Settlements Agreed to Resolve Two Class Action Healthcare Data Breach Lawsuits
Settlements have received preliminary approval from the courts to resolve class action data breach lawsuits against Dove Healthcare Management Services and Blackstone Valley Community Health Care over the exposure of plaintiffs’ private information in 2023 and 2024 hacking incidents.
Dove Healthcare Management Services Data Breach Settlement
Dove Healthcare Management Services, a provider of nursing and rehabilitation care, assisted living, and palliative care services, has agreed to a settlement to resolve litigation over a July 2024 cyberattack that exposed the private information of patients and employees.
Cybercriminals breached its information systems on or around July 6, 2024, exposing names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, full face photographs, health information, and health insurance information. The affected individuals began receiving notifications about the incident on March 18, 2025. The first class action lawsuit was filed on March 26, 2025, followed by several similar lawsuits. The complaints were consolidated into a single action in the Circuit Court of Eau Claire County, Wisconsin.
The consolidated lawsuit – Miranda Meredith, et al. v. Dove Healthcare Management Services, LLC – alleged that the defendant was to blame for the intrusion and data exposure and could have prevented it if industry-standard cybersecurity measures had been implemented. The defendant denies all claims in the lawsuit, including claims of wrongdoing, fault, and liability. After several months, all parties agreed on the material terms of a settlement to bring the litigation to an end, with no admission of wrongdoing or liability by the defendant. The settlement has now been finalized and has received preliminary approval from the court.
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Settlement Benefits:
Two years of complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft protection services, plus one of the following cash payments:
- Reimbursement of documented, unreimbursed losses up to a maximum of $3,000 per class member, which may include up to three hours of lost time at $20 per hour, or
- A pro rata alternative cash payment, estimated to be approximately $50
The cash benefits are subject to a $150,000 cap. The alternative cash payments will be paid from the remainder of the $150,000 fund after claims have been paid, and are subject to a pro rata decrease, depending on the number of claims received.
In addition to those benefits, the defendant has agreed to make cybersecurity enhancements, the cost of which will be paid by the defendant in addition to the settlement costs. The objection and exclusion deadline is June 22, 2026. The deadline for submitting a claim is July 7, 2026, and the final fairness hearing has been scheduled for July 20, 2026.
Blackstone Valley Community Health Care Data Breach Settlement
Blackstone Valley Community Health Care, a federally funded community health center in Rhode Island, has settled a class action lawsuit filed by plaintiff Alba Peralta Perez, who was affected by a 2023 data incident. The defendant identified suspicious activity within its network on November 11, 2023, and confirmed that an unauthorized third party had access to patients’ names and Social Security numbers.
The lawsuit – Perez v. Blackstone Valley Community Health Care, Inc. – was filed in the District Court for the District of Rhode Island. After being briefed on the defendant’s motion to dismiss, the federal action was voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiff without prejudice due to questions over the federal court’s jurisdiction. The action was subsequently refiled in the Superior Court of Providence County, Rhode Island. All parties agreed to settle the lawsuit to avoid the costs and risks associated with a trial, with no admission of wrongdoing or liability by the defendant.
Settlement Benefits:
Class members are entitled to enroll in three years of credit monitoring services and may also claim one of the following two cash benefits, the cap for which is set at $525,000. Should that cap be exceeded, claims will be paid pro rata.
- Reimbursement for documented ordinary expenses
- Reimbursement for documented extraordinary expenses (losses from identity theft or fraud).
- Reimbursement for lost time – Up to four hours at $20 per hour
The objection, exclusion, and claims deadline is June 1, 2026. The final fairness hearing has been scheduled for June 23, 2026.
