you live, the young person’s age and when the harm was recognized, so the only way to know for sure is to have the claim reviewed.
Many families wait because they think it is too early, too late or not serious enough. If social media use began before age 18 and a doctor, therapist or counselor diagnosed or treated a mental health problem, reach out now. The case review is free, and you pay nothing unless we recover.
How Long Families Have to File
The legal deadline for an injury claim is called the statute of limitations. Each state sets its own. For personal injury claims, it is as short as one year in some states and as long as six years in others, and many states allow two or three years.
The number of years is only part of the answer. What matters just as much is when the clock starts, and for young people it often starts later than parents expect.
When the Child Is Under 18
In most states, the deadline for a child’s own injury claim is paused while the child is a minor and starts running at age 18. That is one reason many people bringing these claims are in their late teens or early twenties. Depending on the state and when the harm was recognized, some young adults in their early twenties may still be able to file.
Not every state follows that rule. Some limit how long a child’s deadline can be paused, and a parent’s own claim for a child’s medical bills can have a shorter deadline than the child’s claim. Waiting until a child turns 18 is not a safe plan.
When the Harm Was Recognized
Many states start the clock when a person knew, or should have known, about the injury and what may have caused it. For social media claims, that can matter. Many families did not connect a child’s depression or anxiety, eating disorder, body dysmorphia or self-harm to the apps until they learned what the lawsuits allege about how the apps were designed.
How a state applies this rule is decided case by case. It is a reason not to assume a claim is too old, and also a reason not to wait.
Families Who Lost a Child
A wrongful death claim has its own deadline, which usually runs from the date of death, not from the child’s 18th birthday. In many states it is two or three years, and in some it is shorter. If you lost a child who was 21 or younger and social media may have played a role, reach out as soon as you feel able.
The Pending Lawsuits Do Not Hold Your Place
Thousands of social media addiction lawsuits are already pending against Meta, TikTok, Snap and Google’s YouTube in state court in Los Angeles and federal court in Northern California. These are individual claims, not a class action. Other families’ lawsuits do not protect your child’s claim, and neither do the state attorney general cases or Meta’s agreement with the states. Money from those cases goes to governments, not families.
Settlements in individual cases also do not end the litigation. Meta, Snap, TikTok and YouTube have each settled with teens before a jury heard their cases, and more test cases are still headed for trial. See our settlements and verdicts page. Families who want compensation need to file their own claims before their deadline passes.
Why Starting Now Helps
Building a claim takes time. Medical and counseling records have to be gathered, and the facts about when use began and when symptoms started have to be pieced together. A good first step is to request your child’s records yourself, often through the patient portal of the doctor’s office or hospital. If you have trouble locating them, we can help.
You do not need records to get started. The form asks only for your name and contact information. See who may qualify for more on what matters most.
Doyle APC handles social media addiction claims together with experienced co-counsel, for families nationwide. You pay nothing unless we recover.
If you or your child is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Common Questions
Is there a deadline to file a social media addiction claim?
Yes. Every state sets a deadline for injury claims, called the statute of limitations. It varies by state and depends on the young person’s age and when the harm was recognized. A free case review is the way to find out how it applies to your family.
My child is now an adult. Is it too late?
Not necessarily. In most states the deadline for a child’s own claim does not start until age 18, so some young adults in their early twenties whose problems began before 18 may still be able to file. Deadlines are short in many states, so the sooner you reach out, the better.
My child is still a minor. Should we wait?
No. Some states limit how long a child’s deadline is paused, and a parent’s claim for medical bills can have a shorter deadline. Records and memories are also easier to gather now.
The treatment was years ago. Can we still file?
Possibly. Many states start the clock only when a family knew or should have known what caused the harm, and the clock for a minor is often paused until 18. Older treatment can still support a claim, so reach out and let the claim be reviewed.
Do the existing lawsuits protect my family’s deadline?
No. These are individual claims, not a class action. Other families’ lawsuits and the state attorney general cases do not file a claim for your child.
How long does a wrongful death claim allow?
A wrongful death deadline usually runs from the date of death rather than from a birthday, and it is often two or three years, sometimes shorter. Reach out as soon as you feel able.