NOTICE OF PROPOSED CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT
Weyerman, et al. v. Highland Health Systems, et al.
Case No. 2024-CV-900370
Circuit Court for Calhoun County, Alabama
IF YOUR PRIVATE INFORMATION WAS COMPROMISED IN THE JULY 2023
HIGHLAND HEALTH SYSTEMS DATA BREACH, A PROPOSED CLASS ACTION
SETTLEMENT MAY AFFECT YOUR RIGHTS, AND ENTITLE YOU TO
BENEFITS AND A CASH PAYMENT.
A court has authorized this notice. This is not a solicitation from a lawyer.
You are not being sued.
Please read this Notice carefully and completely.
• A Settlement has been reached with Highland Health Systems, Mickey Turner, and Allen Stokes
(“Highland Health” or “Defendants”) in a class action lawsuit. This case is about the targeted
cyberattack on Highland Health's computer systems that occurred in July 2023 (the “Data Breach”).
Certain files that contained Private Information were accessed. These files may have contained
personal information and protected health information such as full names; addresses; telephone
numbers; email addresses; Date of Birth, Social Security Number, Account Number, Payment Card
Number, Payment Card PIN, Email Address and Password, Medical Information and Health
Insurance Information; Tax ID; Routing Number; and Driver’s License or State ID.
• The lawsuit is called Weyerman, et al. v. Highland Health Systems, et al., Case No. 2024-CV-900370.
It is pending in the Circuit Court for Calhoun County, Alabama (the “Litigation”).
• Highland Health denies that it did anything wrong, and the Court has not decided who is right.
• The parties have agreed to settle the lawsuit (the “Settlement”) to avoid the costs and risks,
disruptions, and uncertainties of continuing the Litigation.
• Highland Health's records indicate that you are a Settlement Class Member, and entitled to benefits
under the Settlement. You may have received a previous notice directly from Highland Health.
• Your rights are affected whether you act or don’t act. Please read this Notice carefully and
completely.
SUMMARY OF YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS IN THIS SETTLEMENT DEADLINE
SUBMIT A CLAIM The only way to receive benefits or payments from this Settlement October 28, 2026
is by submitting a valid and timely Claim Form.
The fastest way to submit your Claim Form is online at
www.HighlandDataBreachSettlement.com. If you prefer, you can
download the Claim Form from the Settlement Website and mail it
to the Settlement Administrator.
OPT-OUT OF THE You can choose to opt-out of the Settlement and receive no Cash September 28, 2026
SETTLEMENT Payment or Credit Monitoring. This option allows you to sue,
continue to sue, or be part of another lawsuit against the
Defendants related to the legal claims resolved by this Settlement.
You can hire your own lawyer at your own expense.
OBJECT TO THE If you do not opt-out of the Settlement, you may object to it by September 28, 2026
SETTLEMENT AND/OR writing to the Court about why you don’t like the Settlement. You
may also ask the Court for permission to speak about your
ATTEND A HEARING
objection at the Final Approval Hearing. If you object, you may also
file a claim for Settlement Class Member benefits.
DO NOTHING Unless you opt-out of the Settlement, you are automatically part of No Deadline
the Settlement. If you do nothing, you will not receive benefits or
payments from this Settlement. You will give up the right to sue,
continue to sue, or be part of another lawsuit against the
Defendants related to the legal claims resolved and released by
this Settlement.
• These rights and options—and the deadlines to exercise them—are explained in this Notice.
• The Court in charge of this case still has to decide whether to approve the Settlement.
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WHAT THIS NOTICE CONTAINS
BASIC INFORMATION .................................................................................................... 3
WHO IS IN THE SETTLEMENT .......................................................................................... 4
THE SETTLEMENT BENEFITS........................................................................................... 4
SUBMITTING A CLAIM FORM FOR SETTLEMENT BENEFITS ................................................ 6
THE LAWYERS REPRESENTING YOU ............................................................................... 6
OPTING OUT FROM THE SETTLEMENT ............................................................................ 7
COMMENTING ON OR OBJECTING TO THE SETTLEMENT.................................................. 7
THE COURT’S FINAL APPROVAL HEARING ...................................................................... 8
IF I DO NOTHING ........................................................................................................... 9
GETTING MORE INFORMATION ...................................................................................... 9
Basic Information
1. Why was this Notice issued?
The Circuit Court for Calhoun County, Alabama, authorized this Notice. You have a right to know about the
proposed Settlement of this class action lawsuit, and about all of your options, before the Court decides
whether to grant final approval of the Settlement. This Notice explains the lawsuit, your legal rights, what
benefits are available, and who can receive them.
The lawsuit is called Weyerman, et al. v. Highland Health Systems, et al., Case No. 2024-CV-900370. It is
pending in the Circuit Court for Calhoun County, Alabama. The people that filed this lawsuit are called the
“Plaintiffs” (or “Class Representatives”) and the parties they sued—Highland Health Systems, Mickey Turner,
and Allen Stokes—are called the “Defendants.”
2. What is this lawsuit about?
This lawsuit alleges that during the July 2023 targeted cyberattack on Highland Health's computer systems,
certain files that contained Private Information were accessed. The PII/PHI data elements included a
combination of one or more of the following: Full Names, Addresses, Telephone Numbers, Email Addresses,
Date of Birth, Social Security Number, Account Number, Payment Card Number, Payment Card PIN, Email
Address and Password, Medical Information and Health Insurance Information; Tax ID; Routing Number; and
Driver’s License or State ID (“Private Information”).
3. What is a class action?
In a class action, one or more individuals sue on behalf of other people with similar claims. These individuals
are called the “Plaintiffs” or “Class Representatives.” Together, the people included in the class action are
called a “Class” or “Class Members.” One court resolves the lawsuit for all Class Members, except for those
who opt out from the settlement. In this proposed Settlement, the Class Representatives are Sara Andrea
Wyerman as Personal Representative of the Estate of Sandra Weyerman and Stefanie Blackwell. Everyone
included in this Action are the Settlement Class Members.
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4. Why is there a Settlement?
The Court did not decide whether the Plaintiffs or the Defendants are right. Both sides have agreed to a
Settlement to avoid the costs and risks of a trial, and to allow the Settlement Class Members to receive
benefits from the Settlement. The Plaintiffs and their attorneys think the Settlement is best for all Settlement
Class Members.
Who is in the Settlement?
5. Who is included in the Settlement?
The court has defined the Settlement Class this way: “All persons residing in the United States whose Private
Information was exposed to unauthorized third parties as a result of the Data Breach discovered by Highland
Health on or about July 3, 2023.”
6. Are there exceptions to being included?
Yes. Excluded from the Class are: (i) Defendants, any entity in which Defendants has a controlling interest,
and Defendant Highland Health’s officers, directors, legal representatives, successors, subsidiaries, and
assigns; and (ii) any judge, justice, or judicial officer presiding over this matter and members of their
immediate families and their judicial staff.
If you are not sure whether you are a Settlement Class Member, you can ask for free help any time by
contacting the Settlement Administrator at:
• Email: [email protected]
• Call toll free, 24/7: 1-(833) 421-7352
• By mail: Highland Health Data Breach Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958
You may also view the Settlement Agreement at www.HighlandDataBreachSettlement.com.
The Settlement Benefits
7. What does the Settlement provide?
Highland Health has agreed to create a $650,000.00 Settlement Fund. This fund will first be used to pay for
the costs of litigation, attorneys’ fees, and administration. The net Settlement Fund will then be used to pay
for the Settlement Class Benefits that are explained below.
All Settlement Class Members may claim Medical Identity Protection and one of two Cash Payment
options. The benefits are explained in more detail below.
MEDICAL IDENTITY PROTECTION. All Settlement Class Members are eligible to enroll in two years of CyEx
Medical Shield Total with three-bureau monitoring. This comprehensive service comes with $1 million of
medical identity theft insurance, and includes monitoring for:
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• healthcare insurance ID exposure
• Medical Record Number (MRN) exposure
• unauthorized Health Savings Account (HSA) spending
If anything suspicious happens, you will be able to talk to a fraud resolution agent to help fix any problems.
CASH PAYMENTS. (1) Settlement Class Members who have documented losses may claim reimbursement
for Documented Losses. (2) Alternatively, you may claim a one-time $85.00 Pro Rata Cash Payment.
(1) Documented Losses. If you incurred actual, documented out-of-pocket losses due to the Data
Breach, you can get back up to $5,000.00. The losses must have occurred between July 3, 2023, and
October 28, 2026.
This benefit covers out-of-pocket expenses like:
• losses because of identity theft or fraud
• fees for credit reports, credit monitoring, or freezing and unfreezing your credit
• cost to replace your IDs
• postage to contact banks by mail
You need to send proof, like receipts, to show how much you spent or lost. Your personal
certifications, declarations, or affidavits do not constitute reasonable documentation to make a valid
claim, but you may include that to provide clarification, context, or support for other submitted
reasonable documentation showing that your expenses were because of the Data Breach.
You cannot claim a payment for expenses that have already been reimbursed by a third party.
-OR-
(2) Pro Rata Cash Payment. Instead of reimbursement for Documented Losses, you may claim a
one-time cash payment. This payment is expected to be $85.00, but may be larger or smaller
depending on the total claims filed. You do not have to provide any proof or explanation to claim this
payment.
If you have questions about these benefits, you can ask for free help any time by contacting the Settlement
Administrator at:
• Email: [email protected]
• Call toll free, 24/7: 1-(833) 421-7352
• By mail: Highland Health Data Breach Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958
8. What claims am I releasing if I stay in the Settlement Class?
If you stay in the Settlement Class, you won’t be able to be part of any other lawsuit against Highland Health
about the issues that this Settlement covers. The “Releases” section of the Settlement Agreement (Section
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IX) describes the legal claims that you give up if you remain in the Settlement Class. The Settlement
Agreement is available at www.HighlandDataBreachSettlement.com.
Submitting a Claim Form for a Settlement Payment
9. How do I submit a claim for a Settlement benefit?
The fastest way to submit your Claim Form is online at www.HighlandDataBreachSettlement.com. If you
prefer, you can download a printable Claim Form from the website and mail it to the Settlement Administrator
at:
Highland Health Data Breach Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958
You may also contact the Settlement Administrator to request a Claim Form by telephone, toll free,
1-(833) 421-7352, by email [email protected], or by U.S. mail at the address above.
10. Are there any important Settlement payment deadlines?
If you are submitting a Claim Form online, you must do so by October 28, 2026. If you are submitting a claim
by U.S. mail, the completed and signed Claim Form, including supporting documentation, must be
postmarked no later than October 28, 2026.
11. When will the Settlement benefits be issued?
The Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing on November 30, 2026 (see Question 18). If the Court approves
the Settlement, there may be appeals. We do not know if appeals will be filed, or how long it will take to resolve
them if they are filed.
Settlement payments will be distributed if the Court grants final approval, and after any appeals are resolved.
Please be patient.
The Lawyers Representing You
12. Do I have a lawyer in the case?
Yes, the Court has appointed attorneys Jonathan S. Mann of Pittman, Dutton, Hellums, Bradley & Mann, P.C.;
Hirlye R. “Ryan” Lutz, III of Cory Watson, P.C.; Kenneth Jay Grunfeld of Kopelowitz Ostrow P.A.; and William
B. Federman of Federman & Sherwood, to represent you and other Settlement Class Members (“Class
Counsel”).
13. Should I get my own lawyer?
You will not be charged for Class Counsel’s services. If you want your own lawyer, you may hire one at your
expense.
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14. How will Class Counsel be paid?
Class Counsel will ask the court to approve up to one-third (1/3) of the Settlement Fund as reasonable
attorneys’ fees, and up to $30,000.00 to reimburse costs of litigation. This amount will be paid from the
Settlement Fund.
Class Counsel will also ask for Service Award payments of $3,500.00 for each of the Class Representatives.
Service Award payments will also be paid from the Settlement Fund.
Opting-Out from the Settlement
15. How do I opt out of the Settlement?
If you do not want to be part of the Settlement, you must formally exclude yourself from the Settlement. This
is called an Opt-Out Request.
If you opt-out, you are telling the Court that you do not want to be part of the Settlement. You will not be
eligible to receive any Settlement benefits if you opt-out. However, you will keep any rights you may have to
sue Highland Health on your own about the legal issues in this case.
The deadline to opt-out from the Settlement is September 28, 2026.
To be valid, your Opt-Out Request must have the following information:
(1) the name of the Litigation: Weyerman, et al. v. Highland Health Systems, et al., Case No. 2024-CV-
900370, pending in the Circuit Court for Calhoun County, Alabama;
(2) your full name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address;
(3) personal signature; and
(4) the words “Opt-Out Request” or a clear and similar statement that you do not want to participate in
the Settlement.
You may only exclude yourself—not any other person.
Mail your Request for Exclusion to the Settlement Administrator at:
Highland Health Data Breach Settlement
ATTN: Exclusion Request
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958
Your Opt-Out Request must be submitted and postmarked by September 28, 2026.
Commenting on or Objecting to the Settlement
16. How do I tell the Court if I like or do not like the Settlement?
If you are a Settlement Class Member and do not like part or all of the Settlement, you can object to it.
Objecting means telling the Court your reasons for why you think the Court should not approve the
Settlement. The Court will consider your views.
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You cannot object if you have opted-out from the Settlement (see Question 15)
You must provide the following information for the Court to consider your objection:
(1) the name of the Litigation: Weyerman, et al. v. Highland Health Systems, et al., Case No. 2024-CV-
900370, pending in the Circuit Court for Calhoun County, Alabama;
(2) your full name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address (if any);
(3) information identifying you as a Settlement Class Member, including proof that you are a member
of the Settlement Class (e.g., copy of notice, copy of original notice of the Data Breach);
(4) a written statement of all grounds for the objection, accompanied by any legal support for the
objection you believe is applicable;
(5) a statement as to whether the objection applies only to you, to a specific subset of the class, or to
the entire class;
(6) the identity of any and all counsel representing you in connection with the objection;
(7) a statement as to whether you and/or your lawyer will appear at the Final Fairness Hearing;
(8) a list of all settlements to which you and/or your lawyer have objected in the preceding three (3)
years; and
(9) your signature and the signature of your duly authorized attorney or other duly authorized
representative (along with documentation setting forth such representation).
For your objection to be considered, it must meet each of these requirements.
To be considered by the Court, you must file your complete objection with the Clerk of Court by September
28, 2026. You must also send a copy of the objection by U.S. Mail to the Settlement Administrator.
Clerk of the Court Settlement Administrator
Clerk of the Court Highland Health Data Breach Settlement
25 W 11th Street ATTN: Objections
Anniston, Alabama 36201 P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958
17. What is the difference between objecting and excluding?
Objecting is telling the Court that you do not like something about the Settlement. You can object to the
Settlement only if you do not opt-out from the Settlement. Opting out from the Settlement is stating to the
Court that you do not want to be part of the Settlement. If you opt-out of the Settlement, you cannot object to
it because the Settlement no longer affects you.
The Court’s Final Approval Hearing
18. When is the Court’s Final Approval Hearing?
The Court will hold a final approval on November 30, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time, in the Courtroom of
the Honorable Jennifer G. Weems, Circuit Court of Calhoun County, Alabama, Seventh Judicial Circuit, at 25
W 11th Street, Anniston, Alabama 36201.
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At the Final Approval Hearing, the Court will decide whether to approve the Settlement. The court will also
decide Class Counsel’s request for an attorneys’ fees and costs award and the request for a Service Award
to the Class Representatives. The Court will also consider any timely objections to the Settlement.
If you are a Settlement Class Member, you or your lawyer may ask permission to speak at the hearing at your
own cost (See Question 16).
The date and time of this hearing may change without further notice. Please check
www.HighlandDataBreachSettlement.com for updates.
19. Do I have to come to the Final Approval Hearing?
No. Class Counsel will answer any questions the Court may have. You may attend at your own expense if you
wish, but you do not have to.
If you file an objection, you do not have to come to the Final Approval Hearing to talk about it; the Court will
consider it as long as it was filed on time. You may also pay your own lawyer to attend, but you do not have to.
If I Do Nothing
20. What happens if I do nothing at all?
If you do nothing, you will not receive a benefit from this Settlement.
You will also give up the rights described in Question 8.
Getting More Information
21. How do I get more information?
This Notice is a summary of the proposed Settlement. The full Settlement Agreement and other related
documents are available at the Settlement Website, www.HighlandDataBreachSettlement.com.
If you have additional questions, you can ask for free help any time by contacting the Settlement
Administrator at:
• Email: [email protected]
• Call toll free, 24/7: 1-(833) 421-7352
• By mail: Highland Health Data Breach Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958
You can obtain copies of publicly filed documents by visiting the office of the Clerk of the Court, 25 W 11th
Street, Anniston, Alabama 36201.
DO NOT CONTACT THE COURT OR CLERK OF COURT REGARDING THIS SETTLEMENT
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