You may be eligible for LifeLabs class-action lawsuit, but you need to apply soon

April 1, 2024 Canuck

Canadian LifeLabs customers have only a few days left to file an application for a class-action settlement resulting from a major data breach.

Those who live in Canada and used LifeLabs’ services on or before Dec. 17, 2019, may apply for the settlement, but must do so by the end of the week.

Settlement class members who complete a valid claim form before the Saturday deadline will be eligible to get an estimated compensation of $50 to $150.

Court-approved legal fees, disbursements and taxes will be deducted from the compensation, and the exact amount per person will be determined based on the total number of claims filed.

The class action accusing the company of inadequate cybersecurity measures was launched after LifeLabs announced the data breach on Dec. 17, 2019.

As many as 8.6 million Canadians may have been impacted by a cyberattack targeting LifeLabs’ database of customers’ personal health information.

LifeLabs, a major provider of specialty laboratory testing services in Ontario, British Columbia and Saskatchewan, denied all allegations, and said it paid an undisclosed ransom for the data.

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice approved a Canada-wide settlement deal for up to $9.8 million on Oct. 25, 2023.

Ontario’s and B.C.’s privacy commissioners found in 2020 that LifeLabs had broken privacy laws by failing to have adequate safeguards on patient data. The commissioners ordered LifeLabs to deploy new safety measures and “improve its process for notifying individuals of the specific elements of their personal health information which were the subject of the breach.”

How to submit a claim

Applicants must submit a claim by April 6 in one of three ways.

The first option is to a completed claim form on the website. This is the quickest way to process submissions, LifeLabs says.

Applicants can also choose to email a completed form to the claims administrator at lifelabssettlement@kpmg.ca, or they can mail a completed form to the following address:

KPMG INC., a subsidiary of KPMG LLP

C/O LifeLabs Claims Administrator

600 boul. de Maisonneuve West, Suite 1500

Montreal, Québec

H3A 0A3

Applicants will need a valid provincial health-card number to complete the claim form. They must choose to be paid by e-transfer, the fastest method, or by mailed cheque, which has a $2 processing fee.

Where can I get updates?

More details and updates can be found on the settlement website.

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice won’t be able to answer questions.

Instead, staff at a bilingual call centre can address general inquiries and help settlement class members complete the online form. It’s open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, at 1-833-494-0108.

Payments will be made after the claims administrator verifies the applicants who submitted the forms by the April 6 deadline.

With files from CTV News’ Abby O’Brien and Michael Lee

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