How a TikTok Addiction Lawsuit Works, Step by Step

Reviewed by the legal team at Estey & Bomberger, LLP · Updated November 14, 2026

Step 1: A free, confidential consultation

It starts with a conversation. You tell us what happened to your child (or to you, if you're a young adult), which apps were involved, and how things changed. We listen, answer your questions and explain your options. There's no cost and no obligation.

We handle cases on a contingency fee. That means you pay nothing unless we win. Our fee comes out of any recovery, and if there's no recovery, you owe us no fee.

If you want to see whether your situation may fit, visit Do I qualify?, or just start your free review.

Step 2: Investigation and records

If we take your case, we do the legwork. We gather medical, therapy, hospital and school records, and work with you to collect account data and screen-time information. We build a timeline of your child's app use and the harm that followed.

You can help by saving what you have. Our guide on how to save evidence explains what matters most. The most important tip: don't delete the account.

Step 3: Filing your case

Each family's case is its own individual case. It is filed in one of a few places:

• Federal court (MDL 3047). Federal cases against TikTok, Meta, YouTube and Snap are grouped together in the Northern District of California before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. This is called a multidistrict litigation, or MDL.
• California state court (JCCP 5255). Thousands of family cases are coordinated in Los Angeles Superior Court before Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl.
• Other state courts, in some situations.

Grouping cases lets the courts handle shared questions, like what the companies knew, once instead of thousands of times. More than 7,000 lawsuits are pending in MDL 3047 and JCCP 5255. We'll explain which court makes sense for your case.

Step 4: Bellwether trials

With so many cases, courts pick a small number to go to trial first. These are called bellwether trials. Their results help both sides see how juries react to the evidence, which often shapes settlement talks for everyone else.

So far:

• TikTok settled the first California bellwether (K.G.M.) in January 2026 on the eve of trial. The trial went forward against Meta and YouTube, and in March 2026 a jury awarded $6 million.
• TikTok has settled every California bellwether it has faced before trial, including R.K.C., S.J., P.M.Y. and K.D.B. Terms are confidential.
• More California bellwether trials are scheduled for March and August 2027, and the first federal MDL trial, brought by a school district, is set for February 2027.

See our settlements page for details.

Step 5: Settlement or trial

Many cases like these end in a settlement, but some go to trial. We'll talk with you about any offer, and you make the final decision on whether to accept.

Timeline realities. Mass tort cases can take a long time, often years. Much depends on the bellwether trials and whether the companies agree to broader settlements. We can't promise a timeline or a result, but we'll keep you updated along the way.

Confidentiality. Your conversations with us are confidential. Court filings often use initials for minors, as in the K.G.M. case, and many settlements in this litigation have confidential terms.

Minors' settlements. When a settlement is for a child, a court usually has to approve it to make sure it's fair and that the money is protected for the child.

Frequently Asked Questions

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