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You Have Until Tomorrow to Join This Data Breach Class-Action Settlement if You Qualify

You could net thousands of dollars from a nearly $9 million settlement reached by Elekta and Northwestern Memorial Healthcare over a data breach, but you only have until tomorrow.

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Headshot of Thomas Kika
Thomas Kika Former Writer
Thomas is a native of upstate New York and a graduate of the University at Albany. As a former member of CNET's How To team, he wrote about the intersection of policy, information and technology, and how you can best be served in that area. Outside of work, he can most often be found watching too many movies, reading too much, drinking too much coffee, or spending time with his cats.
Thomas Kika
2 min read
Data breach

A data breach from 2021 led to this class-action settlement that could pay out thousands of dollars to victims.

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If you were among those patients whose personal information was exposed by Northwestern Memorial Healthcare and Elekta's 2021 data breach, you have until the end of tomorrow to opt into a class-action lawsuit settlement that could pay out up to $6,000.

Northwestern Memorial Healthcare, also known as Northwestern Medicine, is a healthcare system based out of the Chicago area currently composed of 11 hospitals and numerous other specialized locations, serving tens of thousands of patients every year. Elekta, meanwhile, is a Swedish company known for producing equipment used to treat cancers and brain disorders.

In April 2021, both companies were at the center of a data breach that exposed the sensitive health information of over 3 million people, including 1.4 million NMH patients in particular. Those affected by the breach were notified that same month via letter. A class-action lawsuit was eventually brought against the two companies alleging that they did not take sufficient steps to avoid such a breach. While not admitting any wrongdoing, NMH and Elekta agreed to pay out a $8.9 million settlement.

Read on to find out if you are eligible for the settlement. For more on other recent settlements, find out if you're eligible for the recent Charlotte Tilbury settlement or the forthcoming 23andMe settlement.

Who is eligible for this class-action settlement?

Anyone whose personal information was exposed or otherwise compromised by the 2021 data leak is eligible for this settlement, and would have received the aforementioned letter shortly after the breach took place. Claimants will also need to provide proof of losses they suffered as a result of the breach, such as bank statements, credit reports, invoices, bills, receipts or other third-party documentation.

Anyone who thinks they might be eligible can fill out this online claim form.

How much will this class-action settlement pay?

Depending on the losses incurred, claimants can receive up to $5,000 from NMH and Elekta. Additionally, claimants can attempt to file for pro rata payments of up to $1,000. A subclass of claimants who are Illinois residents can also claim pro rata payments of up to $1,000 thanks to the state's Genetic Information Privacy Act. Pro rata payments are capped at $1,000 for each claimant, making the maximum possible payout $6,000.

When is the deadline for this class-action settlement?

Potential claimants have until the end of Dec. 26, 2024, to opt into this settlement.

For more, find out who's eligible for the Clear AI privacy breach settlement.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.