Citizens who have received notices from the Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker or Reliable Networks need to scrutinize these notices carefully. These notices may signify that the citizens receiving them are eligible to make a claim for the $7,25 million settlement. Eligible citizens should note that the claim filing deadline is fast approaching. All affected claimants could receive up to $5,000 in compensation. To get the claims process started all that is needed is some simple documents. The last day to file a claim is set for May 22, 2025.
Understanding eligibility requirements
To be deemed eligible for this class action settlement, citizens should have been affected by the September 14, 2023, cybersecurity breach that affected the accountancy and consultancy firm Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker as well as their IT partner Reliable Networks. In September 2023, hackers gained access to sensitive consumer information which resulted in legal actions due to the fact that the firm did not ensure proper security measures for consumer’s data.
As per this class action lawsuit, a settlement fee of $7,25 million has been put forward. Citizens who have received a notice from the company are entitled to be compensated.
In other words, qualifying citizens are those who:
- Received a notification about this data breach from Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker.
- Had their data accessed by hackers due to the September 2023 data breach.
What can be received?
The amount that is claimable depends on the type of financial loss experienced due to the data breach.
Citizens deemed as class action members could claim up to $5,000 in documented losses if they incurred out-of-pocket expenses like fraud-related charges or experienced identity theft. These citizens can claim their share of about $5,000 if they are able to submit proof in the form of:
- Invoices and receipts
- Bank or credit card statements
- Credit reports documenting the loss
- Tax forms or IRS correspondence
Eligible claimants who did not experience any financial loss will still be eligible for a flat payment of $100. This amount could be adjusted based on how many people end up submitting claims.
All class action members will gain three years of credit monitoring services totaling to $270. This service will assist customers with future identity theft cases.
Follow these instructions to claim
Citizens who wish to claim to receive these benefits will have to submit a valid form by the due date of May 22, 2025.
The step-by-step process:
- Visit the official settlement website.
- Click “File a Claim”.
- All of the information needs to be filled in such as name, address, etc.
- All of the necessary documentation must be uploaded.
- Make sure to submit a claim before the deadline.
This claiming process is relatively easy and requires merely minutes. The process of claiming for the flat $100 payment is far easier. For those claiming for the full $5,000, they will need to have the required documents to prove eligibility for this payment.
Claimants submitting claims must ensure they are eligible to claim as it is illegal to submit false claims. Citizens who submit fraudulent claims will affect other eligible claimants in the process. Citizens should also check their eligibility status for the Imagine360 data breach.
What takes place after claiming?
When all claims have been submitted before the closing date of May 22, 2025, citizens will have to wait for the final court hearing that will take place on June 6, 2025. Once the settlement has been fully approved, the necessary payments will be distributed to all claimants a few months thereafter.
The Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker case is yet another case that shows the escalating number of data breach class action lawsuits that have been filed in the recent years. Many companies have faced legal charges as they are unable to protect consumer information from hackers. Another such data breach case that is rather noteworthy is that of the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) data breach case.
For more information about this settlement, you can visit Top Class Actions and get informed about how to file a claim.
