Alpine Ear, Nose & Throat Data Breach Settlement, Are You Eligible to Claim? Deadline to Claim is July 23

The Alpine Ear, Nose & Throat Data Breach Settlement is a class action in which current and former patients and individuals whose private health and financial information was compromised in a October 2024 ransomware attack can receive up to $5,000 in documented expense reimbursement, up to $80 for time spent, a flat $50 cash payment, or two years of specialized medical identity theft monitoring — by filing a claim before July 23, 2026, at aentdatasettlement.com. Plaintiff Anthony Pfirrman alleged that Alpine Ear, Nose, & Throat, PLLC failed to adequately protect the private information of approximately 65,648 individuals. The settlement is pending final court approval on August 11, 2026.

Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	TBD — total fund not publicly disclosed in official settlement documents as of April 23, 2026; attorneys’ fees capped at $330,000 paid separately by defendant
Claim Deadline	July 23, 2026 — must file or receive nothing
Who Qualifies	U.S. residents whose private information was compromised in Alpine ENT’s October 2024 data incident
Payout Per Person	Up to $5,000 (documented losses) OR up to $80 (time spent) OR $50 flat cash OR 2 years medical monitoring
Proof Required	Yes for documented losses — No for time spent, $50 cash, or credit monitoring
Settlement Status	Preliminarily approved — Final Approval Hearing August 11, 2026
Administrator	Simpluris, Inc.
Official Website	aentdatasettlement.com
Last Updated	April 23, 2026

Current Status & What Happens Next

• Notification letters are being mailed to class members beginning April 24, 2026. If you are eligible, watch your mail for your notice from the Settlement Administrator.
• The opt-out and objection deadline is June 23, 2026 — this is the last date to remove yourself from the class or file a written objection with the court.
• The claim filing deadline is July 23, 2026 — doing nothing means no payment and no credit monitoring.
• The Final Approval Hearing is scheduled for August 11, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. Mountain Time in Courtroom 3C of the District Court for Larimer County, Colorado, 201 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521.

What Is the Alpine ENT Lawsuit About? Pfirrman v. Alpine Ear, Nose, & Throat, PLLC, No. 2025CV127

Plaintiff Anthony Pfirrman filed this class action against Alpine Ear, Nose, & Throat, PLLC in the District Court for Larimer County, Colorado, alleging that the medical practice failed to adequately protect the personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) of its patients and other individuals in its records. PHI — protected health information — is any health-related data tied to an identifiable person, including medical records, diagnoses, insurance information, and treatment history. Under federal law, healthcare providers must safeguard this data under standards set by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

On December 1, 2024, the BianLian ransomware group claimed responsibility for the attack and posted stolen data on the dark web. The exposed data reportedly included financial data, HR records, confidential agreements, email correspondence, and numerous patient records. The data compromised in the breach may include names, demographic information, dates of birth, medical information, health insurance information, financial account information, credit card CVC numbers, credit card expiration dates, credit card numbers, and Social Security numbers.

Alpine ENT posted a substitute notice on its website on January 17, 2025, completed a thorough review of the impacted information by October 9, 2025, and finalized the list of affected individuals on January 26, 2026. In total, 65,648 people in the United States were affected. Alpine ENT denies all wrongdoing. Both sides agreed to settle to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation and to deliver benefits to affected individuals without further delay. You can read more about [how healthcare data breach class action settlements work] on AllAboutLawyer.com.

Who Is Eligible for the Alpine ENT Settlement?

The Settlement Class includes all individuals residing in the United States whose private information was or may have been involved in the data incident, including those who received notice of the data incident.

You may qualify if:

• You are a U.S. resident whose personal or health information was held by Alpine Ear, Nose, & Throat, PLLC
• Your PII or PHI was compromised in the October 2024 cyberattack on Alpine ENT’s network
• You received a breach notification letter from Alpine ENT on or after January 30, 2026
• You have not already excluded yourself from the Settlement Class

If you are unsure whether you qualify, contact the Settlement Administrator toll-free, 24/7 at (833) 386-6505 or by email at [email protected]. You may also review eligibility criteria in the Settlement Agreement available on the official website.

How Much Can You Get from the Alpine ENT Settlement?

The settlement offers four benefit options. You can combine credit monitoring with any cash tier. Choose the option that best fits your situation:

Tier 1 — Documented Losses (up to $5,000 | receipts required) If you incurred actual, documented out-of-pocket losses due to the data incident, you can seek reimbursement for up to $5,000.00. The losses must have occurred between October 9, 2024, and July 23, 2026. Covered expenses include identity theft losses, credit report and credit freeze fees, card replacement fees, postage, and the cost of credit monitoring or identity theft insurance purchased after the breach. Receipts or third-party documentation are required — personal affidavits alone are not sufficient, though they may support other documentation.

Tier 2 — Time Spent (up to $80 | no receipts required) Settlement Class Members who spent time responding to the data incident may claim up to four hours at $20.00 per hour, for a maximum of $80.00. Qualifying activities include changing passwords, investigating suspicious account activity, and researching the data incident. No receipts needed — self-certification on the claim form is sufficient.

Tier 3 — Alternate Cash Payment ($50 flat | no documentation required) Instead of Tier 1 or Tier 2, you may claim a one-time $50.00 cash payment with no proof or explanation required. This is the fastest option for class members who did not incur documented out-of-pocket losses.

Tier 4 — Medical Identity Monitoring (2 years free | combinable with any cash tier) All Settlement Class Members are eligible to submit a claim for two years of credit monitoring and medical monitoring with CyEx Medical Shield Complete. This service comes with $1 million of medical identity theft insurance, and includes monitoring for healthcare insurance ID exposure, Medical Record Number (MRN) exposure, and unauthorized Health Savings Account (HSA) spending. Because this breach exposed medical records and health insurance data, this tier carries particular value for affected patients. Similar [healthcare data breach settlements on AllAboutLawyer.com] show that medical monitoring is often the most overlooked but most valuable benefit for patients whose health records are exposed.

Step-by-Step: How to File Your Alpine ENT Settlement Claim

⚠️ You must file a claim to receive any benefit. Doing nothing means no payment and no monitoring.

1. Visit the official claim portal at aentdatasettlement.com/form/claim or download the paper form at cw.simpluris.com/docs/public/downloads/APC2/CLAIM_FORM
2. Enter your personal details — full name, address, and contact information as listed in your breach notification
3. Select your benefit tier — choose Tier 1 (documented losses), Tier 2 (time spent), or Tier 3 ($50 cash); add Tier 4 (medical monitoring) to any selection
4. Attach documentation if claiming Tier 1 — receipts, bank statements, billing records, or third-party documents showing breach-related losses between October 9, 2024, and July 23, 2026
5. Certify time spent if claiming Tier 2 — describe qualifying activities such as password changes, fraud investigation, or breach research
6. Submit online by July 23, 2026, or mail your completed paper claim form postmarked no later than July 23, 2026, to: Alpine ENT Data Incident Settlement, c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 25226, Santa Ana, CA 92799
7. Save your confirmation — retain your online submission confirmation or mailing receipt as proof of timely filing

Estimated time to complete: 5–10 minutes for Tier 2, 3, or 4; allow additional time to gather receipts if claiming Tier 1.

Important Deadlines & Dates

Milestone	Date
Data Breach Occurred	October 2024
BianLian Ransomware Group Claims Attack	December 1, 2024
Alpine ENT Posts Substitute Notice	January 17, 2025
Review of Impacted Data Completed	October 9, 2025
Affected Individuals List Finalized	January 26, 2026
Notification Letters Mailed to Class	April 24, 2026
Opt-Out Deadline	June 23, 2026
Objection Deadline	June 23, 2026
Claim Filing Deadline	July 23, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	August 11, 2026, 8:30 a.m. MT — Larimer County District Court, Courtroom 3C, Fort Collins, CO
Expected Payment Date	TBD — benefits distributed after final approval and resolution of any appeals

Alpine ENT Data Breach Settlement: Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lawyer to file a settlement claim? 

No. The Court has appointed attorneys William B. Federman and Jessica A. Wilkes of Federman & Sherwood to represent you and other Settlement Class Members. You can file your claim directly at aentdatasettlement.com at no charge. If you want independent legal advice, you may hire your own attorney at your own expense.

Is this settlement legitimate? 

Yes. The settlement in Pfirrman v. Alpine Ear, Nose, & Throat, PLLC, Case No. 2025CV127, was authorized by the District Court for Larimer County, Colorado, which issued the notice to class members. The official settlement website at aentdatasettlement.com is administered by Simpluris, Inc., a nationally recognized class action administrator. Notification letters are being mailed beginning April 24, 2026.

When will I receive my payment?

 The Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing on August 11, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. If the Court approves the Settlement, there may be appeals, and we do not know if appeals will be filed or how long it will take to resolve them. Settlement benefits will be distributed after final approval and the resolution of any appeals. Monitor aentdatasettlement.com for updates.

What if I miss the July 23, 2026 claim deadline?

 If you do not submit a valid claim form by July 23, 2026, you will receive no payment and no credit or medical monitoring from this settlement. If you do nothing, you will give up your rights to sue Alpine ENT for the claims resolved by this settlement. The only way to preserve your right to sue separately is to opt out by June 23, 2026.

Will this settlement payment affect my taxes?

 Possibly. Reimbursement for out-of-pocket losses may not be fully taxable as it represents a return of money already spent. However, the $50 flat cash payment and the $80 time-spent payment may be treated as taxable income depending on your individual situation. Consult a tax professional if you are unsure how this affects your return.

What specific data was exposed in the Alpine ENT breach?

 The data compromised in the breach may include names, demographic information, dates of birth, medical information, health insurance information, financial account information, credit card CVC numbers, credit card expiration dates, credit card numbers, and Social Security numbers. Because medical and financial records were both exposed, affected individuals face elevated risk of both medical identity theft and financial fraud — making the Tier 4 CyEx Medical Shield monitoring particularly valuable in this settlement.

Who carried out the Alpine ENT cyberattack?

 On December 1, 2024, the BianLian ransomware group claimed responsibility for the attack and posted stolen data on the dark web. BianLian is a known cybercriminal group that targets healthcare organizations. Alpine ENT denies that the attack resulted from inadequate security, but agreed to settle to avoid the cost and uncertainty of litigation.

Can I claim both a cash payment and medical monitoring?

 Yes. The CyEx Medical Shield Complete monitoring service is available to all Settlement Class Members who choose to enroll, regardless of whether they also claim Expense Reimbursement or the Alternative Cash Payment. Select your cash tier and add the medical monitoring option on the same claim form.

Sources & References

• Official Settlement Website (Simpluris, Inc., court-authorized): https://aentdatasettlement.com
• Settlement FAQ — Pfirrman v. Alpine Ear, Nose, & Throat, PLLC, Case No. 2025CV127: https://aentdatasettlement.com/faq/
• Important Dates: https://aentdatasettlement.com/dates/
• Official Claim Form: https://cw.simpluris.com/docs/public/downloads/APC2/CLAIM_FORM
• District Court for Larimer County, Colorado — 201 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team and reviewed for factual accuracy against the official settlement administrator website (aentdatasettlement.com, administered by Simpluris, Inc.) on April 23, 2026. Last Updated: April 23, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. Settlement approval is pending a Final Approval Hearing on August 11, 2026, and no benefits will be issued until the court grants final approval. This settlement involves potentially sensitive health and financial information — if you have concerns about identity theft arising from this breach, contact the Settlement Administrator or a qualified attorney for guidance specific to your situation.