Plain-English reference

Settlement terms, decoded.

Every confusing word on a claim form, explained the way the forms actually use it — drawn from our audits of real administrator claim sites.

Class Member ID / Notice ID: A unique code printed on the letter or email the settlement administrator sent you (formats vary: a long number, or a case prefix plus digits). Many online claim forms ask for it, and some won't let you file online without it. If you lost your notice, most administrators can resend your ID — contact them with your full name and mailing address. Filing by mail is often the fallback when an ID can't be recovered.
PIN (claim form): A second code that pairs with your Class Member ID on some claim portals — together they act as your login. Both appear on the mailed or emailed notice. A PIN is settlement-specific: a PIN from one case never works on another.
Claim deadline (claims bar date): The last day to submit a claim form. Online forms typically close at 11:59 PM on the deadline date; mailed forms usually must be POSTMARKED by that date. After it passes, the window is closed — late claims are generally rejected.
Proof of purchase: Documentation showing you bought the product or used the service — a receipt, order confirmation email, or bank/card statement line. Many settlements offer a smaller payment WITHOUT proof and a larger one with it. Administrators routinely reject "self-prepared" evidence (e.g. a typed note), so keep original records.
Out-of-pocket losses: Actual money you spent or lost because of the incident — fraud charges, credit-repair fees, monitoring costs, even documented time at a fixed hourly rate in some cases. Claims for these (often capped at $2,500–$5,000) require itemizing each loss with a date, an amount, and a supporting document.
Pro rata payment: A payment that depends on how many people file: the settlement fund is divided among all valid claims. If fewer people claim, each payment grows; if many claim, it shrinks. This is why an "estimated $125" can arrive as more or less than $125.
Settlement administrator: The neutral company the court appoints to run the settlement: mail notices, host the official claim website, validate claims, and send payments. Examples include Kroll, Epiq, Angeion, and Simpluris. The administrator — not the defendant, not any third-party site — decides whether your claim is approved.
Final approval (fairness hearing): The court hearing where a judge decides whether the settlement is fair and reasonable. Payments only start AFTER final approval — and usually after any appeals resolve, which can add months. This is the single biggest reason payouts take 6–18 months.
Opt-out (exclusion): Removing yourself from the settlement class by the exclusion deadline. You get no settlement payment, but you keep the right to sue the defendant on your own. Doing nothing keeps you in the class; filing a claim gets you paid.
Cy pres: Leftover settlement money that can't practically be distributed to class members (e.g. uncashed checks) and is donated to charities related to the case's subject instead of returning to the defendant.
Payment election: How you choose to be paid on the claim form: typically PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, a virtual prepaid card, direct deposit, or a mailed check. Electronic options usually arrive faster; mailed checks often expire 90–180 days after issue, so deposit them promptly.
Attestation (penalty of perjury): The signed statement at the end of a claim form confirming your answers are true. Submitting a false claim is fraud — file only for settlements where you genuinely qualify.
Class period: The date range that defines who is included — e.g. "customers who made a purchase between March 2019 and June 2023." Your purchase or account must fall inside the period; check it before spending time on a claim form.
Release of claims: What you give up by staying in the settlement: the right to sue the defendant over the same conduct later. Filing a claim (or simply not opting out) usually means accepting the release — it is the legal trade for the payment.
Lead plaintiff (class representative): The named person who sued on behalf of everyone — the "Lewis" in Lewis v. Register.com. They often receive a court-approved service award (commonly $500–$10,000) on top of their regular share.
Objection: A formal letter to the court saying the settlement's terms are unfair — without leaving the class. Objections are argued at the fairness hearing. Objecting is NOT how you get paid; filing a claim is.
Claims rate: The percentage of eligible people who actually file — often in the single digits (the FTC has reported medians around 9%, and ~4–6% is common). Low claims rates are why pro rata payments frequently come out HIGHER than the advertised estimate.
Exclusion / objection deadline: The cutoff for opting out of or objecting to a settlement — usually weeks BEFORE the claim deadline. After it passes you are bound by the release whether or not you file a claim, so the only money-relevant date left is the claim deadline itself.

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