Bigfork Valley Hospital Data Breach Class Action Settlement
Bigfork Valley Hospital agreed to settle a class action lawsuit over a November 2024 cyberattack that may have exposed names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and driver's license numbers. Class members can claim up to $500 for ordinary losses and lost time and up to $2,000 for identity theft losses, subject to a $200,000 aggregate cap, and were sent codes for three years of medical data monitoring.
Cash payment cap
$200K
Aggregate cap on cash payments; claims-made
Top payout
Up to $2,000
Extraordinary losses; up to $500 for ordinary losses and lost time
Claim deadline
Feb 1, 2027
89 days remaining
You may be owed money
Get claim instructions and more information directly from the official settlement website. Deadline: Feb 1, 2027.
Do you qualify?
You are a Class Member if ALL of the following apply:
- You are a Class Member if you reside in the United States, your information was compromised in the November 2024 Bigfork Valley Data Security Incident, and you were identified and sent notice of it.
- Excluded: Bigfork Valley Hospital, the judges adjudicating the case and their staff, and anyone who validly and timely opts out.
Not sure if you qualify? Call the Settlement Administrator toll-free at (833) 285-3413, or get more information from the settlement website directly at BigforkValleyDataSettlement.com.
What happened
This lawsuit, Schaefer v. Bigfork, claims that Bigfork Valley Hospital failed to protect personal information in a targeted cyberattack on its computer systems in November 2024. Files that were accessed or acquired may have included names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and driver's license or state ID numbers. The case is pending in the District Court for Itasca County, Minnesota, and the Class Representatives are Terrance Schaefer and Jeffery Wahlfors.
Bigfork Valley denies that it did anything wrong, and the Court has not decided who is right. The parties agreed to settle to avoid the cost and risk of continued litigation.
How to file a claim
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1. Confirm you are eligible
You are eligible if you live in the United States and were sent notice that your information was compromised in the November 2024 Bigfork Valley Data Security Incident.
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2. Add up your losses and time
Ordinary documented losses (credit reports, monitoring, freezes, ID replacement, postage) are reimbursed up to $500, and that cap includes lost time at $20 per hour for 1 to 4 hours (up to $80), attested by checking a box. Documented identity theft or fraud losses are reimbursed up to $2,000. Losses must fall between November 4, 2024 and February 1, 2027, and all cash payments may be reduced pro rata if claims exceed $200,000.
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3. Get the details from the settlement website
Get claim instructions and more information from the settlement website directly at BigforkValleyDataSettlement.com. Claims must be submitted online or postmarked by February 1, 2027. The Settlement Administrator's mailing address is: Bigfork Valley Data Security Incident Settlement, c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 25226, Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958.
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4. Receive your payment
Payments are distributed only after the Court grants final approval at the March 1, 2027 hearing and any appeals are resolved.
Key dates
- Jan 1, 2027 Opt-out & objection deadline Upcoming
- Feb 1, 2027 Claim filing deadline Upcoming
- Mar 1, 2027 Final Fairness Hearing (2:00 p.m. CT, Itasca County Courthouse, Grand Rapids) Upcoming
- TBD after final approval Payments issued to claimants Pending
The Final Approval Hearing is scheduled for March 1, 2027 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time at the Itasca County Courthouse, 123 Fourth Street NE, Grand Rapids, MN 55744. Opt-out requests and objections are due January 1, 2027. The Court may move the hearing, so check BigforkValleyDataSettlement.com for updates.
Where the money is going
Cash payments to Class Members are capped at $200,000 in total. If valid claims exceed that amount, all cash payments are reduced pro rata. Bigfork Valley pays Class Counsel's fees and costs and the service awards; the website does not say whether those come out of the $200,000 cap.
Fee and service award amounts are requests subject to Court approval at the March 1, 2027 Final Approval Hearing. All cash payments are subject to pro rata reduction if total valid claims exceed $200,000.
Common questions
How much money will I receive?
You can claim up to $500 for documented ordinary losses, which includes lost time at $20 per hour for up to 4 hours ($80), and up to $2,000 for documented extraordinary losses from identity theft or fraud. All cash payments are subject to a $200,000 aggregate cap and may be reduced pro rata. Class Members were also sent codes for three years of CyEx Medical Shield Complete monitoring.
Do I need to submit proof of purchase?
Lost time only requires checking a box to attest that you spent the time. Ordinary and extraordinary losses require proof such as receipts; self-made notes alone are not enough. Extraordinary loss claims must also show the loss was probably caused by the incident and that you tried to prevent or recover it.
What if I didn’t receive a notice?
Notices went to people Bigfork Valley identified as affected. If you believe you are in the Class but did not get a notice, get more information from the settlement website directly at BigforkValleyDataSettlement.com or call (833) 285-3413.
Does staying in the class affect my right to sue later?
Yes. Unless you exclude yourself by mail postmarked by January 1, 2027, you cannot join another lawsuit against Bigfork Valley about the issues this settlement covers. The released claims are described in Section IX of the Settlement Agreement.
When will payments be sent out?
Payments are distributed only after the Court grants final approval and any appeals are resolved. The Final Approval Hearing is March 1, 2027. Check BigforkValleyDataSettlement.com for updates.
Dapeer Law, P.A.
Consumer class action attorneys based in South Florida. We track settlements so you don’t have to.
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This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Dapeer Law, P.A. is not the administrator of this settlement and is not affiliated with Bigfork Valley Hospital, Simpluris (the Settlement Administrator), or Class Counsel Brittany Resch of Strauss Borrelli PLLC and Elizabeth Orrick of Chestnut Cambronne. The case is Schaefer v. Bigfork, Case No. 31-CV-25-840, pending in the District Court for Itasca County, Minnesota before the assigned judge. Class representatives are Terrance Schaefer and Jeffery Wahlfors. Bigfork Valley denies wrongdoing. This website is attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.