Published
November 14, 2026
People notified that their information was potentially affected by the December 2024 Cornwell Quality Tools data breach may qualify to claim $50 with no proof, or up to $5,000 in documented losses and lost time, plus two years of identity monitoring, from the Cornwell Quality Tools data breach class action settlement. Claims are open through January 25, 2027, and the final approval hearing is set for January 28, 2027.
Current Status
Claims are open. The deadline is January 25, 2027, for online claims and for paper claim forms postmarked by that date. The Medina County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas has preliminarily approved the settlement, and the final approval hearing is January 28, 2027. No payments have been made yet; benefits are distributed only after final approval and any appeals.Free settlement alerts
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Status
Claims Open
Claim Deadline
January 25, 2027
Estimated Payout
$50 or up to $5,000
$50 flat · or documented losses and lost time · plus 2 years of identity monitoring
Proof Required
Yes — ID to file online
LoginID and PIN from the notice · no receipts for the $50 payment · documented losses need records
What Changed Recently?
The Cornwell Quality Tools Company, a Wadsworth, Ohio, maker of tools for the automotive and aviation industries, agreed to settle Cox v. The Cornwell Quality Tools Company, a class action over a December 2024 data incident. The suits were first filed in federal court in Cleveland in September 2025 and consolidated; after a March 2026 mediation the plaintiffs dismissed the federal case and refiled in Medina County, where the court preliminarily approved the settlement in September 2026. Cornwell denies the allegations and any wrongdoing.This is a separate settlement from the earlier Cornwell Quality Tools settlement over a September 2022 incident, whose claim deadline passed in November 2025.
Who Qualifies?
The class includes all individuals in the United States whose private information was potentially affected by the data incident Cornwell announced in September 2025, including everyone sent a notice letter. According to the settlement agreement, an unauthorized party had access to Cornwell computer systems from December 11 to December 22, 2024; Cornwell learned of it on December 20, 2024, and began mailing notices to about 103,782 people on September 4, 2025.The information involved includes full names and Social Security numbers and, in very limited instances, financial account numbers, health insurance and medical information, driver’s license numbers and credit or debit card numbers with security codes or expiration dates. Excluded are Cornwell and its related entities and their officers and directors, the judges assigned to the case and their families, government entities, anyone who opts out, and anyone found criminally responsible for the incident.
How Much Can You Get?
Each class member who files a valid claim can choose one cash option, plus monitoring:- Documented losses and lost time — up to $5,000 combined. This covers unreimbursed out-of-pocket costs fairly traceable to the breach, such as bank fees, per-minute phone or data charges, postage, gas for local travel and the cost of credit reports or monitoring, with credit card or bank statements, receipts, invoices or similar records. Self-prepared documents alone do not count. Lost time is paid at $20 an hour for up to three hours ($60) with a signed attestation describing how the time was spent.
- Alternative cash payment — $50, with no documents or attestation, in place of the losses-and-time option.
- Identity monitoring — two years of three-bureau CyEx Financial Shield monitoring with $1 million in identity theft insurance, which can be added to either cash choice.
What Proof or Notice ID Is Required?
The online claim form requires the LoginID and PIN printed on the notice Cornwell’s settlement administrator mailed. A class member without them can download the paper claim form and mail it in. The $50 payment needs no documents, lost time needs a signed attestation, and documented losses need supporting records.What Is the Deadline?
Claims must be submitted online by January 25, 2027, or mailed with a postmark no later than January 25, 2027. Opt-out requests must be postmarked by December 28, 2026, and objections must be filed with the Medina County clerk or postmarked to the administrator by December 28, 2026.How Do You Take Action?
Claims are filed on the official CQT Data Incident Settlement website with the LoginID and PIN from the notice. The website also has a printable claim form, the long-form notice, the settlement agreement and the instructions for opting out or objecting.What Happens Next?
Judge William F. Hutson will hold the final approval hearing on January 28, 2027, at 9:00 a.m. at the Medina County Courthouse in Medina, Ohio, and will also rule on the fee and service award request. The date can change without further notice. Under the settlement agreement, payments and monitoring enrollment instructions are to go out within 56 days after the settlement becomes effective; no distribution date has been announced.Sources and Verification
- CQT Data Incident Settlement — the court-authorized settlement website run by Simpluris
- Notice of The Cornwell Quality Tools Company Data Incident Class Action Settlement (embedded below)
- Settlement and Release and Preliminary Approval Order, Cox v. The Cornwell Quality Tools Company, Case No. 2026CIV0649, Court of Common Pleas, Medina County, Ohio
Questions
Is this the same as the earlier Cornwell Quality Tools settlement?
No. An earlier settlement, Felger v. The Cornwell Quality Tools Company, covered a September 2022 data incident and its claim deadline passed on November 27, 2025. This settlement, Cox v. The Cornwell Quality Tools Company, covers a separate incident in December 2024 that Cornwell announced in September 2025, and it has its own claim deadline of January 25, 2027.
Can a Cornwell class member claim both the $50 payment and documented losses?
No. The $50 alternative cash payment is in place of reimbursement for documented losses and lost time. Identity monitoring can be added to either choice.
Is identity monitoring automatic in the Cornwell settlement?
No. Class members must choose identity monitoring on a claim form to receive two years of three-bureau CyEx Financial Shield monitoring with $1 million in identity theft insurance. Anyone who does nothing receives no benefits.
Do attorneys’ fees reduce the Cornwell payments?
No. The settlement is claims-made with no shared fund. Cornwell pays each valid claim and separately pays administration costs, up to $500,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs, and service awards of $2,000 for each class representative, if the court approves them.
Official Settlement Notice
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Settlement Amount
Claims-made: $50, or up to $5,000 in losses and time, plus monitoring
Case Title
Cox, et al. v. The Cornwell Quality Tools Company
Case Number
2026CIV0649
Court
Court of Common Pleas, Medina County, Ohio
Final Approval Hearing
January 28, 2027 at 9:00 AM
Medina County Courthouse, Medina, Ohio
Administrator
Simpluris
Official Website
CQT Data Incident Settlement
