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Massachusetts residents whose private information the Gandara Mental Health Center data breach compromised may be eligible to claim up to $5,600 from a class action settlement.
Gandara Mental Health Center Inc. agreed to pay up to $900,000 to settle a class action lawsuit alleging an unauthorized third party accessed its network and exposed the sensitive personal and health information of Massachusetts residents in June 2024. The breach affected about 17,543 individuals.
Who can file a claim?
The settlement is open to individuals who meet all of the following criteria:
- They resided in Massachusetts at the time of the data security incident.
- The data breach Gandara Mental Health Center Inc. discovered in June 2024 potentially exposed their private information.
How much can class members get?
- Ordinary losses: Up to $500 for documented expenses, such as unreimbursed bank fees, phone/data charges, postage, gasoline for local travel and costs for credit reports or identity theft protection purchased due to the incident
- Lost Time: Up to four hours of lost time at $25 per hour (maximum $100)
- Extraordinary Losses: Up to $5,000 for documented, unreimbursed monetary losses the data breach most likely caused that the ordinary losses and lost time categories do not already cover. Class members must have made reasonable efforts to seek reimbursement elsewhere.
- Alternative cash payment: In lieu of ordinary or extraordinary loss claims or lost time claims, a flat $60 payment
- Credit monitoring services. All class members are eligible to enroll in three years of Cyex’s Medical Shield Complete product through one credit bureau, which includes $1 million in identity theft protection insurance.
If the total of all approved claims, fees and costs exceeds $900,000, the settlement administrator will reduce payments to class members proportionally.
How to claim a settlement payout
Class members can submit the online claim form or download and print a PDF claim form to complete and mail to the settlement administrator. The claim deadline is July 23, 2026.
Settlement administrator's mailing address: Gandara Settlement Administrator, 1650 Arch St., Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103
What proof or documentation is necessary to submit a claim?
- All class members must provide the notice ID from the personalized settlement notice they received in the mail. Online claimants must also provide the confirmation code from the same notice.
- For ordinary and extraordinary losses, class members must provide documentation, such as receipts, bank statements or other proof of expenses or losses.
- For lost time, class members must provide an attestation describing the time they spent addressing the breach.
- For the alternative cash payment and credit monitoring, class members must attest that they are a class member and select the appropriate option on the claim form.
Payout options
- PayPal
- Venmo
- Zelle
- Virtual prepaid card
- Paper check mailed to your address
The settlement administrator will email credit monitoring instructions to those who select that benefit.
$900,000 settlement fund breakdown
The $900,000 settlement fund covers:
- Settlement administration costs: To be determined
- Attorneys' fees and costs: Up to $212,000
- Service awards to class representatives: Up to $2,500 each for three representatives (up to $7,500 total)
- Credit monitoring costs: Determined by number of valid claims for this option
- Payments to eligible class members: Remainder of the fund
Important dates
- Deadline to file a claim: July 23, 2026
- Final approval hearing: Aug. 25, 2026
When is the Gandara Mental Health Center settlement payout date?
The settlement administrator will distribute payments and benefits after the court resolves any appeals and grants final approval to the settlement.
Why is there a class action settlement?
The class action lawsuit claims Gandara Mental Health Center Inc. failed to prevent unauthorized access to its network, resulting in a data breach that exposed the private information of thousands of Massachusetts residents. The plaintiffs alleged the company did not adequately protect their data.
The defendant denied any wrongdoing, and both sides agreed to settle to avoid the uncertainty and expense of further litigation.
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