Anthem Inc. Data Security Breach Litigation
On February 16, 2015, Berger Montague filed a class action complaint against health insurer Anthem, Inc. arising from Anthem’s massive data breach.
Computer hackers accessed Anthem’s computer servers and stole the personal and financial information of approximately 80 million Anthem customers and other individuals. Stolen information included names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, street and email addresses, and employment data including income.
The Complaint alleged that Anthem failed to properly safeguard its data systems, and as a result of the intrusions, class members suffered or were at risk of suffering identity theft. The complaint sought money damages, additional credit monitoring beyond Anthem’s original two year offer, and improved data security measures.
The court consolidated all pending class actions into a single case, and appointed a small team of law firms to lead the litigation on behalf of the class. Berger Montague assisted the lead firms in their efforts.
In 2018, the case settled for benefits valued at $115 million, representing then-the largest data breach settlement in history. Settlement benefits included: (i) reimbursement of identity theft losses and other out-of-pocket costs; (ii) credit monitoring services and identity theft insurance for at least four years, paid for by Anthem; and (iii) substantial improvements to Anthem’s data security systems.
A website has been created to serve as a portal for information about the case. The website is available here: http://anthemdatabreachlitigation.girardgibbs.com. The website also includes links to key documents filed in the case.
A separate website has been established by the Settlement Administrator for submission of settlement claims: http://www.databreach-settlement.com/.