Americans to get one-time payment of up to $4,000 from data breach settlement – all they need to show is a receipt | 0UD70JL | 2024-05-09 17:08:01
NURSES may be eligible for a one-time payout of up to $4,000 following a data breach that compromised personal information.
A class action lawsuit filed in Georgia in 2022 claims that Gifted Healthcare failed to protect personally identifying information in 2021.
The suit is now in its final stages after a preliminary settlement agreement was reached between the class members and the company, subject to court approval.
Gifted Healthcare has not admitted any wrongdoing in agreeing to a settlement.
The undisclosed payment will resolve the claims in the lawsuit and prevent ongoing litigation.
Gifted Healthcare's email systems were "unauthorizedly accessed" by hackers between August 25, 2021, and December 10, 2021, according to the lawsuit.
This allegedly compromised sensitive data and non-public financial information of "thousands of its prospective, current, and former employees."
The class members argue that Gifted Healthcare could have done more to prevent the cyberattack by using improved cybersecurity measures.
It is claimed that around 13,770 people were impacted by the breach that saw victims "suffer significant injury and damages…misuse of personal information and fraudulent activity," according to the suit.
The complaint further alleges that breach victims "forever face an amplified risk of further misuse, fraud, and identity theft."
All those impacted by the data breach were notified by Gifted Healthcare in 2021.
Following the preliminary settlement agreement, class members must file a claim form to receive any compensation they may be eligible for.
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> Under the terms of the settlement, members can get three different benefits.
The first is a reimbursement of up to $400 for usual expenses related to a breach such as banking fees.
Members can also claim up to $4,000 from the settlement fund for larger and less usual expenses as a result of identity theft or fraud.
Lastly, all class members are also eligible for three years of credit monitoring and identity theft protection.
Those who wish to make a claim have to submit proof of losses resulting from the breach such as receipts, invoices, credit reports, and account statements.
Eligible class members who do not want to have credit monitoring or expense reimbursement can instead receive a cash payment of $50.
<p class="article__content--intro"> Class action lawsuits offer groups of people, or 'classes,' a way to band together in court. </p> </div> </div> Meanwhile, those who are eligible and who fail to submit a claim form or object to the settlement will forfeit their right to make a claim against Gifted Healthcare in the future regarding the same allegations made in the class lawsuit.
However, individuals who object to the terms of the settlement or who wish to excuse themselves to retain their legal rights to file a claim must do so by May 20.
The final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for August 1, where the court will decide if the terms of the agreement are fair.
All eligible members must submit a valid claim form by September 16 which can be done on the settlement website.
More >> https://ift.tt/YDLHl3R Source: MAG NEWS
