Steel Warehouse Data Breach Settlement, Check If You Qualify — In re: Steel Warehouse Data Incident Litigation, No. 71D04-2508-CE-000011

There’s up to $5,060 waiting for you — if you received a notice that your data was exposed in the January 2025 Steel Warehouse cyberattack. Steel Warehouse Company, LLC agreed to settle claims it failed to protect Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and financial account details. You have until December 1, 2026 to file a claim.

Steel Warehouse Data Breach Settlement — Key Facts

Detail	Information
Settlement Amount	UNVERIFIED — no total settlement fund figure appears in the official Notice or FAQ; this is a claims-made settlement with individually capped payouts, not a disclosed common fund
Claim Deadline	December 1, 2026
Who Qualifies	Individuals identified on the official Class List whose personal information may have been compromised in the January 2025 Data Incident
Estimated Payout	Up to $5,000 for documented losses plus up to $60 for lost time (max $5,060 combined), or a flat $40 no-proof payment instead
Proof Required	Yes, for documented losses and lost time claims. No, for the $40 alternative payment
Settlement Status	Preliminary approval granted; Final Approval Hearing set for October 21, 2026
Court & Case Number	Indiana Commercial Court, St. Joseph County Superior Court — Cause No. 71D04-2508-CE-000011
Law Alleged	UNVERIFIED — the FAQ describes the factual allegations but doesn’t name the specific statute; the full Notice PDF was inaccessible at research time due to bot protection
Administrator	Simpluris
Official Claim Site	steelwarehousedatasettlement.com
Last Updated	August 29, 2026

Who Is Steel Warehouse and Why Are They Being Sued for a Data Breach?

Steel Warehouse Company, LLC is a family-owned steel processor based in South Bend, Indiana, founded in 1947, that handles orders and account records for steel coil, sheet, and plate customers nationwide. Running an operation that size for eight decades means the company was sitting on a deep well of personal records — the kind of file that makes a company a target rather than an afterthought. In January 2025, that file reportedly got hit by a targeted cyberattack, and Steel Warehouse agreed to settle the resulting lawsuit without admitting it did anything wrong.

What Did Steel Warehouse Do to Affected Individuals Between January and December 2025?

The lawsuit, filed as In re: Steel Warehouse Data Incident Litigation in the Indiana Commercial Court, alleges that during a targeted cyberattack in January 2025, hackers accessed files containing names, Social Security numbers, addresses, driver’s license numbers, government-issued ID numbers such as passports, dates of birth, and credit or debit card information. That’s close to the full identity-theft starter kit — enough for someone to open a credit card or file a fake tax return in your name.

Plaintiffs Tim O’Toole and James Miller argue Steel Warehouse should have kept that information better secured. The settlement doesn’t spell out which specific privacy or consumer protection statute the claims rest on, and Steel Warehouse hasn’t admitted fault. It agreed to pay to close the case, not because a judge ruled against it.

This kind of exposure keeps showing up across unrelated industries. The Anne Arundel Dermatology data breach settlement resolved a nearly identical 2025 cyberattack with almost the same payout structure — proof this is a pattern in how companies respond to a breach, not a one-off.

Did you get a letter from Steel Warehouse about a data incident this year? Then this case is about you.

Who Qualifies for the Steel Warehouse Data Breach Settlement?

Here’s exactly how to know if this case includes you.

• Individuals who received a notice from Steel Warehouse that their information was involved in the Data Incident
• Anyone identified on the official Class List as having personal data exposed in the January 2025 breach
• People whose Social Security number, driver’s license number, or financial account information was stored in the affected files

You do not qualify if you’re a Steel Warehouse officer, director, or employee of a related company, the presiding judge or a member of the judge’s family or staff, or someone who caused the breach itself.

October 2, 2026 only matters for two things — opting out or objecting. If you just want your payment, you don’t need to do anything before that date.

Steel Warehouse Data Breach Victims Outside Indiana — Are You Still Covered?

Yes. This isn’t limited to Indiana residents. The settlement covers anyone on the official Class List nationwide — where you live now doesn’t affect eligibility, only whether your data was in the files that were accessed.

Not sure if you qualify for the Steel Warehouse data breach settlement? A free consultation with a data privacy attorney can help before the December 1, 2026 deadline.

How Much Can Steel Warehouse Data Breach Settlement Class Members Get? Up to $5,060 Per Person

Every class member can enroll in one year of CyEx Financial Shield Complete credit monitoring, which comes with $1 million in fraud insurance and fraud monitoring on top of the cash options below.

Documented losses — up to $5,000 for actual, provable expenses tied to the breach, for losses that happened between January 23, 2025, and December 1, 2026. Bank statements, receipts, or invoices are required.

Lost time — up to three hours at $20 an hour, for a maximum of $60, for time spent dealing with the fallout.

Alternative flat payment — a one-time $40 payment with no proof needed, instead of the two options above.

These figures are individually capped, not divided up from one shared pool — so unlike some settlements, filing more claims doesn’t automatically shrink everyone else’s check, based on what the Notice discloses. Payment amounts over $600 may be reported on a 1099. Check with a tax professional about your specific situation.

The lawyers are asking the court to approve $182,500 in fees and costs, plus $2,250 service awards for each of the two people who brought this case. That comes from Steel Warehouse separately — it doesn’t reduce your payment.

How to File Your Steel Warehouse Data Breach Settlement Claim — Step by Step

1. Go to steelwarehousedatasettlement.com/form/claim
2. Enter your name, address, and Class Member details as shown on your notice
3. Choose your payment option: documented losses, lost time, or the $40 flat alternative
4. Upload proof — bank statements, receipts, or invoices — if you’re claiming documented losses or lost time
5. Submit and save your confirmation number
6. Watch your email — the administrator, Simpluris, will reach out if anything else is needed

Takes about 10 minutes. You have until December 1, 2026 — that’s over 90 days from today, so there’s no need to rush, but don’t let it slip your mind either.

Should Steel Warehouse Class Members Opt Out or Object Before October 2, 2026?

What Opting Out of the Steel Warehouse Settlement Actually Means

Opting out means you give up any settlement payment and the credit monitoring benefit. In exchange, you keep your right to sue Steel Warehouse on your own over this breach. Most people should not opt out without talking to a lawyer first. The deadline to exclude yourself is October 2, 2026.

How to Object to the Steel Warehouse Settlement

Objecting means you stay in the class but tell the court you disagree with part of the deal. Your objection has to be filed with the Clerk of Court at 101 S. Main Street, South Bend, IN 46601, with a copy sent to the Settlement Administrator, following the format the Notice requires. It must be postmarked by October 2, 2026.

Talk to a class action lawsuit attorney before October 2, 2026 if you’re considering either option.

If you’re weighing whether a broader lawsuit against an employer or financial institution over a similar incident applies to you, the LA Financial FCU data breach settlement walks through how a comparable claims process played out for a different kind of company.

Steel Warehouse Data Breach Settlement — Key Dates, 2026

Milestone	Date
Settlement Proposed	UNVERIFIED — exact preliminary approval date not stated in the FAQ; Notice PDF was inaccessible at research time
Notification Mailing	August 3, 2026
Opt-Out Deadline	October 2, 2026
Objection Deadline	October 2, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	October 21, 2026
Claim Filing Deadline	December 1, 2026
Expected Payment Date	UNVERIFIED — the FAQ states payments go out only after final approval and any appeals are resolved, with no fixed date given

Steel Warehouse Data Breach — Frequently Asked Questions, No. 71D04-2508-CE-000011

Do I need a lawyer to file a Steel Warehouse data breach settlement claim?

 No. Filing online at the official claim site takes about 10 minutes and doesn’t require legal help. A lawyer is more useful if you’re considering opting out or objecting before the October 2, 2026 deadline.

Is the Steel Warehouse data breach settlement legitimate?

 Yes. It’s court-authorized in the Indiana Commercial Court, St. Joseph County Superior Court, and administered by Simpluris, an established class action settlement administrator, under Cause No. 71D04-2508-CE-000011.

When will Steel Warehouse settlement payments be sent?

 Not before the Final Approval Hearing on October 21, 2026, and only after any appeals are resolved. No exact payment date has been set yet.

What if I missed the Steel Warehouse claim deadline?

 Claims must be submitted online or postmarked by mail no later than December 1, 2026. After that date, you won’t be able to receive a payment from this settlement.

Will my Steel Warehouse settlement payment go on a 1099? 

Payments over $600 may be reported. Check with a tax professional about how a settlement payment affects your specific tax situation.

What personal information was exposed in the Steel Warehouse data breach? 

Names, Social Security numbers, addresses, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, dates of birth, and credit or debit card information were potentially accessed during the January 2025 cyberattack.

Who are the class representatives in the Steel Warehouse lawsuit? 

Tim O’Toole and James Miller filed the case and are represented by Lynn A. Toops and Amina A. Thomas of Cohen Malad, LLP, as Class Counsel.

How much will the lawyers in the Steel Warehouse case get paid?

 Class Counsel is asking the court to approve $182,500 in attorneys’ fees and costs, plus $2,250 service awards for each of the two class representatives — paid by Steel Warehouse, separate from class member payments.

Sources Used in This Steel Warehouse Data Breach Article

• Settlement FAQ — In re: Steel Warehouse Data Incident Litigation, Simpluris: https://steelwarehousedatasettlement.com/faq/
• Important Dates — Steel Warehouse Data Incident Settlement, Simpluris: https://steelwarehousedatasettlement.com/dates/
• Claim Form (PDF) — Simpluris Settlement Administration: https://cw.simpluris.com/docs/public/downloads/SDC8/CLAIM_FORM
• Notice of Class Action Settlement (PDF, referenced by the FAQ; inaccessible via direct fetch at research time due to bot protection) — Simpluris Settlement Administration: https://cw.simpluris.com/docs/public/downloads/SDC8/NOTICE_OF_CLASS_ACTION_SETTLEMENT

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the official settlement FAQ and Important Dates pages at steelwarehousedatasettlement.com, administered by Simpluris, as of August 29, 2026. Last Updated: August 29, 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.