Quick answer
There is no set amount. Each child’s claim is valued on its own facts: how serious the harm was, what treatment it required, what the records show about the child’s use, the law in the family’s state and how test trials go. Anyone quoting a specific amount before reviewing your child’s situation is guessing. A settlement for a minor usually needs a judge’s approval.
Key takeaways
- The most serious harms, such as a suicide attempt, significant self-harm or a severe eating disorder, are generally treated as the most serious claims.
- Medical and counseling records, and records of how the child used the apps, matter a great deal.
- Bellwether trial results inform how other cases are valued, but they do not decide them.
- In most states a court must approve a minor’s settlement, including the attorney fee.
Why no one can give you a number upfront
These are individual claims, not a class action. There is no fixed payout and, as of October 2026, no claims fund for families. Each case is valued on what happened to that child. A lawyer can only estimate value after reviewing the child’s history, records and the law that applies.
What the law lets a family recover
- Compensatory damages: money meant to make up for the loss, such as medical and counseling costs, the cost of future care, and the harm itself, including pain, suffering and emotional distress.
- Punitive damages: in some cases, an additional award meant to punish and deter especially serious misconduct. The U.S. Supreme Court has said these must stay within constitutional limits.
What drives the value of a claim
- How serious the harm is. Claims involving suicide, a serious attempt, significant self-harm or a severe eating disorder are generally treated as the most serious.
- Treatment. A diagnosis, therapy, hospitalization or medication documents the harm.
- How the child used the apps: the age they started, how many hours a week, and for how long. Account data and screen-time reports help show this.
- Causation: whether the evidence connects the harm to the app use, and what else may have contributed.
- The state’s law and deadline. Each state has its own rules for these claims and its own time limit to file.
- How bellwether trials go. Test-trial verdicts give both sides information about how juries value these cases, which can affect settlement talks.
Settlements for children need a judge’s approval
In most states a court must approve a settlement for a minor. In Michigan, for example, the court must find the settlement fair, and the child may need to appear. In California, a petition goes to the court with medical records, and the money is usually placed in a blocked account or an annuity until the child turns 18. Courts can also review the attorney fee.
How attorney fees and costs work
Lawyers in these cases are typically paid only from a recovery, under a written contingency fee agreement. The agreement must say the percentage, which costs are deducted and whether costs come out before or after the fee is calculated. At the end, the client gets a written statement showing how the money was divided. No recovery, no fee.
How to protect your child’s claim now
- Don’t delete accounts, messages or apps.
- Save screen-time reports and download account data before they reset.
- Keep records of doctors, counselors, hospital visits and school changes.
- Ask early. Deadlines are real, and some families are already up against them.
Common questions
What is the average payout for the social media addiction lawsuit?
There isn’t one. These are individual claims with no fixed payout, and as of October 2026 there was no global settlement for families. Value depends on each child’s harm, records and state law.
Does my child need a diagnosis for the claim to be worth anything?
Not necessarily. Treatment records strengthen a claim, but lawyers review families without a formal diagnosis too, especially where use was heavy before 18.
Who gets the money in a child’s case?
Usually the court decides how a minor’s share is held, often in a blocked account or annuity until 18, after costs and the court-approved attorney fee are paid.
Do verdicts in other trials decide what my case is worth?
No. A verdict decides only that case. Test-trial results can influence settlement talks, but each family’s claim is valued on its own facts.
Sources
- Cornell Law School LII, Compensatory damages
- Cornell Law School LII, Punitive damages
- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. v. Campbell, 538 U.S. 408 (2003)
- Fallon, Grabill & Wynne, Bellwether Trials in Multidistrict Litigation, 82 Tul. L. Rev. 2323 (2008) (JPML)
- Michigan Judicial Institute, settlements for minors checklist (MCR 2.420) (updated Nov 2, 2022)
- Superior Court of California, County of Orange, minor’s compromise
- American Bar Association, Model Rule 1.5 (Fees)
- Lawsuit Information Center, social media addiction lawsuit (updated Oct 30, 2026)
General information, not legal or medical advice. If you are worried about your child’s health, talk to their doctor. Attorney advertising by Grove and Associates PLC; responsible attorney Justin Grove. Results in other cases don’t predict the outcome of yours.