Irvine, Calif. – September 12, 2026 -- A proposed settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit over a 2024 data breach at Wayne Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Inc. in Georgia, offering affected individuals cash payments and free credit monitoring.

The breach exposed files for roughly five days in 2024

Wayne Memorial Hospital determined that certain files may have been accessed without authorization between approximately May 30 and June 3, 2024. The hospital sent notification letters to potentially impacted individuals on or around August 27, 2025. The lawsuit, Bates, et al. v. Wayne Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Inc., filed in the Superior Court of Wayne County, Georgia, alleges the hospital was negligent in failing to prevent the incident. The hospital denies all allegations.

Claim forms are due December 7, 2026

Settlement class members can submit a claim for a cash payment and are also eligible to enroll in credit monitoring services regardless of whether they file a claim. Claim forms can be submitted online, by email, or by U.S. mail through www.WMHDataSettlement.com, with a filing deadline of December 7, 2026.

Class members can opt out or object by November 7, 2026

Individuals who do nothing will remain part of the settlement class but will not receive a payment or credit monitoring code, and will give up the right to sue the hospital separately over the breach. Those who wish to exclude themselves from the settlement -- preserving the right to file their own lawsuit -- or who want to object to its terms must do so by November 7, 2026.

A final approval hearing is set for January 2027

The Superior Court of Wayne County, Georgia will hold a Final Approval Hearing on January 27, 2027 at 1:30 p.m. ET to consider approving the settlement, along with attorneys' fees, costs, and service awards for the plaintiffs. Class members may attend at their own expense but are not required to do so.