AT&T, Change Healthcare, others face class actions over data breaches

Data breach class action lawsuits overview: 

• Who: Consumers recently filed class action lawsuits against AT&T, Change Healthcare, GardaWorld, SouthState Bank, WellNow Urgent Care, The Aspen Group, Golden Corral and American Vision Partners. 
• Why: The class action lawsuits claim the companies failed to prevent consumer data from exposure.
• Where: The class action lawsuits were filed in U.S. federal courts. 

Consumers recently filed class action lawsuits against companies over claims they failed to properly safeguard and secure personal and private information during data breach incidents. 

Class action says AT&T failed to properly safeguard private info of 70M+ customers

Consumers filed at least nine class action lawsuits against AT&T following a report that more than 70 million of the wireless carriers current and former customers had their personally identifiable information (PII) leaked online. 

The class action lawsuits argue AT&T failed to properly safeguard and secure the information by implementing adequate security measures that could have prevented the data breach. 

“Defendant had obligations created by contract, industry standards, common law and its own promises and representations to keep plaintiff’s and class members’ PII confidential and to protect it from unauthorized access and disclosure,” one of the AT&T class actions says. 

Change Healthcare bears responsibility for February data breach, class action claims 

Consumers filed multiple class action lawsuits against Change Healthcare in the wake of a February data breach in which consumers claim the healthcare technology provider failed to protect their private information. 

Consumers say the data breach put them at an ongoing risk of identity theft and argue the incident would not have happened were it not for Change Healthcare’s negligence. 

“Plaintiff’s and class members’ identities are now at risk because of defendant’s negligent conduct because the private information that defendant collected and maintained is now in the hands of data thieves,” one of the class action lawsuits states. 

GardaWorld had insufficient cybersecurity measures prior to data breach, class action says 

A consumer filed a class action lawsuit against GardaWorld Cash earlier this month over claims the company bears responsibility for a 2023 cyberattack that compromised personal information belonging to nearly 40,000 individuals. 

The class action lawsuit claims GardaWorld had insufficient cybersecurity measures prior to the incident, which took place between October and November 2023, according to the class action. 

“The private information was maintained on defendant’s computer network in a condition vulnerable to cyberattacks,” the GardaWorld class action states. 

SouthState Bank failed to prevent data breach, class action says

A pair of consumers filed a class action lawsuit against SouthState Bank in April over claims the company failed to prevent a data breach that exposed the PII of its customers. 

The class action lawsuit argues the data breach could have been prevented if SouthState Bank had stronger security protections in place, information the financial institution allegedly withheld from its customers during a data breach notification letter. 

“Omitted from the notice letter were the details of the root cause of the [SouthState Bank data breach], the vulnerabilities exploited and the remedial measures undertaken to ensure such a breach does not occur again,” the class action states. 

Class action claims WellNow Urgent Care failed to keep patient data safe 

A consumer filed a class action lawsuit against WellNow Urgent Care and The Aspen Group in March over claims the companies failed to properly secure patient data during an April 2023 data breach. 

The class action lawsuit claims the data breach was a “direct result” of WellNow failing to put in place “adequate and reasonable” cybersecurity procedures and protocols that would have kept the patient data safe. 

“The exposure of one’s private information to cybercriminals is a bell that cannot be unrung,” the WellNow Urgent Care class action states. 

Golden Corral waited too long to tell employees info stolen during data breach, class action says

A pair of Golden Corral employees filed separate class action lawsuits against the restaurant over claims involving an August 2023 data breach that compromised the personal data of an estimated 183,000 current and former workers. 

The class action lawsuits claim Golden Corral failed to notify its employees their data had been stolen until February of this year despite the incident happening between Aug. 11 and Aug. 15, 2023. 

Sensitive data stolen during the data breach included employees’ full names and social security numbers, according to the Golden Corral class action. 

American Vision Partners failed to protect medical, personal info, class action claims 

Consumers filed at least three class action lawsuits against American Vision Partners following a 2023 data breach that compromised the personal information of more than 2 million individuals. 

The class action lawsuits argue American Vision Partners failed to properly protect the medical and personal information of the affected individuals. 

Have you been affected by a recent data breach? Let us know in the comments.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Buzzfeed class action alleges website installs trackers on visitors’ browsers
• Google to delete private browsing data as part of Incognito settlement
• Kia class action alleges automaker collects, shares driver data without consent
• AmEx class action claims company shares credit card applicant data with Facebook