Sask. Lifelabs patients could be eligible for up to $150 in compensation for cyber attack

Saskatchewan patients who used Lifelabs for medical services could be eligible to receive up to $150 as part of a class-action settlement related to a 2019 cyber attack.

Following the final approval of the settlement earlier this fall, accounting firm KPMG — which is serving as the claims administrator —is now accepting claim submissions.

Anyone in Canada who was a Lifelabs client on or before Dec 17, 2019 is eligible to submit a claim.

"The precise amount to be paid per person will be determined based on the total number of claims filed," an email from KPMG to potentially affected patients said.

According to the firm, the final amount each patient will be paid will be based on the total number of claimants — up to $150 per patient before the deduction of "court-approved legal fees, disbursements and taxes." Claimants will receive a minimum of $50 before deductions.

Claims can be submitted through a KPMG website. The deadline for submissions is April 6.

While the breach mainly affected patients in Ontario and British Columbia, close to 100,000 people in Saskatchewan may have had their data comprimised in the hack, according to a 2020 report from the province's privacy commisoner.

When first announcing the widespread breach, Lifelabs estimated as many as 15 million Canadian's may have been affected. The company paid an undisclosed amount as ransom for the data.

According to KPMG, since the breach there has been no evidence the information has been sold on the dark web or misused.