Customers of the Great Expressions dental clinic chain across the United States were victims of a major data breach that exposed their Social Security numbers and other sensitive data, leading to a class action lawsuit against the company.
The Great Expressions chain, which encompasses a total of 246 dental clinics nationwide, has agreed to provide plaintiffs in the class action with a total of $2.7 million, to be distributed in payments ranging from $500 to $5,000, to pay ordinary losses or extraordinary expenses.
Great Expressions Class Action Settlement
The security incident, which included a data breach of thousands of Great Expressions customers, occurred in February 2023. The plaintiffs say the company could have protected their information by implementing much stronger cybersecurity measures.
According to the lawsuit, and contrary to the company’s version, Great Expressions allegedly allowed hackers to access confidential consumer information, including Social Security numbers (SSN).
Great Expressions did not admit any wrongdoing, but agreed to pay the plaintiffs $2.7 million, to prevent the class action lawsuit from becoming a costly and lengthy court case.
How and How Much Will Great Expressions Plaintiffs Collect?
Benefits depend on whether your Social Security numbers (SSN) were potentially compromised. If your SSN number was compromised, you are part of the “SSN Subgroup.” Otherwise, you belong to the “No SSN Subgroup”.
For SSN Subgroup members, benefits include a cash payment of up to $500, which is subject to a total limit of $300,000. If claims exceed this amount, payments will be reduced proportionately. They can also request reimbursement of up to $500 for ordinary losses, such as unreimbursed expenses related to the incident.
Additionally, they can claim up to 2 hours of time spent responding to the notice, at a rate of $20 per hour. For this, it is necessary to provide a brief description of the actions taken and the time spent. If you experienced extraordinary losses, such as significant expenses attributable to the incident, you can claim up to $5,000.
For Non-SSN Subgroup members, up to 2 hours of time spent troubleshooting related to the incident may be claimed at a rate of $20 per hour by submitting a certification and description of actions taken.
If you are a class member, you have several options:
- Submit a claim form before November 8, 2024 to receive a payment. If you do, you will give up your right to sue the defendants for the claims resolved in the settlement.
- do nothing, in which case you will not receive any payment and you will not be able to sue the defendants.
- Exclude you from the agreement before October 11, 2024, which will allow you to sue separately, but you will not receive any payment from the settlement.
- File objections to the agreement before October 11, 2024 if you do not agree to the terms. However, you must file a claim if you wish to receive compensation.
If you believe you are one of those affected, you can file a claim and be eligible to receive compensation for the damage caused following the data breach.
You can visit the official website of the class action settlement for more information, if you think it is necessary.