Before you start
Every settlement describes who is in the class: who bought a product, used a service or had data exposed, and when. Read that description first. When you file, you confirm it fits you, usually under penalty of perjury, so file only for settlements that truly describe you.
Have these ready:
- The Claim ID or notice number, if you got a notice by mail or email. Many claim forms ask for it.
- Receipts or records, only if you want a payment that asks for proof (see do you need proof).
- How you want to be paid: most forms offer an electronic payment or a paper check.
The steps
- Go to the official settlement website. Use the address in your notice, or the link on the settlement's ClaimWell page. Don't file through a site that only appears in an ad or an unexpected message.
- Open the claim form and enter your name, contact details and Claim ID if you have one.
- Choose your benefit. Settlements often offer a basic payment with no proof, or a larger one for documented losses. Some let you pick both or either.
- Add proof only if the benefit you chose asks for it.
- Confirm and submit before the deadline. Deadlines are firm: after the last day, the form closes.
- Save the confirmation number or email. If the administrator needs more information, they'll write to the address you gave.
After you file
The court holds a final approval hearing, and payments go out after it approves the settlement and any appeals end. That usually takes months; see when settlements pay. One claim per person: filing more than once, or for someone who isn't in the class, can get claims rejected.
Opting out instead
Filing a claim keeps you in the class. If you'd rather keep your right to sue the company on your own, the notice explains how to opt out, which has its own, usually earlier, deadline. Most people simply file.
ClaimWell shows each settlement's deadline, what it pays and the proof it asks for, and reminds you before it closes. See every open settlement.