1. Why is the Notice being provided?
2. What is this lawsuit about?
3. What is a class action Settlement?
4. Why is there a settlement?
5. How do I know if I am part of the Settlement?
6. Are there exceptions to being included?
7. What does the Settlement provide?
8. What is included under Expense Reimbursement?
9. What is the Alternative Cash Payment?
10. What is included in the Credit Monitoring Services?
11. Has the Defendant implemented any additional security measures?
12. How do I get benefits from the Settlement?
13. How will claims be decided?
14. When will I get my payment?
15. Do I need to do anything to remain in the Settlement?
16. What am I giving up as part of the Settlement?
17. If I exclude myself, can I still get payment from the Settlement?
18. If I do not exclude myself, can I sue the Defendant for the same thing later?
19. How do I get out of the Settlement?
20. Do I have a lawyer in this case?
21. How will Class Counsel be paid?
22. How do I tell the Court that I do not agree with the Settlement?
23. What is the difference between objecting to and excluding myself from the Settlement?
24. When and where will the Court decide whether to approve the Settlement?
25. Do I have to come to the Final Fairness Hearing?
26. May I speak at the Final Fairness Hearing?
27. What happens if I do nothing?
28. How do I get more information?
The Court directed that the Notice be provided because you have a right to know about a proposed settlement that has been reached in this class action lawsuit and about all of your options before the Court decides whether to grant final approval of the Settlement. If the Court approves the Settlement, and after objections or appeals, if any, are resolved, the Settlement Administrator appointed by the Court will distribute the Settlement Benefits to Settlement Class Members who submitted a Valid Claim. The Notice explains the lawsuit, the Settlement, your legal rights, what payments are available, who is eligible for them, and how to get them.
The Court overseeing this case is the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. The case is known as Amy Walker v. New River Electrical Corp., Case No. CV25-126091. Amy Walker, the individual who brought this Action, is called the Plaintiff or Representative Plaintiff, and the entity sued, New River Electrical Corporation, is called the Defendant.
Back To Top
The Plaintiff claims that Defendant is liable for the Data Breach and has asserted numerous legal claims against the Defendant. The Defendant denies each and all of the claims and contentions alleged against it in the Action. Defendant denies all charges of wrongdoing or liability as alleged, or which could be alleged, in the Action.
Back To Top
In a class action, one or more people called plaintiffs sue on behalf of people who have similar claims. Together, these people are called a “Settlement Class” or “Settlement Class Members”. One Court and one judge resolve the issues for all Class members, except for those who exclude themselves from the Settlement Class.
Back To Top
The Court did not decide in favor of the Plaintiff or NREC. Instead, the Plaintiff negotiated a settlement with NREC that allows the Plaintiff, the proposed Settlement Class, and NREC to avoid the risks and costs of lengthy and uncertain litigation and the uncertainty of a trial and appeals. The Settlement provides benefits and allows Settlement Class Members to obtain payment for certain costs or losses without further delay. Plaintiff and Class Counsel think the Settlement is in the best interest of all Settlement Class Members. This Settlement does not mean that NREC did anything wrong.
Back To Top
The Settlement Class includes all individuals residing in the United States whose PII was compromised in the Data Breach discovered by NREC in May 2024, including all individuals who received Defendant’s notice of the breach.
Settlement Class Members were also sent notice of this class action Settlement via mail. If you received notice of this Settlement, NREC’s records indicate your PII was compromised and you are included in the Settlement Class. If you are still not sure whether you are included, you can contact the Settlement Administrator by calling toll-free at (833) 386-6486.
You may also view the Settlement Agreement here.
Back To Top
Yes. The Settlement Class specifically excludes: (i) Defendant and Defendant’s parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers and directors, and any entity in which Defendant has a controlling interest; (ii) all individuals who make a timely election to be excluded from this proceeding using the correct protocol for opting out; (iii) any and all federal, state, or local governments, including but not limited to their departments, agencies, divisions, bureaus, boards, sections, groups, counsels and/or subdivisions; (iv) the attorneys representing the Parties in the Action; (v) all judges assigned to hear any aspect of the Action, as well as their immediate family members; and (vi) any person found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be guilty under criminal law of initiating, causing, aiding or abetting the Data Breach, or who pleads nolo contendere to any such charge.
Back To Top
The Settlement provides the benefits described below and is subject to an aggregate cap of $425,000.00, which will be used to pay Settlement Class Member Benefits, the Costs of Notice and Claims Administration, Attorneys’ Fees, Costs, and Expenses awarded by the Court, and any Service Award to the Representative Plaintiff approved by the Court.
Expense Reimbursement: Reimbursement of up to $3,000.00 for documented, unreimbursed out-of-pocket losses resulting from the Data Breach.
Alternative Cash Payment: In lieu of Expense Reimbursement, Settlement Class Members can claim a $50.00 Alternative Cash Payment, which shall be decreased on a pro rata basis to the extent a reduction is required due to the number of valid claims filed exceeding the amount of funds available for these payments. No documentation required for this benefit.
Credit Monitoring: Two (2) years of one bureau credit monitoring services. To receive Credit Monitoring, you must submit a Claim Form. Settlement Class Members who submit a Valid Claim Form for Credit Monitoring will receive a redemption code to activate the services.
Back To Top
All Settlement Class Members who submit a Valid Claim are eligible to receive reimbursement for the following documented out-of-pocket losses caused by the Data Breach, if not already reimbursed through any other source and, not to exceed $3,000.00 per Settlement Class Member:
unreimbursed costs to obtain credit reports;
unreimbursed fees relating to a credit freeze;
unreimbursed card replacement fees;
unreimbursed late fees;
unreimbursed over-limit fees;
unreimbursed interest and fees on payday loans taken as a result of the Data Breach;
unreimbursed bank or credit card fees;
unreimbursed postage, mileage, and other incidental expenses resulting from the Data Breach; and
unreimbursed costs associated with up to two years of credit monitoring or identity theft insurance purchased after April 30, 2024, and prior to the Effective Date, with certification that it was purchased primarily as a result of the Data Breach.
The amount of the expense reimbursement shall be decreased on a pro rata basis to the extent a reduction is required due to the number of valid claims filed exceeding the amount of funds available for these payments.
Settlement Class Members with expense reimbursement claims must submit documentation supporting their claims. This can include receipts or other documentation not “self-prepared” by the claimant that document the costs incurred. “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.
Back To Top
Settlement Class Members can elect to make a claim for a $50.00 alternative cash payment in lieu of the Expense Reimbursement benefit. To receive this benefit, Settlement Class Members must submit a Valid Claim Form, but no documentation is required to make a claim.
The amount of the alternative cash payment shall be decreased on a pro rata basis to the extent a reduction is required due to the number of valid claims filed exceeding the amount of funds available for these payments.
Back To Top
Settlement Class Members who submit a Claim Form can elect to enroll in two (2) years of one bureau credit monitoring services.
These services will be made available to all Settlement Class Members who choose to enroll regardless of whether they claim Expense Reimbursement or the Alternative Cash Payment.
A unique redemption code, allowing Settlement Class Members to enroll in these services will be sent to each Settlement Class Member who submits a valid claim for such services after the Court approves the Settlement as final and after any appeals are resolved.
Back To Top
In addition to the data security measures Defendant had in place before the Data Breach, which Defendant contends were adequate, reasonable, and legally compliant, Defendant has employed, and will continue to employ security measures, including resetting passwords, implementing multi-factor authentication, training employees on cybersecurity matters, implementing geo-fencing/geo-blocking, implementing new technical safeguards, and revising relevant policies and procedures.
Back To Top
In order to receive Credit Monitoring or a Settlement payment, you must complete and submit a Claim Form. If you prefer, paper Claim Form is available for download here, or you may request one by mail or by calling (833) 386-6486. Read the instructions carefully, fill out the Claim Form, and submit it online here, or mail it postmarked no later than July 20, 2026, to:
NREC Data Settlement Administrator
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799
Back To Top
The Settlement Administrator will decide whether the information provided on the Claim Form is complete and valid. The Settlement Administrator may require additional information from any claimant. If the Settlement Administrator requires additional information from you and you do not provide it in a timely manner, your claim may not be paid at the Settlement Administrator’s discretion.
Back To Top
The Court will hold a Final Fairness Hearing at 1:30 p.m. on June 29, 2026, to decide whether to approve the Settlement. Even if the Court approves the Settlement, there may be appeals, and resolving them may take additional time. It also takes time for all the Claim Forms to be processed, depending on the number of claims submitted and whether any appeals are filed. Please be patient. If you have further questions regarding payment timing, you may contact the Settlement Administrator by emailing info@NRECDataSettlement.com.
Back To Top
You do not have to do anything to remain in the Settlement, but if you want to receive Credit Monitoring Services or a payment from the Settlement, you must submit a Claim Form online here or download it here and mail it postmarked by July 20, 2026.
If you do nothing, you will not receive any Settlement Benefits. That means you will not receive credit monitoring services or be eligible to receive a payment. You will also give up certain legal rights and you will be bound by the Release described in the Settlement Agreement.
Back To Top
If the Settlement becomes final, you will give up your right to sue NREC for the claims being resolved by this Settlement. The specific claims you are giving up against NREC and the claims you are releasing are described in the Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement describes the released claims with specific descriptions, so read it carefully. If you have any questions about what claims you are giving up and which parties you are releasing, you can talk to the law firms listed in Question 21 for free or you can, of course, talk to your own lawyer at your own expense.
If you do not want any benefits from this Settlement, and you want to keep the right to sue NREC about issues in the Litigation, then you must take steps to get out of the Settlement Class. This is called excluding yourself from – or is sometimes referred to as “opting out” of – the Settlement Class.
Back To Top
No. If you exclude yourself from the Settlement, you will not be entitled to any benefits of the Settlement, but you will not be bound by any judgment in this case.
Back To Top
No. Unless you exclude yourself from the Settlement, you give up any right to sue NREC for the claims that this Settlement resolves. You must exclude yourself from the Settlement Class to start your own lawsuit or to be part of any different lawsuit relating to the claims in this case
Back To Top
To exclude yourself from the Settlement, you must send a letter by mail stating that you want to be excluded from the Settlement in Amy Walker v. New River Electrical Corp., Case No. CV25-126091. Your letter must also include your full name, current address, and signature. You must mail your exclusion request postmarked no later than June 19, 2026, to:
NREC Data Settlement Administrator
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799
Settlement Class Members will only be able to submit an opt-out request on their own behalf; mass or class opt-outs are not permitted.
Back To Top
Yes. The Court appointed the following attorneys as “Class Counsel” to represent the Settlement Class:
Class Counsel |
Cassandra P. Miller |
You will not be charged for contacting Class Counsel. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense.
Back To Top
Class Counsel will ask the Court to award attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses in an amount not to exceed One Hundred and Thirty-Six Thousand Dollars ($136,000.00). Class Counsel will also seek a Service Award in the amount of Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00) for the Representative Plaintiff. The Court may award less than these amounts.
Back To Top
If you are a Settlement Class Member, you can object to the Settlement if you do not like or agree with the Settlement or some part of it. You can give reasons to the Court why you think the Court should not approve the Settlement. The Court will consider your views before deciding.
Objections must include: the name or caption of this Litigation, i.e., Amy Walker v. New River Electrical Corp., Case No. CV25-126091, and:
the objector’s full name, address, telephone number, and email address (if any);
the case name and case number;
information identifying the objector as a Settlement Class Member, including proof that the objector is a member of the Settlement Class (e.g., copy of original notice of the Data Breach or a statement explaining why the objector believes he or she is a Settlement Class Member);
a written statement of all grounds for the objection, accompanied by any legal support for the objection the objector believes applicable;
the identity of all counsel representing the objector in connection with the objection;
a statement whether the objector and/or his or her counsel will personally appear at the Final Fairness Hearing; and
the objector’s signature or the signature of the objector’s duly authorized attorney or other duly authorized representative.
To be timely, written notice of an objection in the appropriate form must be mailed with a postmark date no later than June 19, 2026, to Class Counsel and to Defendant’s counsel as set forth below. Class Counsel will file the objections received with the Court with the Motion for Final Approval of the Settlement.
Upon respective Proposed Class Counsel via mail and email at: | Upon Defendant’s counsel via mail and email at: |
Cassandra Miller | Candice Diah |
Any Settlement Class Member who fails to comply with the requirements for objecting shall waive and forfeit any and all rights he or she may have to appear separately and/or to object to the Settlement Agreement and shall be bound by all the terms of the Settlement Agreement and by all proceedings, orders, and judgments in the Action. The exclusive means for any challenge to the Settlement Agreement shall be through the provisions set forth herein.
Back To Top
Objecting is telling the Court that you do not like something about the Settlement. Excluding yourself is telling the Court that you do not want to be part of the Class in this Settlement. If you exclude yourself from the Settlement, you have no basis to object or submit a Claim Form because the Settlement no longer affects you.
The Court will hold a hearing to decide whether to approve the Settlement. You may attend and you may ask to speak, but you do not have to. You cannot speak at the hearing if you exclude yourself from the Settlement.
Back To Top
The Court will hold a Final Fairness Hearing on June 29, 2026, in Courtroom 15B of the Justice Center, 1200 Ontario St, Cleveland OH, 44113. The date or time may change without further notice. At the hearing, the Court will consider whether the proposed Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate. The Court may also consider Class Counsel’s request for an award of attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses not to exceed $136,000.00, and a Service Award not to exceed $3,000.00 for the Representative Plaintiff. The Court will take into consideration any timely sent written objections and may also listen to anyone who has requested to speak at the hearing (see Question 22).
Back To Top
No. Class Counsel will answer any questions the Court may have. However, you are welcome to attend the Final Fairness Hearing at your own expense. If you file an objection, you do not have to come to Court to talk about it. You may also hire your own lawyer to attend, at your own expense, but you are not required to do so.
Back To Top
Yes, you may ask the Court for permission to speak at the Final Fairness Hearing. To do so, you must follow the instructions provided in Question 22 above. You cannot speak at the hearing if you exclude yourself from the Settlement.
Back To Top
If you do nothing, you will not receive credit monitoring services or be eligible to receive a payment from this Settlement. If the Court approves the Settlement, and you do nothing, you will be bound by the Settlement Agreement. This means you will not be able to start a lawsuit, continue with a lawsuit, or be part of any other lawsuit against NREC or Released Persons about the issues involved in this lawsuit, resolved by this Settlement, and released by the Settlement Agreement.
Back To Top
This website and the Notice summarize the proposed Settlement. More details are in the Settlement Agreement, which is available, along with other case-related documents, on the Important Documents page. You can also contact the Settlement Administrator at:
NREC Data Settlement Administrator
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799
Phone: (833) 386-6486
Email: info@NRECDataSettlement.com
Please do not call the Court or the Clerk of the Court for additional information.
Back To Top