Nearly 260K Americans could get $3K from a settlement

NewsA 2023 data breach impacted about 1.6 million nationwide, about 260,000 of whom had their Social Security numbers compromised. ( Tingey Injury Law Firm via Unsplash)Tingey Injury Law Firm via UnsplashBy Claudia Dimuro | cdimuro@pennlive.comOne of the country’s biggest eye care physician services agreed to a $1.75 million settlement in June stemming from a 2023 data breach. According to ClassAction.org, Arizona-based American Vision Partners was hit by the breach in November of that year that compromised the personal information of about 1.6 million people nationwide. This includes the nearly 260,000 people whose Social Security numbers were ill-gotten by hackers during the breach.The resulting class action lawsuit accused American Vision Partners of failing to adequately protect patients’ sensitive information. The eye care network, while agreeing to the settlement payout, has denied any wrongdoing.The settlement website FAQ page states that class members can receive a pro rata cash payment, the amount of which depends on the total number of verified claims submitted. For those who had their Social Security numbers compromised, a max $3,000 reimbursement for any out-of-pocket losses caused by the breach is available; this entails submitting proper documentation such as receipts for services such as credit monitoring.American Vision Partners has also agreed to pay for cybersecurity measures valued at more than $2.7 million as part of the settlement, ClassAction.org adds. This includes hiring a chief information officer and the creation of a cybersecurity steering committee, among other things. Anyone who received a settlement notice — or who believes to have been impacted by the breach — can submit a claim online at this link. There is also the option of downloading a claim form at this link to print and mail to the settlement administrator. The deadline to submit a claim is Nov. 12, 2026.Lakewood substitute teacher arrested, accused of trying to solicit sex from teenPainesville Fire Department offering free carbon monoxide detectorsWhat we learned about Ohio BMV’s 3½-year delay implementing a disabled-veteran plate benefitClaudia covers trending and breaking news stories across the United States. She previously worked as a digital reporter for PennLive.com, where she covered a range of topics from metal music to consumer news to...