Texan man files lawsuit against Green Bay Packers for Pro Shop data breach, aims for class action status
A lawsuit was filed by a Texas man against the Green Bay Packers Inc. in connection with the data breach that occurred at the Packers Pro Shop last fall. Brian Garcia, residing in San Marcos, Texas, is seeking damages from the team, alleging that the team did not adequately protect customers’ private data. The lawsuit also seeks to have the case classified as a class action lawsuit, as stated in the civil complaint filed on February 7 in Brown County Circuit Court.
The legal action has been initiated by attorneys from Chicago-based Strauss Borrelli and New York City-based Levi & Korsinsky, both specializing in class action litigation related to data breaches and consumer issues. A class action lawsuit allows multiple individuals impacted by the same incident to collectively sue the party they believe is responsible, without having to pursue individual legal remedies. The proposed class in this case encompasses all residents of the United States affected by the Packers Pro Shop data breach, potentially including thousands of individuals.
The Packers’ legal team has not yet responded to the complaint, and a team spokesperson declined to provide comment. Similarly, Garcia’s attorney also refrained from making any comments regarding the case. The data breach incident was announced by the team on January 7, revealing that the Packers Pro Shop website had been hacked during September and October. The breach had a limited impact on customers who used credit cards for purchases during that period, with payments made through gift cards, Pro Shop website accounts, PayPal, or Amazon Pay being unaffected.
Following notification from the Packers, Garcia claims to have experienced an increase in spam calls, texts, and emails, prompting him to invest significant time in monitoring his accounts to prevent potential identity fraud. The lawsuit alleges that the Packers had a responsibility to safeguard consumers’ private information, which they failed to fulfill by not implementing adequate security measures. This negligence, according to the complaint, may have breached state or federal laws concerning consumer information protection.
The complaint argues for the certification of a class action suit with Garcia as the lead plaintiff, citing the common legal issues and the potential number of claims originating from the breach. It will be at the discretion of Brown County Circuit Court Judge Tammy Jo Hock to decide on certifying the class action and determining the eligibility of participants. The Packers retain the right to challenge the certification request before a final decision is made.
