The proposed ABC Legal settlement provided a pro rata cash payment estimated at $50, up to $450, plus up to $5,000 for documented out-of-pocket losses and two years of credit monitoring. The September 28, 2026 claim deadline has passed; the court has not yet approved the settlement.
Benefit Summary
Eligible people affected by the breach: Covered U.S. residents who submit an approved claim.
These benefits can combine when their individual eligibility and claim requirements are met. Request a share of the remaining fund without loss documents. The estimate is $50; the final amount may rise or fall with approved claims, up to $450. The maximum is not a promised payment. Also request repayment of documented expenses fairly connected to the breach, up to $5,000 per person. Costs already repaid by another source are not eligible. Choose two years of IDX single-bureau monitoring, with dark-web monitoring, inquiry alerts and identity-theft insurance coverage. You may request monitoring alone or alongside either cash benefit. The $1 million insurance coverage is not a cash award.
Court-approved fees, costs, administration expenses and representative awards reduce the fund. Approved expense claims are paid before monitoring costs, and the remaining money funds the basic cash payments.
Available Awards
Estimated $50 cash + Up to $5,000 expenses
Who Is Included
Covered people are U.S. residents on the settlement class list whose personal information may have been compromised in the incident that began around August 7, 2024 and was discovered in November 2024. This includes people sent a breach notice. The presiding judges and their immediate families, ABC and the related entities listed in notice Question 6, and anyone who validly opted out are excluded.
- Proof required: The basic cash payment and monitoring do not require loss documents, but you must submit a claim and sign its truthfulness statement. Expense reimbursement requires records showing an actual, unreimbursed loss connected to this breach. Your own written explanation can support outside records but is not enough by itself.
Claim and Payment Information
- Claim method: Online or mail
- Claim deadline: 2026-09-28
- Instructions: Submit the completed claim online or mail it postmarked by September 28, 2026 to ABC Legal Services Data Incident Settlement Administrator, PO Box 668, Baton Rouge, LA 70821. Select the benefits you want, include supporting records for expenses, choose a payment method and sign. The online portal uses your Settlement Claim ID; contact the administrator if you cannot find it.
Questions & Answers
Can I request all three benefits?
Yes. The cash payment, eligible expense reimbursement and credit monitoring can be combined. You can also choose monitoring without requesting money. Select each benefit you want on the claim form; receiving a breach notice alone does not enroll you.
Is the cash payment guaranteed to be $50 or $450?
No. The notice estimates $50, with a $450 ceiling. The administrator pays approved expense claims and monitoring costs first, then divides the remaining money among approved cash claims. How many people claim affects the amount.
What should I send for an expense claim?
Provide records such as receipts that show what you paid and connect it to this incident. Explain any connection that is not clear from the documents, identify the amount and date, and state whether someone else repaid the expense. Your own notes or handwritten receipts cannot establish the loss on their own.
The administrator can ask for more information. A claim for expenses is separate from the basic cash request, which needs no loss documents.
What do I need to file online or by mail?
Use the official website's claim link and your Settlement Claim ID. If the ID is missing, use the portal's help option or contact 1-844-482-2656 or [email protected]. A printable form is available under Court Documents.
The form asks for contact details, benefit choices, any expense documentation, payment information and a signed certification. The portal currently states an online cutoff of September 28, 2026 at 11:59:59 p.m. PST. Submit early or confirm the time with the administrator if filing near the cutoff. Portal checked September 8, 2026: https://abcdatasettlement.pnclassaction.com/ .
How do I activate credit monitoring?
If approved, you will receive an enrollment code by email after final approval. You then have 180 days from when the code is sent to enroll. Keep your email address current and watch for those instructions.
This activation period comes from the official claim form, page 3, checked September 8, 2026: https://www.abcdatasettlement.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ABC_Claim-Form_Exhibit-C-6.16.2026.pdf .
How and when will I receive money?
The claim form offers PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or a mailed check. Payments wait until the court approves the settlement and that approval becomes final; the notice gives no fixed payment date. Update contact or payment details through the official website if they change.
Payment choices verified against the official claim form on September 8, 2026: https://www.abcdatasettlement.com/court-documents/ .
What if I wanted to opt out or object?
The listed deadline for both was August 28, 2026 and has passed. Opting out meant leaving the settlement and giving up its benefits while keeping the right to pursue the covered claims separately. Objecting meant staying in the settlement while asking the court to consider a concern.
Notice Questions 17 and 20 give the full procedures. Anyone seeking to speak at the hearing also had to follow the objection requirements and state an intention to appear. Contact the administrator about your situation; this page does not create a late-filing exception.
How much of the fund goes to lawyers and representatives?
The lawyers may request up to one-third of the $2.5 million fund, plus costs. The notice contains a mistyped dollar equivalent, so the fraction is the useful stated limit. Each named representative may seek up to $3,500. The court decides the awards, which come out of the fund.
When is the approval hearing?
The hearing is scheduled for October 26, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time. You do not need to attend for an approved claim to receive benefits. Check the official site for changes and participation details.
What happens if I do nothing?
You receive no cash, expense reimbursement or monitoring without a timely approved claim. Unless you validly opted out, final approval binds you to the settlement and releases the covered claims. The complete release is in settlement agreement Section 29.
Other Important Dates
- Exclusion deadline: 2026-08-28
- Objection deadline: 2026-08-28
- Final approval hearing: October 26, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time
Case Details
- Total settlement fund: $2,500,000
- Case name: In re: ABC Legal Services Data Security Incident
- Case number: 2:24-cv-02092
- Court: U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
- Administrator: ABC Legal Services Data Incident Settlement Administrator
- Official Settlement Website: https://www.abcdatasettlement.com/
Sources
Claim form, FAQ, deadlines, administrator information
Court-approved notice describing eligibility and benefits