Shields Health Care Data Breach Settlement: $15.35M

U.S. residents whose personal information was compromised during the Shields Health Care Group data breach that occurred between March 7, 2022 and March 21, 2022. A separate subclass exists for Massachusetts residents.

Claimants seeking reimbursement for losses must provide supporting documentation such as receipts, bank statements or credit card statements showing expenses related to the breach.

Shields Health Care Group has agreed to pay $15.35 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging the company failed to protect patient data during a 2022 cybersecurity incident.

The settlement resolves claims brought by individuals whose sensitive information was exposed when unauthorized parties accessed the company's systems.

The breach occurred over a two-week period in March 2022 and reportedly compromised confidential patient data including Social Security numbers and protected health information.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit argued that Shields Health Care Group did not implement adequate security measures to safeguard the data it collected and stored.

Shields Health Care Group operates a network of medical imaging and outpatient surgical facilities across Massachusetts and New Hampshire. While the company has not acknowledged liability or wrongdoing, it agreed to the settlement to resolve the litigation.

The settlement establishes two subclasses: one for Massachusetts residents and another for individuals residing elsewhere in the United States. Both groups are eligible to file claims for compensation based on their documented losses or may elect to receive a flat payment if they experienced no quantifiable harm.

How Settlement Payments Will Be Calculated

Class members may receive different levels of compensation depending on the type of harm they experienced as a result of the breach.

Those who incurred ordinary expenses—such as costs for credit monitoring services, fees for obtaining credit reports or time spent addressing the breach—may claim up to $2,500. This category includes reimbursement for up to five hours of personal time valued at $30 per hour.

Individuals who suffered more serious consequences, including identity theft, fraudulent tax filings, financial account fraud or misuse of government benefits, may claim up to $25,000 in extraordinary losses. This tier also allows reimbursement for up to 20 hours of lost time at $30 per hour.

Class members who did not experience documented losses may instead elect to receive a one-time cash payment of $50.

All claims must be submitted by Dec. 3, 2025 to be considered for payment.