West Virginia social media addiction lawsuit
Families in West Virginia are holding Meta, TikTok, Snap and YouTube responsible for harm to their children, one case at a time. Here is who may qualify, how West Virginia cases are filed, and the deadline that applies.
Quick answer
West Virginia families can bring individual claims, not a class action, against Meta, TikTok, Snap and Google (YouTube) when a child was harmed after heavy use before 18. In West Virginia, an injury claim generally must be filed within 2 years; if the injured person was a minor when the claim arose, the normal 2-year period starts when they become an adult. But no claim can be brought more than 20 years after it arose. Childhood sexual abuse claims have separate, longer rules. A free review checks your family’s deadline.
Who may qualify in West Virginia
- The child lives or lived in West Virginia and used Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat or YouTube regularly before 18
- The child developed depression, anxiety, an eating disorder, self-harm, sleep problems or another serious harm
- No diagnosis? 20 or more hours a week on one platform before 18 may support an exposure claim
- Families of a young person who died by suicide after heavy social media use
- An adult contacted the child through a platform and pressured, threatened or exploited them
West Virginia filing deadlines
| Personal injury / product liability | 2 years | A personal injury lawsuit must be filed within 2 years from when the claim arose. | W. Va. Code § 55-2-12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Injured as a minor | — | If the injured person was a minor when the claim arose, the normal 2-year period starts when they become an adult. But no claim can be brought more than 20 years after it arose. Childhood sexual abuse claims have separate, longer rules. | W. Va. Code § 55-2-15 |
| Wrongful death | 2 years | A wrongful death lawsuit must be filed within 2 years after the person died. | W. Va. Code § 55-7-6(d) |
Read on the official West Virginia Code site. § 55-7-6(d) is made 'subject to the provisions of section eighteen, article two, chapter fifty-five' (§ 55-2-18, the savings statute), which was not read. West Virginia applies a discovery rule through case law, but no statute text addresses it, so it is not described here. No product liability statute of repose was found.
These are the general rules in the statutes. Courts apply exceptions, and which rule applies depends on the facts, so a lawyer should confirm your family’s deadline. This is general information, not legal advice.
How West Virginia cases are filed
This is not a class action. A West Virginia family’s claim is filed in the child’s name. Federal cases from every state are grouped in MDL No. 3047 in Northern California so evidence and pre-trial rulings are shared; about 3,800 were pending in October 2026. Some cases are filed in state court instead. The lawyers decide with your family where your case belongs.
What West Virginia has done
West Virginia's attorney general joined the joint federal lawsuit against Meta filed in federal court in Northern California (N.D. Cal.) on October 24, 2023.
Lawsuits and laws by the state are separate from a family’s own claim. They do not file or replace a claim for your child.
Who handles your case
Grove and Associates PLC is a Michigan law firm with its only office in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Its responsible attorney, Justin Grove, is licensed in Michigan only and is not licensed in West Virginia. Cases for West Virginia families are handled together with co-counsel admitted in the court where the case is filed. You will know every lawyer involved, and how the fee is shared, before you sign anything.
Common questions from West Virginia families
Is there a class action for West Virginia families?
No. Each child’s claim is filed individually. Federal cases from every state, including West Virginia, are grouped in MDL No. 3047 in Northern California so evidence and pre-trial rulings are shared, but each claim stays the family’s own.
What is the deadline to file in West Virginia?
A personal injury lawsuit must be filed within 2 years from when the claim arose. If the injured person was a minor when the claim arose, the normal 2-year period starts when they become an adult. But no claim can be brought more than 20 years after it arose. Childhood sexual abuse claims have separate, longer rules.
What if my child died?
A wrongful death lawsuit must be filed within 2 years after the person died.
Didn’t West Virginia already sue Meta?
West Virginia's attorney general joined the joint federal lawsuit against Meta filed in federal court in Northern California (N.D. Cal.) on October 24, 2023. That case is brought by the state. It is separate from a family’s own claim for its child.
Do I need a West Virginia lawyer?
Your family works with Grove and Associates PLC, a Michigan firm, and co-counsel admitted in the court where your case is filed. You will know every lawyer involved, and how the fee is shared, before you sign anything.
Does it cost anything?
No. The review is free and confidential. If you hire the firm, the lawyers are paid only from a recovery under a written contingency fee agreement.