Americold Data Breach Settlement, Check If You Qualify — Bracy v. Americold Logistics, LLC, No. 1:23-cv-05743-TWT

There’s up to $25,000 waiting for you — if Americold notified you that your information was exposed in either its 2020 or 2023 data breach. Americold agreed to pay $5,250,000 to settle claims it failed to protect employees’ and job applicants’ personal and health information. You have until October 22, 2026, to file a claim.

Americold Data Breach Settlement — Key Facts

Settlement Amount	$5,250,000
Claim Deadline	October 22, 2026
Who Qualifies	U.S. residents notified by Americold that the November 16, 2020 and/or April 26, 2023 data incidents affected their information
Estimated Payout	Up to $25,000 for documented losses, or $200 / $100 flat cash with no proof
Proof Required (Yes/No)	No — only for the documented-losses tier
Settlement Status	Preliminarily approved; claims open
Court & Case Number	U.S. District Court, N.D. Georgia, Atlanta Division — No. 1:23-cv-05743-TWT
Law Alleged	Negligence and Georgia’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act
Administrator	Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
Official Claim Site	americoldbracysettlement.com
Last Updated	August 19, 2026

Who Is Americold and Why Are They Being Sued for the Data Breach?

Americold Realty Trust and its operating unit, Americold Logistics, run one of the country’s largest networks of cold-storage warehouses — and their HR systems hold the Social Security numbers, health records, and financial details of tens of thousands of current and former employees, job applicants, and dependents. That made the company a target twice. A ransomware attack hit its network in November 2020, and hackers got back in through malware in April 2023. Employees allege Americold kept collecting sensitive data without locking it down properly, even after the first breach should have been a warning.

Did you apply for a job at Americold or work a shift in one of its warehouses any time in the last six years? Then this case is probably about you.

What Did Americold Do to Employees Between 2020 and 2023?

Americold told the SEC on November 16, 2020, that its computer network had been hit by a cybersecurity incident. The intrusion knocked out phones, email, and order systems at warehouses nationwide. Court filings say the exposed data included names, Social Security numbers, and financial account information belonging to current and former employees and their dependents.

Then it happened again. Malware showed up on Americold’s systems a second time on April 26, 2023. This breach wasn’t fully investigated until November 8, 2023 — nearly seven months later — and a notice filed with Maine’s Attorney General puts the confirmed number of people affected at 129,611. The stolen data this time included driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, and, for some, employment-related health insurance and medical information.

Employees sued under ordinary negligence and Georgia’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, arguing Americold had a duty to secure this information and broke it twice. A federal judge let most of those claims move forward in February 2025, rejecting Americold’s request to dismiss the case. It’s a similar legal theory to the one behind the Comcast Xfinity data breach settlement — another case where a repeat security lapse at a major company ended up in front of a judge.

If you got a letter from Americold about either breach, this case is about you — whether it was the 2020 incident, the 2023 one, or both.

Who Qualifies for the Americold Data Breach Settlement?

Here’s exactly how to know if you’re covered by this class action settlement eligibility check.

• U.S. residents who received a written notice that the November 2020 incident affected their information
• Current and former employees, job applicants, or dependents notified about the April 2023 breach
• Anyone Kroll’s records identify as affected by both incidents — eligible for the higher $200 residual payment
• Family members added to a notice because their information appeared in a relative’s HR file

People who never worked for or applied to Americold, and never received a breach notice letter, don’t qualify. This settlement isn’t open to the general public.

Americold Employees Outside Georgia — Are You Still Covered?

This is a nationwide settlement. It doesn’t matter which state you worked in or where your Americold facility was located — if you got a notice letter about either breach, you’re covered no matter where you live now.

Not sure if you qualify for the Americold data breach settlement? A free consultation with a data privacy attorney can help before the October 22, 2026 deadline.

That’s about nine weeks from today. Filing takes minutes — there’s no good reason to let a claim this large expire because you put it off.

How Much Can Americold Data Breach Settlement Class Members Get? Up to $25,000 Per Person

Americold Payout With Proof — Up to $25,000

If you can document actual losses tied to either breach — credit monitoring costs, credit reports, fraud resolution fees, other out-of-pocket expenses — you can claim up to $25,000 in reimbursement. Receipts, invoices, or fraud reports are what Kroll wants to see.

Americold Payout Without Proof — $100 or $200

No documentation? File for a flat cash payment instead. Kroll estimates $200 for anyone notified about both the 2020 and 2023 incidents, and $100 for anyone notified about just one.

What Pro-Rata Means for Your Americold Check

Both tiers draw from the same $5,250,000 fund. More people filing valid claims means smaller checks for the no-proof tier. Simple math — more filers dividing the same pot of money.

Honestly, that $25,000 ceiling looks generous next to comparable cases this site has covered. The AT&T $177 million settlement caps combined documented losses at $7,500 for overlapping claims — less than a third of what Americold is offering per person here.

Approved claimants get paid roughly 105 days after the court signs off on final approval, currently scheduled for October 6, 2026. Payments over $600 may appear on a 1099. Check with a tax professional.

Attorneys’ fees, administration costs, and settlement administration expenses all come out of the $5,250,000 before class members get paid. That’s standard for a case this size. But it’s worth knowing the fund isn’t a pure payout pool before you decide the number on your check should’ve been bigger.

How to File Your Americold Data Breach Settlement Claim — Step by Step

1. Go to americoldbracysettlement.com, the official Kroll-run claims site
2. Enter your name, mailing address, and the Class Member ID from your settlement notice
3. Choose either the documented-losses tier or the no-proof residual cash tier
4. Upload proof if claiming documented losses — receipts, invoices, or fraud reports
5. Submit and save your confirmation number
6. Watch your email — Kroll will follow up if anything else is needed

Takes about 10 minutes.

Should Americold Class Members Opt Out or Object Before September 22, 2026?

What Opting Out of the Americold Settlement Actually Means

Opting out means no payment from this fund, but you keep the right to sue Americold on your own. Most people shouldn’t do this without talking to a lawyer first. The opt-out deadline is September 22, 2026.

How to Object to the Americold Settlement

Objecting is different — you stay in the class and still get paid, but you tell the court in writing that you disagree with part of the deal. Objections must follow the format in the settlement notice and be mailed to the Northern District of Georgia by September 22, 2026.

Talk to a class action lawsuit attorney before September 22, 2026 if you’re considering either option.

Americold Data Breach Settlement — Key Dates, 2026

Milestone	Date
Settlement Proposed	UNVERIFIED — exact filing date not confirmed by a named primary source
Claims Period Opens	UNVERIFIED — exact portal-launch date not confirmed by a named primary source
Claim Filing Deadline	October 22, 2026
Opt-Out Deadline	September 22, 2026
Objection Deadline	September 22, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	October 6, 2026, 2:00 p.m.
Expected Payment Date	~105 days after final approval, per the settlement administrator

Americold Data Breach — Frequently Asked Questions, No. 1:23-cv-05743-TWT

Do I need a lawyer to file an Americold data breach settlement claim? 

No. The Kroll claim form at americoldbracysettlement.com walks you through it directly. A data privacy attorney can help if your documented losses are large or complicated, but it’s not required.

Is the Americold data breach settlement legitimate? 

Yes. It’s court-approved and administered by Kroll, following Bracy v. Americold Logistics, No. 1:23-cv-05743-TWT, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

When will Americold settlement payments be sent? 

Roughly 105 days after the court grants final approval. That hearing is set for October 6, 2026, which points to a payment window in early 2027 if nothing gets appealed.

What if I missed the Americold claim deadline? 

All claims must be submitted online or postmarked by October 22, 2026. After that, call Kroll at (833) 930-0248 — but a late claim isn’t guaranteed acceptance.

Will my Americold settlement payment go on a 1099? 

Payments over $600 may be reported on a 1099. Talk to a tax professional about how either payment tier affects your taxes.

How is the $200 residual payment different from the $100 payment?

 Kroll pays $200 to anyone notified of both the 2020 and 2023 incidents, and $100 to anyone notified of only one. Both figures are estimates and could shift depending on how many people file.

Why did it take Americold seven months to report the 2023 breach?

Americold says its forensic review wasn’t complete until November 8, 2023, though the intrusion happened April 26, 2023. That gap is part of what class members allege in the underlying negligence and Georgia Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act claims.

Is there a difference between the 2020 and 2023 Americold breaches?

Yes. The 2020 incident hit Americold’s network that November and disrupted phone and inventory systems. The 2023 incident was a separate malware intrusion discovered in April that took months to fully investigate. This one settlement covers both.

Sources Used in This Americold Data Breach Article

• Official Settlement Website — Lamont Bracy, et al. v. Americold Logistics, LLC: americoldbracysettlement.com
• Court Docket — Bracy v. Americold Logistics LLC, No. 1:23-cv-05743, N.D. Ga.: govinfo.gov
• Court Opinion — Order on Motion to Dismiss, Feb. 19, 2025: law.justia.com
• Maine Attorney General — Data Breach Notice, Americold Logistics LLC, Dec. 8, 2023: maine.gov
• SEC Form 8-K — Americold Realty Trust, November 2020 incident: sec.gov
• SEC Form 8-K — Americold Realty Trust, April 2023 incident: sec.gov

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the official settlement website, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia docket, the Maine Attorney General’s data breach notice archive, and Americold’s SEC filings, as of August 19, 2026. Last Updated: August 19, 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.