The $350 million class-action settlement, which was approved by a federal appeals court after a lengthy legal process, will benefit millions of affected individuals across the United States.
The breach exposed sensitive personal information of over 76 million customers, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license details. As a result of the breach, T-Mobile agreed to settle the claims in 2022 by paying $350 million to class members.
However, the settlement was delayed when objectors appealed the decision, which slowed down the distribution process.
The legal saga ended on July 29, 2024, when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit affirmed the lower court’s approval of the settlement. However, the court also reversed a lower court’s ruling concerning attorney fees, which means further proceedings will be needed on that matter.
Each class member is expected to receive around $25, though those who incurred significant expenses due to the breach may be eligible for up to $25,000 in compensation. Additionally, the settlement includes two years of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to help protect consumers from future risks.
To be eligible for a payment, consumers had to submit a claim by Jan. 23, 2023. Those who did not file a claim by that date will not receive any compensation. In October 2024, notices were sent to certain class members whose claims were found to be deficient, which allowed them the opportunity to correct their submissions.