Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why was the Notice issued?

The Circuit Court for Orange County, Florida, authorized the Notice. You have a right to know about the proposed Settlement of this class action lawsuit, and about all of your options, before the Court decides whether to grant final approval of the Settlement. The Notice explains the lawsuit, your legal rights, what benefits are available, and who can receive them.

The lawsuit is called Connell v. Eye Physicians of Central Florida, P.L.C., Case No. 2023-CA-017660-O. It is pending in the Circuit Court for Orange County, Florida. The people that filed this lawsuit are called the “Plaintiffs” (or “Class Representatives”) and the company they sued, Eye Physicians of Central Florida, P.L.C., is called the “Defendant.”

2. What is this lawsuit about?

This lawsuit alleges that during the November 2023, targeted cyberattack on Eye Physicians' computer systems, certain files that contained private information were accessed. These files may have contained personal information such as names; addresses; dates of birth; medical diagnosis and treatment information; health insurance information; and financial information.

3. What is a class action?

In a class action, one or more individuals sue on behalf of other people with similar claims. These individuals are called the “Plaintiffs” or “Class Representatives.” Together, the people included in the class action are called a “Class” or “Class Members.” One court resolves the lawsuit for all Class Members, except for those who opt out from the Settlement. In this Settlement, the Class Representative is Alisa Connell. Everyone included in this Action are the Class Members.

4. Why is there a Settlement?

The Court did not decide whether the Plaintiffs or the Defendant are right. Both sides have agreed to a Settlement to avoid the costs and risks of a trial, and to allow the Class Members to receive benefits from the Settlement. The Plaintiffs and their attorneys think the Settlement is best for all Class Members.

5. Who is included in the Settlement?

You are part of the Class if:

1. you live in the United States of America; and

2. Eye Physicians notified you that your private information may have been impacted by the Data Breach Incident.

This is a plain language version of how the Court defined the Class. The original version is available in Paragraph 53 of the Settlement Agreement, available here.

6. Are there exceptions to being included?

Yes. Excluded from the Class are: (1) the Judge in this case, and the Judge’s family and staff; (2) Directors and officers of Eye Physicians; (3) anyone who validly excludes themselves from the Settlement; and (4) anyone who perpetrated the Data Breach Incident.

If you are not sure whether you are a Class Member, you can ask for free help any time by contacting the Settlement Administrator at:

Eye Physicians Data Breach Incident Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799
Email: info@EyePhysiciansCentralFLSettlement.com
Call toll free, 24/7: (888) 511-1472

You may also view the Settlement Agreement here.

7. What does the Settlement provide?

If you are a Settlement Class Member and you submit a timely and valid Claim Form, you may be eligible to select one or more of the following Settlement benefits:

Credit Monitoring Services. In addition to electing a Cash Payment, you are eligible to enroll in two years of Credit Monitoring Services. This benefit comes with $1 million in identity theft insurance.

Cash Payment Options:

Documented Ordinary Losses. If you incurred actual, documented out-of-pocket losses due to the Data Breach Incident, you may submit a timely and valid Claim Form and provide supporting documentation for up to $2,000.00, including up to three (3) hours at $25 per hour for time spent remedying issues related to the Data Breach Incident The losses must have occurred between November 5, 2023, and May 15, 2026.

This benefit covers out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of the Incident like: bank fees, long distance phone charges, cell phone charges (only charged by the minute), data charges (only if charged based on the amount of data used), postage, gasoline for local travel and fees for credit reports, credit monitoring, or other identity theft insurance products purchased between November 5, 2023 and the date of the Claim Form Deadline.

Examples of supporting documentation include (but are not limited to): (i) credit card statements; (ii) bank statements; (iii) invoices; (iv) telephone records; and (v) receipts - “self-prepared” documents such as handwritten receipts are, by themselves, insufficient to receive reimbursement, but can be considered to add clarity or support other submitted documentation. You will not be reimbursed for expenses if you have been reimbursed for the same expenses by another source. Claims made for Lost Time must be combined with reimbursement for ordinary losses, subject to the $2,000.00 aggregate individual cap referenced above, and will only be available if the Settlement Administrator otherwise accepts the Claim for ordinary loss with required third-party documentation.

Documented Extraordinary Losses. If you incurred actual, documented unreimbursed monetary loss due to fraud or identity theft due to the Data Breach Incident, and the loss is not already covered by one or more of the reimbursement categories in Ordinary Losses and you made reasonable efforts to avoid or seek reimbursement for the loss, including but not limited to, exhaustion of all available credit monitoring insurance and identity theft insurance, you may submit a timely and valid Claim Form and provide supporting documentation for up to $7,500.00.

You need to send proof, like bank statements or receipts, to show how much you spent or lost. You can also send notes or papers you made yourself to explain or support other proof, but those notes or papers alone are not enough to make a valid claim.

If you have questions about these benefits, you can ask for free help any time by contacting the Settlement Administrator at:

Eye Physicians Data Breach Incident Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799
Email: info@EyePhysiciansCentralFLSettlement.com
Call toll free, 24/7: (888) 511-1472

8. What claims am I releasing if I stay in the Class?

If you stay in the class, you won’t be able to be part of any other lawsuit against Eye Physicians about the issues that this Settlement covers. The “Releases” section of the Settlement Agreement (Section XI) describes the legal claims that you give up if you remain in the Class. The Settlement Agreement is available here.

9. How do I submit a claim for a Settlement benefit?

The fastest way to submit your Claim Form is online here. If you prefer, you can download a printable Claim Form here and mail it to the Settlement Administrator at:

Eye Physicians Data Breach Incident Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799

You may also contact the Settlement Administrator to request a Claim Form by telephone, toll free, (888) 511-1472, by email info@EyePhysiciansCentralFLSettlement.com, or by U.S. mail at the address above.

10. Are there any important Settlement payment deadlines?

If you are submitting a Claim Form online, you must do so by May 15, 2026. If you are submitting a claim by U.S. mail, the completed and signed Claim Form, including supporting documentation, must be postmarked no later than May 15, 2026.

11. When will the Settlement benefits be issued?

The Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing at least 90 days after the entry of the Preliminary Approval Order. Please check this website for updates. (see Question 18). If the Court approves the Settlement, there may be appeals. We do not know if appeals will be filed, or how long it will take to resolve them if they are filed.

Settlement payments will be distributed if the Court grants final approval, and after any appeals are resolved.

12. Do I have a lawyer in the case?

Yes, the Court has appointed attorneys Manuel Hiraldo of Hiraldo P.A.; Jibrael Hindi of The Law Offices of Jibrael S. Hindi; and Brian Levin of Levin Law, P.A., to represent you and other Class Members (“Class Counsel”).

13. Should I get my own lawyer?

You will not be charged for Class Counsel’s services. If you want your own lawyer, you may hire one at your expense.

14. How will Class Counsel be paid?

Class Counsel will ask the Court to approve $325,000.00 as reasonable attorneys' fees and costs of litigation. This amount will be paid by Eye Physicians.

Class Counsel will also ask for Service Award payment of $2,500.00 for the Class Representative. Service Award payments will also be paid by Eye Physicians.

15. How do I opt out of the Settlement?

If you do not want to be part of the Settlement, you must formally exclude yourself from the Settlement. This is called a Request for Exclusion, and is sometimes also called “opting out.” If you opt out, you will not receive Settlement benefits or payment. However, you will keep any rights you may have to sue Eye Physicians on your own about the legal issues in this case.

If you exclude yourself, you are telling the Court that you do not want to be part of the Settlement. You will not be eligible to receive any Settlement benefits if you exclude yourself. The deadline to exclude yourself from the Settlement is April 29, 2026.

To be valid, your Request for Exclusion must have the following information:

1. the name of the Litigation: Connell v. Eye Physicians of Central Florida, P.L.C., Case No. 2023-CA-017660-O, pending in the Circuit Court for Orange County, Florida;

2. your full name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address;

3. personal signature; and

4. the words "Request for Exclusion" or a clear and similar statement that you do not want to participate in the Settlement.

You may only exclude yourself—not any other person.

Mail your Request for Exclusion to the Settlement Administrator at:

Eye Physicians Data Breach Incident Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799

Your Request for Exclusion must be postmarked or emailed by April 29, 2026.

16. How do I tell the Court if I like or do not like the Settlement?

If you are a Class Member and do not like part or all of the Settlement, you can object to it. Objecting means telling the Court your reasons for why you think the Court should not approve the Settlement. The Court will consider your views. You cannot object if you have excluded yourself from the Settlement (see Question 15)

You must provide the following information for the Court to consider your objection:

1. the name of the Litigation: Connell v. Eye Physicians of Central Florida, P.L.C., Case No. 2023-CA-017660-O, pending in the Circuit Court for Orange County, Florida;

2. your full name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address;

3. a clear description of all the reasons you object; include any legal support, such as documents, you may have for your objection;

4. if you have hired your own lawyer to represent you at the Final Approval Hearing, provide their name and telephone number;

5. if you or your lawyer have objected in any other cases in the past five years, list the names, courts, the orders ruling on your objections, and civil action numbers for each of those cases;

6. whether or not you or your lawyer would like to speak at the Final Approval Hearing;

7. if you plan on calling witnesses or submitting documents at the Final Approval Hearing, provide a full list of both;

8. your signature (if you have hired your own lawyer, your lawyer's signature is not sufficient).

For your objection to be valid, it must meet each of these requirements.

To be considered by the Court, you must file your complete objection with the Clerk of Court by April 29, 2026. You must also send a copy of the objection to the Settlement Administrator, Class Counsel, and counsel for Defendants.

17. What is the difference between objecting and excluding?

Objecting is telling the Court that you do not like something about the Settlement. You can object to the Settlement only if you do not exclude yourself from the Settlement. Excluding yourself from the Settlement is opting out and stating to the Court that you do not want to be part of the Settlement. If you opt out of the Settlement, you cannot object to it because the Settlement no longer affects you.

18. When is the Court's Final Approval Hearing?

The Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing at least 90 days after the entry of the Preliminary Approval Order at the Orange County Courthouse, 425 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801. At the Final Approval Hearing, the Court will decide whether to approve the Settlement. The Court will also decide how Class Counsel should be paid, and whether to award Service Award payments to the Class Representatives. The Court will also consider any objections to the Settlement.

If you are a Class Member, you or your lawyer may ask permission to speak at the hearing at your own cost (see Question 16).

The date and time of this hearing may change without further notice. Please check this website for updates.

19. Do I have to come to the Final Approval Hearing?

No. Class Counsel will answer any questions the Court may have. You may attend at your own expense if you wish, but you do not have to.

If you file an objection, you do not have to come to the Final Approval Hearing to talk about it; the Court will consider it as long as it was filed on time. You may also pay your own lawyer to attend, but you do not have to.

20. What happens if I do nothing at all?

If you do nothing, you will not receive a benefit from this Settlement. You will also give up the rights described in Question 8.

21. How do I get more information?

This website and the Notice are a summary of the proposed Settlement. The full Settlement Agreement and other related documents are available here.

If you have additional questions, you can ask for free help any time by contacting the Settlement Administrator at:

Eye Physicians Data Breach Incident Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799
Email: info@EyePhysiciansCentralFLSettlement.com
Call toll free, 24/7: (888) 511-1472

You can obtain copies of publicly filed documents by visiting the office of the Clerk of the Court, Orange County Courthouse, 425 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801.

Do not contact the Court or Clerk of Court regarding this Settlement.