Gunster Law Firm $8.5M Data Breach Settlement

Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, PA

If you reside in the United States and your personal information was compromised, accessed, exfiltrated, or otherwise impacted in the Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, PA data breach, you may be eligible to submit a claim up for up to $35,000 from a class action settlement.

Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, PA has agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle a class action lawsuit related to a data breach that occurred in November 2022. The lawsuit alleged that Gunster failed to adequately protect personal information, resulting in unauthorized access by cybercriminals. Plaintiffs brought claims including negligence, breach of implied contract, unjust enrichment, breach of fiduciary duty, and violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Who is eligible for a data breach class action rebate?

Class members must meet the following criteria:

Your personal information was compromised in the Gunster data breach announced in November 2022.
You were residing in the United States at the time of the data breach.

How much is the settlement payout?

Benefit options are:

Ordinary Out-of-Pocket Losses and Ordinary Attested Time:

Class members can claim up to $2,500 for ordinary out-of-pocket expenses and time spent responding to the data breach such as fees for credit reports, freezing/unfreezing credit, credit monitoring and other unreimbursed expenses.
You can also submit for up to 7 hours of your time lost dealing with the breach at at $30 per hour for a maximum of $210.
Total payout available for Ordinary Out-of-Pocket Losses and Attested Time claims is $2,500.

Extraordinary Losses and Extraordinary Attested Time:

Class members who experienced identity theft, fraud, or other extraordinary monetary losses directly traceable to the breach, can submit up to $35,000 for unreimbursed costs. Extraordinary losses include identity theft, tax fraud, real estate title fraud, or banking fraud.
You can also claim up to 10 hours of lost time dealing with these losses at $30 per hour for a maximum of $300.
Total payout available for Extraordinary Losses and Attested Time claims is $35,000

Credit Monitoring: All class members can submit for three years of three-bureau credit monitoring, including dark web scanning, identity theft insurance, real-time monitoring with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, and support from fraud resolution agents if needed.
You can claim three years of three-bureau credit monitoring, which includes

The total amount a class member can submit for cannot exceed $35,000, and the total lost time, both ordinary and extraordinary, must be 10 hours or less.

How to claim a data breach settlement payment

To claim a class action rebate, you must submit a claim form. Class members can submit an online claim through the settlement website once it becomes available, or can print the PDF claim form and mail it to the settlement administrator.

Settlement Administrator's mailing address: Whalen v. Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, PA Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 301132, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1132

All claims must be submitted online or postmarked by the August 2, 2025 deadline.

Proof and information required for claim submission

Unique Class Member ID from official notice required to submit an online claim form once it becomes available on the settlement website.
Both Out-of-Pocket Losses claim options required supporting documentation.

Bank or credit card statements
Invoices for paid services such as credit freezing/unfreezing, CPA, or attorney fees
Police report
Other proof of identity theft, fraudulent tax returns, and other unreimbursed fraudulent charges

Payout options

Electronic payment
Check mailed to the address provided

$8.5 Million data breach class action settlement fund

The $8,500,000 will include all costs, fees, and payments:

Settlement administration costs: Estimated at $495,000
Attorneys' fees and expenses: Amount to be presented to the court for approval at a later date
Credit monitoring costs: Amount determined by the number of claims filed
Payments to approved claimants: Remaining settlement funds

Important dates

Exclusion (Opt-Out) Deadline: July 3, 2025
Claim Filing Deadline: August 2, 2025
Final Approval Hearing: August 13, 2025

When is the Gunster data breach settlement payout date?

The final hearing is scheduled to take place on August 13, 2025. Payments to approved claimants will be issued after the judge grants final approval, claim processing is complete, and any appeals are resolved.

Why did this class action lawsuit and settlement happen?

The class action lawsuit alleged that Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, PA failed to implement adequate cybersecurity measures, resulting in a data breach by third-party cybercriminals in November 2022. Plaintiffs claimed that Gunster was negligent and violated several legal duties by allowing the breach to occur.

Gunster denies any wrongdoing, asserting that the breach was caused by sophisticated attackers who overcame their security defenses. Parties involved agreed to settle to avoid the costs of further litigation and the risks of a possible trial.