The proposed $650,000 settlement covers people whose private information was exposed in the Highland Health Systems data breach. Class members can claim up to $5,000 for documented losses or an $85 cash payment, plus two years of medical identity protection, by October 28, 2026. The court has not yet approved it.
Benefit Summary
People affected by the Highland Health breach: Covered U.S. residents, subject to the exclusions explained below.
Documented Loss Reimbursement and Protection: These benefits can combine when their individual eligibility and claim requirements are met. Select two years of CyEx Medical Shield Total with three-bureau monitoring, medical identity theft insurance up to $1 million, and fraud-resolution help. The insurance amount is coverage, not a cash award. Request up to $5,000 for actual, unreimbursed expenses caused by the breach between July 3, 2023 and October 28, 2026. Provide records showing the expense and its connection to the breach. This replaces the estimated $85 cash option.
Pro Rata Cash Payment and Protection: These benefits can combine when their individual eligibility and claim requirements are met. Select two years of CyEx Medical Shield Total with three-bureau monitoring, medical identity theft insurance up to $1 million, and fraud-resolution help. The insurance amount is coverage, not a cash award. Choose a cash payment instead of loss reimbursement. The estimate is $85, but the actual amount may rise or fall with the claims filed. No loss receipts or explanation are needed; a signed valid claim remains required.
Choose one of these benefit packages; they are alternatives for this group.
Benefits come from the $650,000 fund after litigation, legal and administration costs. Proposed requests include legal fees up to one-third of the fund, up to $30,000 in litigation expenses and $3,500 for each class representative, subject to approval. Payments wait for final approval and resolution of appeals.
Available Awards
Up to $5,000 documented losses OR Estimated $85 cash payment
Who Is Included
U.S. residents whose private information was exposed to unauthorized parties in the breach Highland Health discovered around July 3, 2023. The class excludes the defendants and entities they control; Highland Health's officers, directors, legal representatives, successors, subsidiaries and assigns; and the presiding judicial officers, their immediate families and staff.
- Proof required: Reimbursement requires records such as receipts showing the amount and breach connection. Personal statements may explain other evidence but cannot be the only support. The estimated cash alternative needs no loss proof or explanation. Every claim must be signed and may be checked or require follow-up information.
Claim and Payment Information
- Claim method: Online, email or U.S. mail
- Claim deadline: 2026-10-28
- Instructions: Submit online or email the completed signed form and required records to [email protected] by October 28, 2026. For mail, use Highland Health Data Breach Settlement, c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 25226, Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958, postmarked by October 28. The official site has a form without LoginID/PIN at https://www.highlanddatabreachsettlement.com/form/open . Portal and printable form checked September 8, 2026: https://www.highlanddatabreachsettlement.com/form/claim and https://cw.simpluris.com/docs/public/downloads/HWC1/CLAIM_FORM
Questions & Answers
Can I receive both cash options?
No. Choose documented-loss reimbursement or the estimated $85 cash alternative. You can add medical identity protection to either choice. The $85 is an estimate, not a guaranteed minimum or maximum.
Which losses qualify for reimbursement?
Actual expenses must result from the breach, fall between July 3, 2023 and October 28, 2026, and remain unreimbursed. Examples include identity theft or fraud losses, credit-report and monitoring fees, credit-freeze fees, replacement IDs and postage to banks.
Send receipts or other records showing the amount and connection. Your own statements can clarify records but cannot replace them. The form asks you to print your name and sign additional expense sheets. Form checked September 8, 2026: https://cw.simpluris.com/docs/public/downloads/HWC1/CLAIM_FORM
What does medical identity protection cover, and when does it start?
The two-year service monitors health-insurance IDs, medical record numbers and unauthorized health-savings-account spending, alongside three-bureau monitoring and fraud-resolution help. Its $1 million insurance limit is not a settlement payment.
The online form says activation instructions will be emailed after the settlement is final. You must use the activation code to enroll before service begins. Form checked September 8, 2026: https://www.highlanddatabreachsettlement.com/form/open
Can I submit a claim without my LoginID and PIN?
Yes. The official login page links to an open claim form without those credentials. You can also email the administrator your full name and mailing address to request the numbers. The paper form asks for Login ID if known. Sources checked September 8, 2026: https://www.highlanddatabreachsettlement.com/form/claim , https://www.highlanddatabreachsettlement.com/form/open and https://cw.simpluris.com/docs/public/downloads/HWC1/CLAIM_FORM
How do I submit my claim and choose a payment method?
File online or by email by October 28, 2026, or mail a signed form postmarked by that date. Include loss evidence when claiming reimbursement. The printable form offers PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, a virtual prepaid card or a physical check. Keep your contact details current and respond to requests for more information. Form and portal checked September 8, 2026: https://cw.simpluris.com/docs/public/downloads/HWC1/CLAIM_FORM and https://www.highlanddatabreachsettlement.com/form/claim
How do I leave the settlement?
Mail a personally signed opt-out request postmarked by September 28, 2026 to Highland Health Data Breach Settlement, ATTN: Exclusion Request, P.O. Box 25226, Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958. Include the case name/number, your full name, mailing address, phone, email and a clear statement that you want to leave. You may exclude only yourself.
Leaving means no benefits but preserves any rights you have to pursue the covered issues separately. Notice Question 15 provides the full instructions.
Can I object while still asking for benefits?
Yes, if you stay in the class and submit a separate timely claim. File your complete objection with the Clerk of Court, 25 W. 11th Street, Anniston, Alabama 36201 by September 28, 2026, and mail a copy to the administrator marked ATTN: Objections.
Notice Question 16 lists all requirements, including membership proof, reasons, attorney and prior-objection information, hearing plans and signatures. An objection alone is not a claim.
When is the hearing, and what happens if I do nothing?
The hearing is scheduled for November 30, 2026 at 2 p.m. Central in Judge Jennifer G. Weems' courtroom, 25 W. 11th Street, Anniston, Alabama. Attendance is optional; check the official site for changes. No definite payment date is given because approval and any appeals must finish first.
Without a claim, you receive neither cash nor identity protection. Unless you opt out, a final settlement binds you to the release of the covered claims described in Section IX of the agreement.
Other Important Dates
- Exclusion deadline: 2026-09-28
- Objection deadline: 2026-09-28
- Final approval hearing: November 30, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time
- Hearing location: Courtroom of the Honorable Jennifer G. Weems, Circuit Court of Calhoun County, Alabama, Seventh Judicial Circuit, 25 W 11th Street, Anniston, Alabama 36201
Case Details
- Total settlement fund: $650,000.00
- Case name: Weyerman, et al. v. Highland Health Systems, et al.
- Case number: 2024-CV-900370
- Court: Circuit Court for Calhoun County, Alabama
- Administrator: Simpluris
- Official Settlement Website: https://www.HighlandDataBreachSettlement.com
Sources
Claim form, FAQ, deadlines, administrator information
Court-approved notice describing eligibility and benefits