Free Case Evaluation (800) 718-4658
(800) 718-4658

Subway Surfer Wrongful Death Lawsuits

A subway train.

Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers represents the families of those who have died due to the subway surfing social media trend.

Subway Surfing Key Takeaways

  • Subway surfing is a dangerous trend involving riding on trains’ exteriors
  • The trend has been around for years, but social media has recently amplified it
  • Over a dozen people in New York have been badly hurt or killed in subway surfing-related incidents
  • Subway surfing death lawsuits allege that social media companies know their platforms direct children to highly dangerous content which promotes dangerous challenges, yet don’t do enough to prevent this

If you have lost a loved one to the subway train surfing trend, our law firm can file a wrongful death lawsuit on your behalf.

What Can You Obtain Compensation For?

  • Burial and funeral costs
  • Lost future earnings potential
  • Medical bills
  • Pain, suffering and emotional distress
  • And more

Call us today for a FREE consultation at (800) 718-4658 or contact us if you have lost a loved one to a subway surfing incident.

Why Choose Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers for Your Subway Surfing Death Lawsuit?

  • We have been handling wrongful death lawsuits since 1990.
  • Our lawyers are vastly experienced in handling social media lawsuits.
  • We have recovered over $750,000,000 for our clients.
  • Our team has a proven track record of recovering compensation for families of the deceased, compassionately helping them navigate the trying aftermaths of their losses.
  • We will help you hold the responsible social media company accountable so you’re able to find closure and focus on healing and rebuilding your life.
  • Our caring team will support you every step of the way, answering every one of your legal questions.
  • We won’t charge any fee until we win your case, since we only charge a percentage of the compensation we recover.

Table of Contents

What Is Subway Surfing?

  • Subway surfing is also called train surfing.
  • It is a dangerous viral trend involving riding on trains’ exteriors, typically on the roof or sides.
  • Getting on top of a subway car or riding outside a subway train is extremely dangerous, as it includes risks of falling, striking overhead beams, electrocution and being run over.
  • It often results in death.
  • People who can’t afford fares have been jumping on trains or subway cars at train stations for over a century.
  • The trend has gained popularity in recent years as thrill seekers, including children and teens, have been inspired by viral social media videos.
  • Social media posts using #SubwaySurfing and #TrainSurfing have accumulated millions of views.
  • Two young girls died subway surfing in New York City in October 2025, according to NBC News, who found that 18 subway surfing deaths have occurred in 2023 and 2024 in the city. The two girls were only found dead hours after death when the Brooklyn-bound J train pulled into the Marcy Avenue subway station.
  • The New York Police Department arrested 229 alleged subway surfers in 2024, according to Newsweek.

Why Families Are Filing Wrongful Death Lawsuits

  • Plaintiffs are arguing that social media companies like Meta and TikTok have designed addictive recommendation systems which serve up dangerous “challenge” videos to children and teenagers.
  • Lawsuits claim that the social media companies’ algorithms constitute defective products which cause foreseeable harm to victims.
  • Courts have allowed these claims to proceed, according to Reuters.
  • Families are alleging that social media companies have failed to warn about the dangers of their platforms, and that their platforms lack adequate child safety controls.
  • If your loved one was harmed by algorithms on TikTok, you may qualify for a lawsuit.

Nazario v. ByteDance Ltd. Wrongful Death Lawsuit

The inside of a subway train.

  • In February 2023, a fifteen-year-old boy opened a train door, which was unlocked, climbed on top of the train, and was struck in the head by a beam as the train was moving, falling in-between the subway cars, getting run over and killed.
  • The boy’s mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging the boy was addicted to TikTok and Instagram and found content on the platforms which encouraged subway surfing.
  • A court ruled in June 2025 that the lawsuit was able to proceed.
  • The lawsuit alleges that the boy was encouraged, goaded and targeted to subway surf because Meta and TikTok’s products have unreasonably dangerous designs.
  • It is alleged that Meta and TikTok deceive the public about their products’ safety.
  • The lawsuit claims that the companies design their products in a way which prioritizes users coming back and spending time on the platforms over safety.
  • It alleges that Meta and TikTok deliberately exploit the neurophysiology and psychology of kids to cause them to become addicted to their platforms.
  • The lawsuit alleges that the companies knew or should have known their products are addictive and dangerous, yet failed to take action to make sure their products are not addictive or dangerous.
  • It is alleged that the platforms’ algorithms push content to children that the companies know is dangerous.

Who Is Liable?

  • Lawsuits seek to hold social media companies liable due to algorithmic design, failure to warn and defective products.
  • The lawsuits allege that social media companies have failed to properly monitor and remove videos which glorify subway surfing, effectively normalizing the dangerous behavior.
  • Cases like Rodriguez v. Meta and the case involving children dying from the “blackout challenge” in 2021 have established a precedent regarding suing social media companies for addiction and challenges resulting in death.
  • Lawsuits claim that social media companies profit from engagement and prioritize engagement over safety, leading to minors being knowingly exposed to harmful trends while the companies fail to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable deaths.

Do I Qualify for a Subway Surfing Lawsuit?

You may qualify for a subway surfing lawsuit if:

  • You lost a minor child who died while subway surfing after viewing or engaging with related social media content
  • The child used TikTok, Instagram, YouTube or other platforms that recommended related challenge videos

Call us today for a FREE consultation at (800) 718-4658 or contact us if you have lost a loved one due to this subway surfing social media trend.

What Is My Case Worth?

The value of your case will depend on your case’s unique circumstances.

However, wrongful death cases’ values usually range from $500,000 to over $1,000,000.

Factors That Affect Your Case Value

  • The deceased’s age at time of death: Cases involving younger decedents may be worth more.
  • The severity of negligence: Cases involving more egregiously negligent conduct may be worth more.
  • Funeral and burial costs: Compensation is available for reasonable expenses which are related to funeral and burial services.
  • Medical bills: If the deceased was given medical treatment prior to death, compensation is available for the cost of said treatment, including compensation for surgeries, medications or hospital bills.
  • Loss of future earnings potential: Compensation can be recovered for how much money a decedent could have earned over a lifetime.
  • Loss of companionship: Compensation is available for loss of socialization, assistance, care, community, love and affection.
  • Household services’ value: Compensation can be recovered for any household services a decedent may have provided, such as helping around the house.
  • Loss of financial support: Children often financially contribute to their families after they grow up, and compensation is available for the loss of this financial support.
  • Lost benefits and gifts: Children often give their parents benefits and gifts and compensation is available for the loss of these things.
  • Emotional distress, pain and suffering: Decedents often go through pain, suffering and emotional distress prior to dying, and their families go through these things as well after their passing. Financial compensation is available for this pain, suffering and emotional distress.
  • Lost enjoyment of life: Families who lose enjoyment of life due to the loss of their loved one can recover compensation.
  • Punitive damages: Compensation may be available to punish social media companies and deter other companies from behaving similarly.
  • The skill and experience of your lawyer: You may be able to recover more compensation if you hire a lawyer with extensive experience handling wrongful death and social media claims.

Statute of Limitations on Subway Surfing Death Claims

  • The time limit (statute of limitations) varies by state and is usually between one and three years from the date of death.
  • For example, the time limit in California is two years from the date of death.
  • There are exceptions to the time limit; some lengthen the time limit and others shorten it.
  • It is best to call a lawyer today for a free consultation in order to preserve evidence, meet deadlines and give your lawyer as much time as possible to build a strong, convincing case.

FAQs

Can Parents Sue Social Media Companies?

  • Yes, parents are filing lawsuits against social media companies over their promotion of dangerous challenges like subway surfing challenges.
  • Parents are also filing lawsuits against social media companies, alleging that the companies deliberately design their platforms to addict children.
  • Parents who have lost a child to a subway surfing incident can file a lawsuit seeking to hold social media companies responsible for the death of their child.

How Can I File a Subway Surfing Lawsuit?

  • The best way to get started filing a subway surfing lawsuit is to call an experienced wrongful death lawyer for a free consultation.
  • A wrongful death law firm can evaluate your claim, let you know if you have a valid claim, let you know the potential value of your lawsuit, and handle every step of the legal process for you.
  • A law firm can file a lawsuit on your behalf, negotiate a settlement with social media companies for you, and, if necessary, represent you in court.
  • Social media companies can afford expensive lawyers to represent them, so you’ll need a lawyer of your own to take them on in court.
  • Most wrongful death lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, so you’ll never owe them any money out-of-pocket.

What Can Parents Do to Reduce Exposure to Dangerous Social Media Trends?

  • Activate parental controls
  • Monitor “For You” and “Reels” feeds
  • Report or block videos promoting dangerous stunts

Contact Our Wrongful Death Attorneys Today

The inside of a subway train.

Call us today for a FREE consultation at (800) 718-4658 or contact us if you have lost a child due to a subway surfing incident.

Reasons to hire our experienced wrongful death attorneys.

  • We have been successfully resolving wrongful death cases for over 35 years.
  • Our lawyers have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients.
  • We will not charge you a single penny out of your own pocket.
  • We won’t charge you any fee until we win your case.
  • Our compassionate team is here 24/7 to answer any questions you might have.
  • We will guide you every step of the way through the process of recovering justice for your child so you don’t have to handle things alone.
  • We have the resources and experience to handle the most complex wrongful death claims.
  • Our team is dedicated to overseeing all aspects of grieving families’ claims and providing families with the resources they require to move forward during difficult times.

Subway Surfer Wrongful Death Lawsuit Updates

August 13, 2026 Update

The social media industry’s primary legal defense strategy has just been incinerated by a panel of federal appellate judges.

A court recently ruled that social media companies aren’t given immunity from needing to face jury trials by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

Meta, Snap, Bytedance and Alphabet had tried to reframe Section 230 as providing them with immunity against being sued instead of just giving them a defense regarding liability. They had requested an emergency stay in the ongoing litigation surrounding social media.

It was ruled by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that social media companies aren’t given immunity from facing lawsuits by Section 230, which simply provides them with a defense against liability.

Because of this ruling, proceedings in a trial in Oakland remain on track. Jury selection started on August 12. Opening statements are scheduled for August 18.

The Oakland trial involves social media company Meta being sued by Colorado, New Jersey, Kentucky and California, who are alleging that Meta intentionally designed its social media platforms to addict children, hiding what it knew. The lawsuit is also alleging that the company regularly collects the data of children under 13 without their parents’ consent, violating federal law.

How Can We Help You?

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Lock-Icon We value your privacy
© 2026 Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers All rights reserved.