Eye Physicians of Central Florida Data Breach Settlement, Got a Notice? Here’s How to Claim Up to $9,500

Eye Physicians of Central Florida PLC agreed to settle a class action lawsuit following a November 2023 targeted cyberattack that exposed the sensitive personal and medical information of current and former patients. If you received a breach notice from Eye Physicians of Central Florida, you may qualify for up to $2,000 in ordinary losses, up to $7,500 in extraordinary losses, or two years of free credit monitoring. You must file a claim to receive any cash benefit. The claim deadline is May 15, 2026.

Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	TBD — attorneys’ fees up to $325,000; fund size pending court approval
Claim Deadline	May 15, 2026
Who Qualifies	Current and former patients who received a notice from Eye Physicians of Central Florida about the November 2023 data breach
Payout Per Person	Up to $2,000 (ordinary losses) + up to $7,500 (extraordinary losses) = up to $9,500 total
Proof Required	Yes — for all cash claims; No — for credit monitoring only
Settlement Status	Open for Claims — proposed, awaiting final court approval
Administrator	Simpluris, Inc.
Official Website	eyephysicianscentralflsettlement.com

Current Status and What Happens Next

• Open for claims — the settlement is currently accepting claims while awaiting final court approval at a hearing date that has not yet been announced.
• Opt-out deadline: April 29, 2026 — if you want to preserve your right to sue Eye Physicians of Central Florida separately, you must submit your exclusion request before this date.
• Final approval hearing: TBD — check eyephysicianscentralflsettlement.com regularly for the hearing date. Simpluris will issue payments after claim processing is complete and the court grants final approval.

What Is the Eye Physicians of Central Florida Data Breach Lawsuit About?

Eye Physicians of Central Florida PLC is an ophthalmology and eye care practice serving patients across Central Florida. In November 2023, a targeted cyberattack compromised the practice’s computer systems, exposing the sensitive personal and protected health information of current and former patients. Plaintiff Connell and other affected patients filed the class action lawsuit Connell v. Eye Physicians of Central Florida P.L.C., Case No. 2023-CA-017660-O, in the Circuit Court for Orange County, Florida, alleging Eye Physicians failed to implement adequate cybersecurity safeguards to protect the medical and personal information entrusted to it by patients seeking eye care.

The lawsuit argued that Eye Physicians, as a healthcare provider handling sensitive protected health information under HIPAA, assumed a duty to protect patient data from exactly this type of targeted cyberattack. The breach put affected patients at elevated risk of both financial fraud and medical identity theft — a particularly serious concern given that eye care records may contain health insurance information, prescription histories, and other medical data that can be exploited by identity thieves. Eye Physicians denied all allegations but agreed to settle to avoid the risks and expense of continued litigation.

Related article: Kia Georgia and Hyundai Mobis $11.5M TN Visa Settlement: Were You Recruited to Work in West Point, Georgia?

What Personal Information Was Exposed?

The November 2023 cyberattack potentially compromised sensitive personal and medical information stored in Eye Physicians of Central Florida’s systems. Your breach notice will specify which categories of your information were affected. The breach may have included:

• Full names and contact information
• Dates of birth
• Social Security numbers
• Health insurance information
• Medical and treatment information
• Financial account information

The combination of health insurance data and medical records creates a real risk of medical identity theft — where someone uses your insurance information to receive eye care, obtain prescriptions, or submit fraudulent claims on your behalf. This type of fraud can be difficult to detect and may affect your future coverage. Enrolling in the free credit monitoring benefit is strongly recommended alongside any cash claim you file.

Who Is Eligible to File a Claim?

• You may qualify if you are a current or former patient of Eye Physicians of Central Florida who received a notification from the practice stating that the November 2023 data breach may have affected your personal information.
• You may qualify whether your information included medical records, financial data, or any other category of personal information exposed in the breach.
• You do not qualify if you did not receive a breach notification from Eye Physicians of Central Florida about this specific November 2023 incident.

Your settlement notice contains a unique ID and PIN required to file your claim online. Check your mail and email — including spam folders — for correspondence from Eye Physicians of Central Florida or the Eye Physicians Data Breach Incident Settlement Administrator. If you believe you should have received a notice but did not, contact Simpluris at 888-511-1472 or [email protected] well before the May 15, 2026 deadline.

How Much Can You Receive?

The settlement offers three benefit options. You can claim both ordinary and extraordinary losses if you have documentation for both.

Benefit Type	Maximum Amount	Proof Required
Ordinary Losses (out-of-pocket expenses + lost time)	Up to $2,000 total	Yes — receipts, invoices, time description
Extraordinary Losses (identity theft/fraud)	Up to $7,500	Yes — bank statements, police reports, proof of exhausting insurance
Credit Monitoring (2 years, 1-bureau)	Free + $1M identity theft insurance	No

Ordinary losses cover documented, unreimbursed out-of-pocket expenses directly traceable to the breach. Eligible expenses include bank or credit card fees resulting from fraudulent activity, fees for credit monitoring or identity theft insurance, costs to freeze or unfreeze your credit, and postage for contacting financial institutions. This tier also includes lost time — up to three hours at $25 per hour (maximum $75) for time spent dealing with the breach — but lost time claims count toward the $2,000 ordinary loss cap.

Extraordinary losses cover up to $7,500 in documented, unreimbursed monetary losses caused by fraud or identity theft that the breach most likely caused. You must show you exhausted all available insurance or reimbursement options before filing for this tier. Supporting documentation must include bank or credit card statements showing fraudulent charges, police reports, communications with financial institutions, and other third-party proof. Self-prepared documentation alone is not sufficient.

Maximum total possible benefit: A class member with both $2,000 in ordinary losses and $7,500 in extraordinary losses could claim up to $9,500 in total cash plus two years of free credit monitoring.

How to File a Claim

Step 1 — Locate your unique ID and PIN from the settlement notice Eye Physicians or Simpluris sent you by mail or email. You need both to file online.

Step 2 — Visit the official claim portal at eyephysicianscentralflsettlement.com/form/claim to file online, or download the PDF claim form from the same website to mail or email your submission.

Step 3 — Select your benefit option: ordinary losses, extraordinary losses, and/or two-year credit monitoring.

Step 4 — If claiming ordinary losses, upload your supporting documentation — receipts, invoices, and a written description of lost time spent addressing the breach. If claiming extraordinary losses, provide bank or credit card statements showing fraudulent charges, police reports, communications with financial institutions, and evidence you exhausted other reimbursement options first.

Step 5 — Choose your preferred payment method: PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, virtual prepaid card (online claims only), or paper check mailed to your address. Submit your claim online or email it to [email protected], or mail the paper form to: Eye Physicians Data Breach Incident Settlement, c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 25226, Santa Ana, CA 92799. All submissions must be received, postmarked, or emailed by May 15, 2026.

Step 6 — Save your claim confirmation number or keep a copy of your submitted form for your records.

Estimated time to complete: 5–10 minutes for credit monitoring only; 15–25 minutes if uploading documentation for loss claims.

Important Deadlines and Dates

Milestone	Date
Breach Occurred	November 2023
Lawsuit Filed (Connell v. Eye Physicians of Central Florida P.L.C.)	2023
Settlement Open for Claims	March 2026
Opt-Out Deadline	April 29, 2026
Objection Deadline	April 29, 2026
Claim Filing Deadline	May 15, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	TBD — check eyephysicianscentralflsettlement.com
Expected Payment Date	TBD — after final approval and completion of claim processing

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lawyer to file a claim in this settlement? 

No. You can file your claim directly at eyephysicianscentralflsettlement.com without hiring an attorney. Class counsel already represents all class members at no individual cost. If you want independent legal advice about your specific situation, you may hire your own attorney at your own expense. Contact Simpluris at 888-511-1472 or [email protected] with any questions.

Is this Eye Physicians of Central Florida settlement legitimate?

 Yes. The settlement, Connell v. Eye Physicians of Central Florida P.L.C., Case No. 2023-CA-017660-O, is a court-supervised class action pending in the Circuit Court for Orange County, Florida. The official settlement website is eyephysicianscentralflsettlement.com, administered by Simpluris, Inc. Verify any communication by calling 888-511-1472 or emailing [email protected].

When will I receive my payment? 

The final approval hearing date has not yet been published. Once the court grants final approval and claim processing is complete, Simpluris will issue payments. Check eyephysicianscentralflsettlement.com regularly for the hearing date and payment timeline updates. You can also call 888-511-1472 for the latest information.

What if I miss the May 15, 2026 claim deadline?

 If you do not file a claim by May 15, 2026, you will not receive any cash payment or credit monitoring from this settlement. You will still be bound by the settlement’s release of claims against Eye Physicians unless you opted out before April 29, 2026. File as early as possible — do not wait until the last day.

Will this settlement payment affect my taxes? 

Settlement payments may count as taxable income depending on the nature of the compensation and your individual tax situation. Simpluris will issue appropriate tax documentation if required. Consult a qualified tax professional to understand how to report your specific payment.

What types of harm can medical identity theft cause after an eye care breach? 

Medical identity theft using eye care records is particularly concerning because thieves can use your health insurance information to obtain eye exams, prescription glasses, contact lenses, or even surgical procedures billed to your insurer. This can corrupt your medical records with incorrect prescriptions or diagnoses — affecting future eye care and insurance coverage. Watch for explanation of benefits (EOB) statements for eye care services you never received, unexpected claims from opticians or optical suppliers, or insurance denials citing benefits already used for services you did not obtain.

Can I claim both ordinary losses and extraordinary losses? 

Yes. The ordinary loss tier (up to $2,000) and the extraordinary loss tier (up to $7,500) are separate benefits that you can claim simultaneously if you have qualifying documentation for both. Ordinary losses cover general breach-related expenses like credit monitoring fees and credit freeze costs. Extraordinary losses cover documented fraud or identity theft you suffered as a direct result of the breach. Claiming both could yield up to $9,500 in total cash — plus two years of free credit monitoring.

What is the lost time benefit and how do I claim it? 

Lost time covers up to three hours at $25 per hour — a maximum of $75 — for time you spent dealing with consequences of the breach, such as monitoring accounts, contacting your bank, researching identity protection, or filing fraud reports. Lost time falls within the $2,000 ordinary loss cap, not as a separate benefit. To claim it, provide a written description of the activities you undertook and the time spent on each. An attestation under penalty of perjury confirming the accuracy of your time claim may also be required.

Sources and References

1. Official Settlement Website — eyephysicianscentralflsettlement.com
2. Official Claim Portal — eyephysicianscentralflsettlement.com/form/claim
3. Class Notice PDF — Simpluris
4. Eye Physicians of Central Florida — Official Data Security Event Notice

Central Florida patients whose medical information was also exposed in other recent healthcare data breaches may want to check the Signature Performance $8.5 million data breach settlement covering patients whose health records were exposed in a 2024 cyberattack, with a claim deadline of May 7, 2026. Patients who also received care at other medical providers and received breach notices with upcoming summer 2026 deadlines should also review the General Physician P.C. $2.5 million data breach settlement with a claim deadline of May 27, 2026 — a comparable healthcare practice breach case with a similar compensation structure.

Last Updated: March 18, 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.