These are your final hours to claim your share of this data breach settlement. In an increasingly digitalized world, sensitive client information has come to be stored online, meaning that companies and entities in charge of this information need to take robust precautions to guarantee that this information does not become compromised by unauthorized third-party access. These cybersecurity measures are essential, as advancements in digital technology have also meant that cybercrime has become more sophisticated and difficult to combat.
Cybercrime and data breaches are on the rise
While digital systems have made the world more connected than ever before, it has also meant that we have seen an increase in data breaches globally, whereby cybercriminals expose sensitive information, which can lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and legal repercussions for clients whose data has been stolen. Due to this, it is up to companies to guarantee that they take advanced preventive measures to ensure that these data breaches do not happen, guaranteeing the security of client data.
When data breaches do occur, it can often result in large class action lawsuits for a company. This is because data breaches generally affect a large number of individuals, and it is more productive for affected individuals to seek compensation for the damages incurred from the data breach as a collective, rather than seek individual justice.
Class action lawsuits combine resources and rely on the collective power of plaintiffs to increase the likelihood of a favorable outcome. Additionally, these large class actions can provide increased attention to a particular case, pressuring companies to take accountability and change their policies to ensure that such an incident does not occur again.
Claim your share of this data breach settlement
Case: 4:24-cv-00847-HEA in the United States District Court outlines the terms of the recent $2.5 million settlement between bakery and cafe chain Panera and plaintiffs over a 2024 data breach. The data breach settlement resolves claims that the company failed to protect consumer data, which resulted in the exposure of sensitive client information such as Social Security numbers.
Eligible class members are those who received a notification from Panera on March 23, 2024, that their information may have been compromised in the data breach last year. Plaintiffs allege that the company did not take all precautions necessary to protect client data. While Panera has not admitted to any wrongdoing, plaintiffs will be compensated in the following way:
- Class members can claim up to $500 for ordinary out-of-pocket expenses.
- Class members who experienced extraordinary losses can claim up to $6,500 in compensation.
- California class members can receive an additional $100 statutory payment.
To receive your settlement benefits, today, November 11, 2025, is the final day you can submit your valid claim. The final approval hearing for the data breach settlement is scheduled for January 29, 2026. Valid claims must include documented losses such as bank and credit card statements.
Data breach settlements continue to occur
Panera is not the only large entity needing to orchestrate data breach settlements regarding the exposure of its clients’ sensitive information. Recently, Francesca’s has agreed to settle their own data breach litigation, whereby class members can also qualify to receive up to $6,500 in compensation. The women’s clothing company has also not admitted to any wrongdoing. All class members, in addition to compensation, will receive two years’ worth of credit monitoring.
Earlier this month, the final approval hearing for the Lake Charles Memorial Health data breach settlement also occurred. Class members in this litigation were eligible to receive up to $5,000 for out-of-pocket expenses for the exposure of the following sensitive information: names; addresses; identification numbers; health insurance information; payment information; dates of birth; clinical information; and Social Security numbers. Class members were also compensated for up to three hours of lost time.
Disclaimer: You should not submit false or inflated claims under penalty of perjury, as class‑action claim forms historically required declarations signed “under penalty of perjury” to ensure authenticity. Submitting a fraudulent claim not only carries legal exposure—including potential civil and criminal sanctions—but also harms other eligible class members by diluting the available settlement pool.
