$525k Blackstone Valley Community Health Care Data Breach Settlement, Are You Eligible to Claim Before June 1, 2026?

A cyberattack hit Blackstone Valley Community Health Care (BVCHC) in November 2023, exposing the names and Social Security numbers of approximately 34,000 current and former patients. A class action lawsuit followed, and BVCHC has agreed to pay $525,000 to resolve the claims. If you received a written breach notice from BVCHC, you may claim up to $2,500 in cash — plus three years of free credit monitoring — before the June 1, 2026 deadline.

Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	$525,000
Claim Deadline	June 1, 2026
Who Qualifies	People who received a BVCHC data breach notification letter
Payout Per Person	$20 lost time (no proof) up to $2,500 extraordinary losses
Proof Required	Depends on claim type — see below
Settlement Status	Preliminarily approved; final hearing June 23, 2026
Administrator	Simpluris, Inc.
Official Website	blackstonevalleysettlement.com

Where Things Stand Right Now

• The Superior Court of Providence County, Rhode Island, has granted preliminary approval to the settlement in the case Perez v. Blackstone Valley Community Health Care, Inc., Case No. PC-2025-06050.
• The final approval hearing is scheduled for June 23, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. ET at 250 Benefit Street, Providence, RI 02903.
• The deadline to file a claim, opt out, or object is June 1, 2026 — the same date for all three actions.

What Happened at Blackstone Valley Community Health Care?

On November 11, 2023, a cyberattack disrupted BVCHC’s computer network in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. BVCHC engaged digital forensics experts and completed their investigation on March 11, 2024. That review confirmed that unauthorized individuals accessed files containing patients’ personal information, including names and Social Security numbers.

The ransomware group Hunters International later claimed responsibility and reportedly posted stolen files publicly online. BVCHC notified approximately 34,000 affected individuals by mail starting April 18, 2024.

The class action lawsuit, filed on behalf of class representative Alba Peralta Perez, alleges that BVCHC failed to adequately protect sensitive patient data. BVCHC denies all wrongdoing but agreed to settle to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation.

Did You Get a BVCHC Breach Notice? Here’s Who Qualifies

The court defines the settlement class as all individuals whose personal information was potentially exposed in the November 2023 cyberattack and who received an individual written notification letter from BVCHC.

• You may qualify if you received a data breach notice letter from Blackstone Valley Community Health Care regarding the November 2023 incident.
• You may qualify if your personally identifiable information — such as your name or Social Security number — was potentially exposed in the cyberattack.
• You may qualify even if you have not experienced any confirmed identity theft or fraud as a result of the breach.
• You do not qualify if you are a BVCHC officer, director, employee in a corporate role, government entity, or the judge assigned to this case.

If you are unsure whether you received a notice or qualify, call the settlement administrator toll-free at (855) 256-5310, available 24/7.

Related article: $1.9M Vivimed Losartan Drug Contamination Settlement, Did Your Blood Pressure Medication Qualify? Claim Before June 2

How Much Money Can You Get?

The $525,000 fund covers four separate benefit types. You can claim more than one, but your total cash payment cannot exceed the fund cap on a pro-rata basis — meaning if total claims exceed $525,000, each payment reduces proportionally.

Option 1 — Lost Time Reimbursement (up to $80, minimal proof needed) Claim up to four hours at $20 per hour ($80 maximum) for time you spent dealing with the breach. Covered activities include changing passwords, investigating suspicious account activity, or researching the breach. You must briefly describe what you did and how long it took — no receipts required.

Option 2 — Ordinary Out-of-Pocket Expenses (up to $250, documentation required) Claim reimbursement for documented expenses you paid between November 11, 2023 and June 1, 2026 because of the data breach. Covered costs include fees for credit reports, credit monitoring subscriptions, credit freeze or unfreeze fees, ID replacement costs, and postage for contacting financial institutions by mail. You must submit receipts or invoices — personal notes or self-prepared documents alone are not sufficient.

Option 3 — Extraordinary Losses from Identity Theft or Fraud (up to $2,500, documentation required) Claim up to $2,500 if you suffered actual financial losses due to identity theft or fraud that you believe resulted from this breach. You must show the loss is not already covered by ordinary expenses above, you attempted to recover the funds through other means (such as insurance), and the loss occurred between November 11, 2023 and June 1, 2026. Supporting documentation — such as bank statements showing fraudulent charges, a police report, or invoices — is required.

Option 4 — Three Years of Free Credit Monitoring (no proof needed) All class members, regardless of whether they file for cash, may enroll in CyEx Identity Defense Total. This includes real-time credit file monitoring, dark web scanning, public records monitoring, $1 million in identity theft insurance, and access to a fraud resolution agent.

Credit monitoring is available to every eligible class member at no cost and requires no documentation.

How to File Your Claim Before June 1, 2026

Step 1 — Go to the official claim portal at blackstonevalleysettlement.com/form/claim. Have your Login ID and PIN from your breach notification letter ready — you will need both to submit online.

Step 2 — Enter your personal details exactly as they appear on your breach notice.

Step 3 — Select the benefit types you want to claim: lost time, ordinary expenses, extraordinary losses, credit monitoring, or a combination.

Step 4 — Upload supporting documentation if you are claiming ordinary expenses (receipts, invoices) or extraordinary losses (bank statements, police report, identity theft records). For lost time, provide a brief written description of your activities.

Step 5 — Choose your preferred payment method: PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, virtual prepaid card, or paper check.

Step 6 — Submit your claim and save your confirmation number.

Prefer to file by mail? Download the PDF claim form at blackstonevalleysettlement.com, complete it, and mail it postmarked no later than June 1, 2026 to:

BVCHC Data Incident Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
PO Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958

Estimated time to complete: 5–10 minutes online.

Key Dates to Know

Milestone	Date
Data Breach Occurred	November 11, 2023
Forensic Investigation Completed	March 11, 2024
Breach Notices Mailed to Patients	April 18, 2024
Settlement Preliminary Approval	TBD (case filed 2025)
Claims Period Opens	Open now
Claim Filing Deadline	June 1, 2026
Opt-Out Deadline	June 1, 2026
Objection Deadline	June 1, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	June 23, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. ET
Expected Payment Date	Approximately 60 days after final approval

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lawyer to file a claim? 

No. The court has appointed class counsel — attorney David Lietz of Milberg PLLC — to represent all class members at no cost to you. Filing a claim yourself takes less than 10 minutes at the official settlement website. Hiring your own attorney is optional and will not increase your payment.

Is this settlement legitimate?

 Yes. The Superior Court of Providence County, Rhode Island, authorized this settlement in the case Perez v. Blackstone Valley Community Health Care, Inc., Case No. PC-2025-06050. Simpluris, a nationally recognized settlement administrator, manages the claims process. The only authorized claim site is blackstonevalleysettlement.com.

When will I receive my payment? 

Payments go out approximately 60 days after the court grants final approval. The final approval hearing is June 23, 2026, so the earliest realistic payment window is late August or September 2026 — assuming no appeals delay the process.

What if I missed the claim deadline? 

The claim deadline is June 1, 2026. If you do not file by that date, you will receive no cash payment or credit monitoring from this settlement. You will also give up your right to sue BVCHC separately over the November 2023 breach. File as early as possible to avoid technical issues.

Will this settlement payment affect my taxes?

 Possibly. The IRS generally treats cash payments from data breach settlements as taxable income, particularly payments for lost time or general compensation not tied to a specific economic loss. Consult a tax professional about your specific situation before filing your return.

I never experienced identity theft — can I still file?

 Yes. You do not need to show actual identity theft to file a claim. All class members who received a breach notice can claim up to $80 for lost time and enroll in three years of free credit monitoring with no documentation required. You only need receipts or records if you claim ordinary or extraordinary expense reimbursement.

What information was exposed in the BVCHC breach?

 The compromised files may have included names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, medical details, and health insurance information belonging to approximately 34,000 current and former BVCHC patients. The ransomware group Hunters International claimed responsibility and reportedly made stolen data publicly available online.

What happens if I do nothing?

 If you take no action, you will receive no payment and no credit monitoring from this settlement. You will also remain bound by the settlement agreement and release your claims against BVCHC, meaning you cannot sue the company separately over this breach.

If you received a data breach notice from another healthcare provider, the SouthState Bank data breach settlement claims process covers a similar structure for financial-sector breaches. For a larger healthcare case with comparable benefits, see our coverage of the Norton Healthcare data breach settlement.

Sources & References

1. Official Settlement Website & FAQ — blackstonevalleysettlement.com
2. Case Filing: Perez v. Blackstone Valley Community Health Care, Inc., C.A. No. PC-2025-06050 — Superior Court of Providence County, Rhode Island

Last Updated: April 7, 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. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.