Visionworks data breach compromised info of about 40K customers, class action claims

Visionworks class action overview:

• Who: A Visionworks customer has sued the company.
• Why: The plaintiff claims the company was negligent with consumer data, allowing a data breach.
• Where: The Visionworks class action was filed in a Texas federal court.

Visionworks — a leading optical retail chain — is facing a class action lawsuit after a cyberattack exposed the sensitive personal and health information of almost 40,000 people. 

Plaintiff Elizabeth Anne Sanchez filed the class action complaint against Visionworks of America Inc. on Dec. 23 in a Texas federal court, alleging violations of state and federal consumer laws. 

According to the lawsuit, Visionworks failed to implement adequate security measures to protect its systems, leading to an Oct. 10, 2024, data breach.

The stolen data includes names, Social Security numbers, financial details, and medical information of both customers and employees, Sanchez says.

While the breach occurred in October, Visionworks allegedly delayed notifying the public until December, leaving affected individuals vulnerable to identity theft.

“Due to the Defendant’s negligence, cybercriminals obtained everything they needed to commit identity theft and wreak havoc on the financial and personal lives of thousands of individuals,” the Visionworks data breach complaint says.

Visionworks data breach victims face a lifetime of increased risk, lawsuit alleges

As a result of the data breach, Visionworks, which operates over 700 stores nationwide, is accused of violating its duty to safeguard the private information entrusted to it by customers and employees. 

The company’s privacy policy promises robust protections: “We have implemented physical, electronic, and administrative procedures to help safeguard and prevent unauthorized access, maintain data security, and correctly use the information we collect online,” according to the lawsuit.

However, it alleges Visionworks failed to uphold these standards, leaving its systems vulnerable to hackers who stole the information of nearly 40,000 people.

The complaint also claims the delayed notification exacerbated the risks to victims, giving hackers a head start to exploit the stolen information. Sanchez says she and others now face a lifetime of increased risk of identity theft and other financial harms. 

As a result, Sanchez is looking to represent anyone in the United States who was affected by the data breach. She is suing for negligence and breach of implied contract and is seeking certification of the class action, damages, fees, costs, a jury trial and an order forcing the company to improve its data security.

In 2022, Visionworks faced another lawsuit alleging it harmed thousands of consumers with unsolicited marketing messages, including ones sent to numbers listed on the National Do Not Call Registry.

What do you think of the allegations in this Visionworks class action? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by William B. Federman and Jessica A. Wilkes of Federman & Sherwood.

The Visionworks class action is Elizabeth Anne Sanchez v. Visionworks of America Inc. Case No.  5:24-cv-01465 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. 

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