Two class action lawsuits against Nissan Canada Inc., Nissan Canada Financial Services Inc., and Nissan North America, Inc. have reached a proposed settlement following allegations of a data breach involving customer information.
The lawsuits were initially filed in Ontario and Québec. The lawsuits allege that Nissan is liable for damages resulting from an incident in which it received an anonymous email from an unknown individual claiming to have information about Nissan customers and demanding a ransom be paid to return the data. The incident occurred between December 22, 2016, and January 12, 2017. Nissan denied any wrongdoing, and none of the allegations of the lawsuit have been proven. The parties have instead decided to settle the lawsuit.
The class includes Québec residents who held active leases or loans with Nissan during the specified period and those across the rest of Canada (excluding Québec) who likewise had active leases or loans with Nissan during the contested period. The class also includes Québec residents who received a letter from Nissan in January 2018 informing them of the data incident.
Nissan has committed to creating a fund of $1,820,000.00 to settle these claims. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice approved this settlement, and the Superior Court of Quebec will conduct a final approval hearing on June 6.
If the courts approve the settlement, class members who prove they incurred damages, losses, costs, and unreimbursed expenses due to the data incident could receive reimbursements of up to $2,500. Those without documented proof but who submitted a claim could receive $35 as compensation for their lost time.
This settlement aims to compensate those affected by the breach and mitigate the need for further court actions. Class members seeking more information about the settlement, including how to object to it or view detailed documents, are encouraged to visit the designated settlement website.