Frequently Asked Questions

A Court authorized Notice because 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 Action, your legal rights, what benefits are available, and who can receive them. A copy of the Long Form Notice is available in the Documents section of this Settlement Website.

The lawsuit is called Lamont Bracy, et al. v. Americold Logistics, LLC, Case No. 1:23-cv-05743-TWT, pending in the United States District Court for Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division. The people that filed this lawsuit are called the “Plaintiffs” and the company they sued, Americold Logistics, LLC, is called the “Defendant” or “Americold.” 
 

A Settlement has been reached with Americold in a class action lawsuit about two separate cybersecurity incidents, on or about November 16, 2020 (the “2020 Data Incident”), and on or about April 26, 2023 (the “2023 Data Incident”), that allowed unauthorized access to the personally identifiable information and protected health information (collectively “Private Information”) of current and former employees, and/or job applicants. 

This Private Information may have included full names, Social Security Numbers, addresses, driver’s license numbers, state identification numbers, passport numbers, financial account information, health insurance information, and medical information. Americold notified Settlement Class Members about the 2020 Data Incident beginning on or about March 4, 2021 and about the 2023 Data Incident beginning on or about December 8, 2023. 

Plaintiffs assert that Defendant failed to properly secure and safeguard this Private Information. Defendant denies all allegations of liability and wrongdoing.
 

In a class action, one or more individuals sue on behalf of other people with similar claims. These individuals who sue are known as “Settlement Class Representatives” or Plaintiffs. Together, the people included in the class action are called a “Settlement Class” or “Settlement Class Members.” One court resolves the lawsuit for all Settlement Class Members, except for those who exclude themselves (sometimes called, “opting out”) from a settlement. In this Settlement, the Settlement Class Representatives are Plaintiffs Lamont Bracy, Jalisa Samuels, Sean Sheffler, Branden Turner, Brandice Turner, Joseph Vincent, and Belinda Goss.
 

The Court did not decide in favor of Plaintiffs or Defendant. Defendant denies all claims and contends that it has not violated any laws. Plaintiffs and Defendant agreed to a Settlement to avoid the costs and risks of a trial, and through the Settlement, Settlement Class Members are eligible to claim payments. The Plaintiffs and their attorneys, who also represent Settlement Class Members as “Class Counsel,” think the Settlement is best for all Settlement Class Members. 
 

The Settlement Class includes all persons in the United States who were notified by Americold that their Private Information was impacted in the Data Incidents.
 

Yes. Excluded from the Settlement Class are: (a) Americold, any entity in which Americold has a controlling interest, and Americold’s officers, directors, legal representatives, successors, subsidiaries, and assigns; (b) any judge, justice, or judicial officer presiding over the Bracy Action and the members of their immediate families and judicial staff; and (c) any individual who timely and validly opts out of the Settlement.

Under the proposed Settlement, the Defendant will pay $5,250,000 into a Settlement Fund to resolve the Action. The Settlement Fund will provide Credit Monitoring and Cash Payments to Settlement Class Members who submit Valid Claims, as well as Administration Costs, Court-approved Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses, and Service Awards.
Settlement Class Members may choose to receive a Documented Losses Payment and/or a Residual Cash Payment:
•    Documented Losses Payment: Up to $25,000 per Settlement Class Member for unreimbursed, documented losses related to the 2020 Data Incident and/or the 2023 Data Incident; and/or 
•    Residual Cash Payment: A Cash Payment estimated at $200if a Settlement Class Member is identified by the Settlement Administrator as having been notified of both the 2020 Data Incident and the 2023 Data Incident; or a Cash Payment estimated at $100 if a Settlement Class Member is identified by the Settlement Administrator as having been notified of either the 2020 Data Incident or the 2023 Data Incident (but not both).
•    Settlement Class Members may also choose to receive three (3) years of Credit Monitoring, which will include at least $1 million in identity theft protection services.
The Defendant has also undertaken reasonable steps to further secure their systems and environments to protect Settlement Class Members’ data.
 

Settlement Class Members may choose to submit a Claim for up to $25,000 for unreimbursed losses related to the 2020 Data Incident and/or the 2023 Data Incident. Reasonable documentation must be included. Losses include, but are not limited to:  long-distance telephone charges; cell phone minutes (if charged by the minute); internet usage charges (if either charged by the minute or incurred solely as a result of the Data Incident); costs of credit reports purchased as a result of the Data Incident; documented costs paid for credit monitoring services and/or fraud resolution services purchased as a result of the Data Incident; and documented expenses directly associated with dealing with identity theft or identity fraud related to the Data Incident.
Examples of reasonable documentation include, but are not limited to, telephone records, correspondence (including emails), and receipts. Personal certifications, declarations, or affidavits from the Settlement Class Member do not constitute reasonable documentation, but may be included to provide clarification, context, or support for other submitted reasonable documentation. If you do not submit reasonable documentation or your Claim for Documented Losses is rejected by the Settlement Administrator for any reason, and you fail to cure your Claim for Documented Losses, it will be rejected and become a Claim for a Residual Cash Payment. 
You cannot be reimbursed for expenses if you have been reimbursed for the same expenses by another source, including compensation provided in connection with the credit monitoring and identity theft protection product offered as part of the notification letter provided by Defendant or otherwise. 
Settlement Class Members who make a Claim for Documented Losses can also choose to receive three (3) years of Credit Monitoring.
 

The amount of the Residual Cash Payment will be calculated by determining the funds remaining in the Settlement Fund after the payment of Documented Loss Payments, costs of Credit Monitoring, Administration Costs, Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses, and Service Awards (the “Residual”) and dividing the Residual among those Settlement Class Members with Valid Claims for the Residual Cash Payment. Settlement Class Members that are identified by the Settlement Administrator as being notified of both the 2020 Data Incident and the 2023 Data Incident will receive double the amount received by Settlement Class Members that are identified by the Settlement Administrator as being notified of either the 2020 Data Incident or the 2023 Data Incident (but not both).  Settlement Class Members that are identified by the Settlement Administrator as being notified of both the 2020 Data Incident and the 2023 Data Incident are estimated to receive $200.  Settlement Class Members that are identified by the Settlement Administrator as being notified of either the 2020 Data Incident or the 2023 Data Incident (but not both) are estimated to receive $100. No documentation is required. 
Settlement Class Members who make a Claim for Residual Cash Payment can also choose to receive three (3) years of Credit Monitoring.
 

In addition to the Cash Payment(s), Settlement Class Members may also submit a Claim to receive three (3) years of Credit Monitoring, which will include at least $1 million in identity theft protection services. After the Court grants Final Approval of the Settlement and any appeals have been resolved, the Settlement Administrator will send an email to Settlement Class Members with Valid Claims that elected Credit Monitoring with information on how to enroll in the program, including the activation code.
 

All Cash Payments will be subject to a pro rata (equal percentage) increase or decrease based on the amount of Valid Claims filed and the amount of money left in the Settlement Fund after all Administration Costs, Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses, Court-approved Service Awards, and the costs of providing Credit Monitoring are deducted.
 

Unless you opt out of the Settlement Class, you cannot sue, continue to sue, or be part of any other lawsuit against Defendant about any of the legal claims this Settlement resolves. The “Releases” section in the Settlement Agreement describes the legal claims that you give up if you remain in the Settlement Class. The Settlement Agreement can be found here.

You must submit a Claim Form, with any necessary documentation, to receive Settlement Benefits. Claim Forms may be submitted online by October 22, 2026, through this Settlement Website or mailed to the Settlement Administrator, postmarked by October 22, 2026, at: 
 

Lamont Bracy v. Americold Logistics, LLC
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
P.O. Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391
 

The short answer is – after the Settlement is “finally approved” and challenges, if any, to that approval are finally resolved. The Court is scheduled to hold a Final Approval Hearing on October 6, 2026, at 02:00 p.m. ET, to decide whether to approve the Settlement, the Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses for Class Counsel for representing the Settlement Class, and Service Awards for the Settlement Class Representatives.
If the Court approves the Settlement, there may be appeals. It is always uncertain whether appeals will be filed and, if so, how long it will take to resolve them. Settlement Benefits will be distributed as soon as possible, if and when the Court grants Final Approval of the Settlement and after any appeals are resolved.
 

Yes, the Court appointed Gary Klinger of Milberg, PLLC, John Yanchunis of Morgan & Morgan Complex Litigation Group, MaryBeth Gibson of Gibson Consumer Law Group, LLC, and Terence Coates of Markovits Stock & DeMarco, LLC as Class Counsel to represent you and other members of the Settlement Class. You will not be charged directly for these lawyers; instead, they will receive compensation from the Settlement Fund (subject to Court approval). If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense.
 

It is not necessary for you to hire your own lawyer because Class Counsel works for you. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense.
 

Class Counsel will ask the Court to approve Attorneys’ Fees of up to 35% of the Settlement Fund ($1,837,500), plus reimbursement of Expenses, as well as $3,000 Service Award payments to each of the seven (7) Settlement Class Representatives for bringing and settling the case.
 

If you do not want to receive any Settlement Benefits, and you want to keep your right to separately sue Defendant about the legal issues in this case, you must take steps to exclude yourself from the Settlement Class. This is called “opting out” of the Settlement Class. The last day to submit an “opt-out request” from the Settlement is September 22, 2026.
To opt-out of the Settlement, you must submit a written opt-out request that includes the following information:
 

• A statement clearly indicating that you want to opt-out of the Settlement Class, such as “I wish to be excluded from the Settlement Class in Lamont Bracy, et al. v. Americold Logistics, LLC, Case No. 1:23-cv-05743-TWT”;
• Your name, address, telephone number, and email address; and
• Your personal signature.

Your opt-out request must be mailed to the Settlement Administrator at the address below, postmarked no later than September 22, 2026.

Lamont Bracy v. Americold Logistics, LLC
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
P.O. Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391

If you do not timely and validly request to opt-out, you will be bound by the terms of the Settlement Agreement.
 

If you are a Settlement Class Member, you can choose (but are not required) to object to the Settlement if you do not like it or a portion of it, whether that be to the Settlement Benefits, the request for the Attorneys’ Fee Award, or the Service Award payments, the releases provided to the Defendant, or some other aspect of the Settlement. Through an objection, you give reasons why you think the Court should not approve the Settlement.
 

For an objection to be considered by the Court, it must include: 

1. The case name and number, Lamont Bracy, et al. v. Americold Logistics, LLC, Case No. 1:23-cv-05743-TWT;
2. Your full name, mailing address, and telephone number, and if represented by counsel, his/her name, address and telephone number;
3. All grounds for the objection;
4. A statement of whether the objecting Settlement Class Member intends to appear at the Final Approval Hearing, and if so, whether personally or through counsel;
5. A list of all persons who will be called to testify at the Final Approval Hearing in support of the objection (if any); and
6. Your personal signature (an attorney’s signature is not sufficient). 

If an objecting Settlement Class Member intends to speak at the Final Approval Hearing (whether pro se or through an attorney), the written objection must include a detailed description of any evidence the objecting Settlement Class Member may offer at the Final Approval Hearing, as well as copies of any exhibits the objecting Settlement Class Member may introduce at the Final Approval Hearing.
Your objection must be filed with the Court and mailed or shipped to Class Counsel, Defendant’s Counsel, and the Settlement Administrator at the addresses below, so that the postmark or shipping date is no later than September 22, 2026.
 

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 means telling the Court you do not want to be part of the Settlement. If you opt-out, you cannot object to the Settlement because it no longer affects you.
 

The Court is scheduled to hold a Final Approval Hearing on October 6, 2026, at 02:00 p.m. ET, at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building and United States Courthouse, 75 Ted Turner Drive, SW, Courtroom 2108, Atlanta, GA 30303-3309, to decide whether to approve the Settlement, the Attorneys’ Fee Award of 35% of the Settlement Fund ($1,837,500) plus expenses for Class Counsel for representing the Settlement Class, and $3,000 Service Awards for each of the seven (7) Settlement Class Representatives who brought this lawsuit on behalf of the Settlement Class. The date and time of this hearing may change without further notice. Please check here for updates.
 

No. Class Counsel will answer any questions the Court may have. You may attend at your own expense. If you file an objection, you may, but you do not have to come to the Final Approval Hearing to talk about it. If you file your written objection on time and in accordance with the requirements above (see Question 19), the Court will consider it. You may also pay your own lawyer to attend, but it is not necessary for the Court to consider an objection that was filed on time and meets the requirements above. 
 

If you are a Settlement Class Member and you do nothing, you will give up your right to start a lawsuit, continue a lawsuit, or be part of any other lawsuit against Defendant and the other Released Parties, as defined in the Settlement Agreement, about the legal issues resolved by this Settlement. In addition, you will be bound by the Releases in the Settlement Agreement and will not be eligible to receive Settlement Benefits.
 

This Notice summarizes the proposed Settlement. Complete details are provided in the Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement and other related documents are available here. If you have additional questions or need to update your address, you may contact the Settlement Administrator via the Settlement Website, by phone at (833) 930-0248, or by mail at:
 

Lamont Bracy v. Americold Logistics, LLC
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
P.O. Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391