Published
July 8, 2026
Updated
August 31, 2026
People sent notice that their information may have been involved in the Central Valley Meat data incident may qualify to claim up to $5,000 in documented losses plus lost time, and California residents an additional $75, along with two years of monitoring. Claims close September 28, 2026.
What Is This Settlement About?
Central Valley Meat Co., a California meat and cattle processor based in Hanford, has agreed to a class action settlement to resolve claims arising from a data breach discovered around May 2024. According to a data breach notice the company filed with the California Attorney General, an unauthorized party accessed its network and took files from its HR systems that contained personal information, including names and Social Security numbers.The named plaintiff alleges that Central Valley Meat failed to adequately protect that information. Central Valley Meat denies the allegations and any wrongdoing, and no court has found it liable. The two sides agreed to settle to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation. If you received a notice about this settlement, you can file a claim for cash payments and enroll in identity monitoring.
Status
Claims Open
Claim Deadline
September 28, 2026
Estimated Payout
Up to $5,000 + $75 California payment
Documented losses up to $5,000 · up to 2 hrs lost time at $25/hr · $75 cash for California residents · plus 2 years of CyEx Identity Defense Complete monitoring with $1M insurance
Proof Required
Yes
Identifiers from your mailed notice to file online; documentation required for the up to $5,000 reimbursement tier
What Happened?
Around May 2024, Central Valley Meat detected that an unauthorized party had gained access to its computer network. The company determined that files taken during the incident came from its HR records and contained personal information, including names and Social Security numbers. At the time of disclosure, Central Valley Meat offered affected individuals complimentary identity monitoring.Because the exposed data came from HR files, the people affected are largely current and former Central Valley Meat employees and others whose information the company maintained. Exposure of a name together with a Social Security number is the type of information that can be misused for identity theft and fraud, which is the harm the lawsuit and this settlement are meant to address.
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Who Qualifies?
The settlement class is made up of the individuals who were sent notice that their personal information may have been involved in the Central Valley Meat data incident. If you received a mailed settlement notice, you have been identified as a class member and you will need the identifiers printed on that notice to file your claim online.One benefit is limited by residency: the $75 statutory cash payment is available specifically to class members who were California residents at the time of the breach. The reimbursement, lost-time, and identity-monitoring benefits are available to the class generally.
How Much Can You Get?
This settlement offers several benefits, and eligible class members can claim more than one:• Out-of-pocket loss reimbursement — up to $5,000: reimbursement for documented, unreimbursed losses fairly traceable to the breach — for example fraud losses, credit-report or credit-freeze fees, replacement ID costs, and postage — incurred between May 23, 2024 and September 28, 2026. Documentation is required for this tier.
• Lost time — up to $50: up to 2 hours of time spent dealing with the breach, paid at $25 per hour.
• California cash payment — $75: a statutory cash payment for class members who were California residents at the time of the breach.
• Two years of identity monitoring: every class member can enroll in two years of CyEx Identity Defense Complete, which includes credit monitoring, dark-web and public-records monitoring, and $1,000,000 in identity theft insurance.
Because payments come from a claims-made settlement, the exact amounts can be affected by how many valid claims are filed. Check the official settlement website for the current benefit terms before you file.
What Proof Do I Need?
Filing the online claim requires the identifiers printed on the mailed notice the settlement administrator sent to class members, so this settlement is treated as proof-required: a person who never received a notice cannot simply file without those identifiers. If you want the up to $5,000 reimbursement, you also need documentation — such as bank statements or receipts — showing unreimbursed losses tied to the breach.The $75 California payment, the lost-time claim, and the identity monitoring do not require you to submit loss documentation. If you believe you are a class member but cannot locate your notice, you can request help through the official settlement website's contact page rather than filing blind.
Important Dates
• Data Breach Discovered: Around May 2024
• Exclusion (Opt-Out) & Objection Deadline: August 7, 2026
• Final Approval Hearing: August 28, 2026
• Claim Deadline: September 28, 2026
Dates can change if the court adjusts the schedule. Check the official settlement website for the current deadlines before you file.
How to File a Claim
File your claim online at CentralValleyDataSettlement.com. You will need the identifiers from your mailed settlement notice, and documentation of your losses if you are claiming the up to $5,000 reimbursement. The deadline to file is September 28, 2026. If you do nothing, you will not receive a payment or the monitoring, and you give up your right to sue Central Valley Meat on your own over this incident.Related Data Breach Settlements
If you are tracking data breach settlements with open claim windows, several others are worth a look, including the Esse Health data breach settlement, the Serviceaide data breach settlement, and the Oak View Group data breach settlement, which offers the same CyEx Identity Defense Complete monitoring. You can also browse the full data breach settlements tracker to see which claim windows are still open.Sources
• Official Settlement Website — CentralValleyDataSettlement.com• Class Action Settlement, Daniel Fernandez v. Central Valley Meat Co., Inc., Case No. 25CU0022 (Superior Court of California, County of Kings)
• California Attorney General, Central Valley Meat data breach notification: oag.ca.gov data breach list
OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news site and is not the settlement administrator or a law firm.
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Settlement Type
Claims-made settlement — up to $5,000 per person, plus a $75 California payment
Case Title
Daniel Fernandez v. Central Valley Meat Co., Inc.
Case Number
25CU0022
Court
Superior Court of California, County of Kings
Final Approval Hearing
August 28, 2026
Official Website
Central Valley Data Settlement.com
