THERE’S just days left to claim a share of a settlement pot agreed by Baer’s Furniture following a data breach.
The cyberattack in 2022 potentially compromised the personal information of customers and the company’s employees.
This attack involved personally identifiable information, such as names and addresses, social security numbers and possibly medical details.
Plaintiffs brought a class action lawsuit against the Florida-based retailer, claiming the company should have done more to prevent such a data breach by improving cybersecurity.
Baer’s Furniture denies any wrongdoing, however the company has agreed a settlement to avoid any further expense associated with continuing the case.
Those eligible could receive up to $5,000, which includes $25 per hour for up to four hours’ time spent dealing with any fallout from the breach.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Individuals whose information was compromised by the breach are eligible to claim.
Customers and employees will have received notice of the security breach from Baer if they were affected to claim a share of the money.
Each individual can claim up to $5,000 for unreimbursed losses incurred because of the breach, as well as two years’ credit monitoring services for free.
The total claim amount can also include up to $100 for time spent dealing with the incident.
Anybody not wishing to take up these benefits can claim a $50 cash payment instead.
To grab the cash, claimants must show proof, such as bank statements, invoices, and receipts.
HOW TO CLAIM
Class members should claim through the official settlement website.
They will need to submit the online claim form or alternatively, ask for a claim form to be emailed or posted to them.
A notice ID number is required to access the claim form online.
Online claims should be submitted by December 16, 2024, and postal claims will need to be postmarked by the same date.
What’s a class-action settlement?
Class action lawsuits offer groups of people, or ‘classes,’ a way to band together in court.
These suits are often brought by one or a few people who allege a company or other entity has wronged a large group of people.
When a suit becomes a class action, it extends to all “class members,” or people who may have similar complaints to those who filed the suit.
Companies often settle class actions – offering payment to class members who typically waive their right to pursue further legal action by accepting money.
These payout agreements frequently include statements by the defendant denying wrongdoing. Companies tend to settle class actions to avoid the costs of further litigation.
Pollution, discrimination, or false advertising are a few examples of what can land a class action on a company’s doorstep.
Documentary evidence of expenses caused due to the data breach should also be submitted.
A final approval hearing for the settlement agreement took place on December 5 in Orange County, Florida.
RECENT SETTLEMENT OFFERS
The class action lawsuit against Baer isn’t the only one to have been settled recently.
Injured Workers Pharmacy is paying up to $5,000 to individuals potentially impacted by a data breach discovered in 2021.
Meanwhile, credit card companies Mastercard and Visa are set to pay $197.5 million in a class action settlement, with a claims’ deadline of January 22, 2025.
This follows a lawsuit over surcharges on ATM transactions.
