Precision Imaging Centers, based in Jacksonville, Florida, offers X-ray imaging, CT, MRI, PET, and ultrasound services. It faced a class action lawsuit arising from a cybersecurity incident discovered on November 2, 2022 and agreed to settle it. Hackers breached its system and acquired access to files that contain the protected health information (PHI) and personally identifiable information (PII) of present and past patients, which include names, birth dates, contact details, driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers, diagnoses, and other clinical and health data. Precision Imaging Centers mailed personal notification letters to the affected patients on or about June 27, 2023, and reported the data breach to the Maine Attorney General as impacting 31,010 people.
Plaintiff Lauren Boyle filed the first class action lawsuit because of the data breach. Then, four complaints were filed by Philipp Groebe, Bijoy Shroff, Natalie Luttrell, Cheryl Wearing, and Paige Demaion. The lawsuits had similar claims; thus, they were combined into one complaint. In Re Precision Imaging Centers Data Breach Litigation was filed in the Circuit Court for the Fourth Judicial Circuit in and for Duval County, Florida.
The combined lawsuit stated claims of negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of implied contract, and Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act violation. The defendant denied all allegations and assert there was no liability or wrongdoing. The plaintiffs think all claims are legit and preventing the data breach should have been possible if reasonable and proper cybersecurity procedures had been enforced.
Precision Imaging Centers filed a motion to dismiss the complaint; nevertheless, the court rejected the motion with prejudice. The plaintiffs dropped the claim of violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. All parties joined in mediation and agreed in principle to resolve the lawsuit without acknowledging wrongdoing. The court had granted preliminary approval of the finalized terms of the settlement.
As stipulated in the terms of the settlement, up to $200,000 will be paid by Precision Imaging Centers to settle the lawsuit. Class members can file a claim to refund up to $500 per class member for documented out-of-pocket expenditures and reported lost time (approximately 4 hours valued at $20 hourly). Class members could likewise file a claim for compensation of extraordinary losses, which include around 8 hours of lost time at $20 per hour, capped at $5,000 per class member.
Class members who file a legal claim are likewise eligible to get credit monitoring services for two years. The settlement amount is $200,000, and when the total is reached, an adjustment of the claims amount will be done pro rata. Precision Imaging Centers has additionally consented to use a selection of cybersecurity measures (possible including HIPAA training for employees) to address the reasons for the cyberattack, which can be maintained for about three years. Additionally, any patient who did not get treatment from the medical center for at least five years will not have their Social Security numbers incorporated in the system or encrypted.
The schedule of the final fairness hearing is January 8, 2026. The last day to submit a claim is January 31, 2026. Those who would like to file a claim to object or exempt themselves can do so up to January 1, 2026.
