University Surgical Associates Data Breach Lawsuit Investigation (Copy)
Received a December 2025 breach notice from University Surgical Associates?
Dapeer Law, P.A. is investigating a potential class action arising from a network security incident at Aesto, LLC, a third-party service provider to University Surgical Associates, PLLC, on behalf of patients whose protected health information may have been accessed during the December 2025 incident disclosed in August 2026.
Who may qualify
You may be eligible to participate in a class action if any of the following applies:
- You received a data breach notification letter from University Surgical Associates dated December 2025.
- Your letter offered enrollment in complimentary Experian IdentityWorks credit and identity monitoring, with an enrollment deadline of November 30, 2026.
- You had protected health information held by University Surgical Associates that was stored on the systems of its third-party service provider, Aesto, LLC.
- No proof of harm required to consult with counsel. You do not need to have already suffered identity theft to explore your legal options.
- Excluded: individuals who did not receive a breach notice and whose information was not involved in the incident.
Not sure if you qualify?
Send us your notice, we'll confirm your eligibility at no cost.
What happened
According to the notice mailed to affected patients, on or about December 18, 2025, Aesto, LLC, a third-party service provider to University Surgical Associates, PLLC, experienced a network security incident that impacted a limited portion of its Amazon Web Services infrastructure. Aesto states that it commenced an investigation and worked with external cybersecurity professionals experienced in handling these types of incidents. The notice states that after an extensive forensic investigation and manual document review, on May 26, 2026, Aesto confirmed that between on or about December 2, 2025 and December 18, 2025, a limited amount of protected health information stored on Aesto's network may have been accessed or acquired by an unauthorized actor.
Aesto notified University Surgical Associates of the incident on June 26, 2026, and notice letters to affected patients are dated August 24, 2026, the same date the breach was reported to the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. The Massachusetts filing reports 29 Massachusetts residents affected, which is also the total number of individuals the provider reported. The notice describes the information potentially involved as each recipient's full name together with additional protected health information specified in the individual letter, so the categories vary by recipient. Affected individuals are being offered complimentary Experian IdentityWorks credit and identity monitoring, with an enrollment deadline of November 30, 2026, and the notice provides an Aesto response line at 833-918-8060 and an Experian customer care line at 1-877-288-8057. University Surgical Associates states that no evidence of misuse has been identified and that it is notifying patients out of an abundance of caution.
Roughly eight months passed between the December 18, 2025 incident and the August 24, 2026 notice letters, and roughly three months passed between Aesto's May 26, 2026 confirmation and the mailing of those letters. Several state breach notification statutes require notice without unreasonable delay, and delays of this length are a recurring subject of dispute in data breach litigation. Protected health information is also difficult to remediate once exposed, because diagnoses, treatment details, and provider relationships cannot be reissued the way an account number can, and they can support medical identity theft and insurance fraud long after an incident. How the intrusion into the Amazon Web Services environment occurred, what security requirements University Surgical Associates imposed on Aesto, how those requirements were monitored, and which specific data elements were involved for each patient are among the questions being evaluated.
What to do if you received a letter
Keep your notice letter
Do not discard it. Your letter identifies the specific categories of your protected health information that were involved, contains the enrollment code for the Experian IdentityWorks offer, and is important evidence if you decide to participate in a lawsuit.
Enroll in the free Experian IdentityWorks monitoring
Enroll in the Experian IdentityWorks credit and identity monitoring offered in your letter by the November 30, 2026 deadline, using the activation code printed in the notice. Experian customer care is available at 1-877-288-8057. Accepting this benefit does not waive your right to pursue legal action.
Place a fraud alert or credit freeze
Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to place a fraud alert or freeze on your file. Request a free weekly credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com, and use the FTC's IdentityTheft.gov recovery guide. Because protected health information was reported as involved, also review your explanation of benefits statements and request a copy of your medical records to check for treatment or claims you do not recognize.
Speak with a data breach attorney
Consultations with Dapeer Law are free and confidential. We'll review your notice, explain your options, and advise whether you may be eligible to join a class action.
Submit your notice for a free review
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Breach timeline
Compensation you may be entitled to
Out-of-pocket expenses
Credit freezes, identity restoration services, and other costs incurred responding to the breach.
Time spent monitoring
Hours spent reviewing accounts, disputing fraudulent charges, and dealing with identity theft issues.
Identity theft & fraud losses
Unreimbursed funds stolen from accounts, unauthorized credit lines, medical services or insurance claims billed in your name, or tax refund fraud tied to the breach.
Statutory damages
Certain state data breach and consumer protection statutes provide for fixed damages regardless of actual loss.
Injunctive relief
Court orders requiring University Surgical Associates and its vendors to implement stronger data security practices going forward.
Compensation categories depend on applicable state law, the types of data exposed, and documented losses. No recovery is guaranteed.
Common questions
I received a data breach letter from University Surgical Associates. What should I do? +
Keep the letter, since it lists the specific categories of your information that were involved. Enroll in the complimentary Experian IdentityWorks monitoring by the November 30, 2026 deadline using the code in your notice. Order and review your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228, and consider placing a security freeze or fraud alert with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A freeze is free and blocks new credit from being opened in your name without your authorization. Because protected health information was involved, also review your explanation of benefits statements and medical records for treatment or claims you do not recognize. If you find fraud, file a police report, keep a copy, and use the FTC's recovery guidance at IdentityTheft.gov or 1-877-438-4338. Accepting monitoring does not waive your right to sue.
Am I eligible to join a class action against University Surgical Associates? +
If you received an August 2026 breach notice relating to University Surgical Associates patient information held by Aesto, LLC, you may be eligible for a free case evaluation. Eligibility depends on your state of residence, the categories of your data that were involved, and any losses or out-of-pocket costs you have incurred. Dapeer Law will review your notice at no cost.
How much money could I receive from a class action lawsuit? +
Data breach class action recoveries vary significantly. Settlements typically range from a few hundred dollars for basic out-of-pocket losses to several thousand dollars for documented identity theft, with class size, damages, and negotiation all affecting the final amount. No payout is guaranteed, and this investigation has not yet resulted in a settlement.
What personal information was exposed in the breach? +
The notice states that the information potentially impacted includes your full name, together with additional protected health information identified in your individual letter. The categories therefore vary by recipient, and the sample notice filed with the Massachusetts Attorney General does not list them for every person. Your individual letter should specify the data elements tied to your record. If you no longer have it, Dapeer Law can help you obtain a copy.
Did University Surgical Associates offer free credit monitoring? +
Yes. Affected individuals are being offered complimentary credit and identity monitoring through Experian IdentityWorks. Enrollment must be completed by November 30, 2026 using the activation code printed in your letter, and Experian customer care can be reached at 1-877-288-8057. The duration of the monitoring term is stated in your individual notice. Aesto also lists a response line at 833-918-8060. Enrolling is separate from, and does not waive, your right to pursue a claim.
How many people were affected by the University Surgical Associates breach? +
The breach report filed with the Massachusetts Attorney General lists 29 Massachusetts residents affected, and the total number reported by the provider is also 29. Whether residents of other states received notices in connection with the same Aesto incident has not been fully disclosed. This page will be updated as additional information becomes available.
Is there a deadline to take legal action? +
Yes. Statutes of limitations for data breach claims vary by state and legal theory, typically ranging from one to six years. Waiting can permanently bar your claim. Contact us as soon as possible for a free evaluation.
How do I get a copy of the official breach notice? +
A copy of the sample notice is available through the Massachusetts Attorney General's public data breach records, linked in Sources below. If you received a letter but no longer have it, Dapeer Law can assist you in obtaining a copy during your free consultation.
Sources & references
- Official breach notice filing · Massachusetts Attorney General, University Surgical Associates, PLLC breach notice (PDF)
- Credit bureau freezes · Equifax · Experian · TransUnion
- Free weekly credit reports · AnnualCreditReport.com
- Identity theft recovery guide · FTC IdentityTheft.gov
Don't let the deadline decide for you. Submit your claim today.
You only have a limited window to act. Our team will review your notice, explain your options, and tell you whether you may be eligible to recover compensation, at no cost to you.
