Fero v. Excellus Health Plan, Inc.

304 F. Supp. 3d 333
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. New York
DecidedJanuary 19, 2018
Docket6:15–CV–06569 EAW
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 304 F. Supp. 3d 333 (Fero v. Excellus Health Plan, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fero v. Excellus Health Plan, Inc., 304 F. Supp. 3d 333 (W.D.N.Y. 2018).

Opinion

ELIZABETH A. WOLFORD, United States District Judge

INTRODUCTION

By Decision and Order filed February 22, 2017, this Court granted in part and *335denied in part the defendants' motions to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6). (Dkt. 140). Plaintiffs now move to reconsider, pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 59(e), 60(b)(1) and (2), and Local Rule of Civil Procedure 7(d)(3), the aspect of the Court's Decision and Order that granted, without prejudice, the Excellus Defendants'1 motion to dismiss the claims of the four non-misuse Plaintiffs (Matthew Fero, Dwayne Church, Therese Boomershine, and Brenda Caltagarone) pursuant to Rule 12(b)(1). (Dkt. 142). Alternatively, Plaintiffs ask the Court to deny the Excellus Defendants' motion to dismiss plaintiff Matthew Fero's breach of contract and unjust enrichment claim for lack of standing, or provide Plaintiffs "the right to replead jurisdictional facts, or, at a minimum, give Plaintiffs[ ] permission to file a motion for leave to file an amended complaint" pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(a)(2). (Id. ). The Excellus Defendants oppose Plaintiffs' motion. (Dkt. 156).

For the reasons that follow, the Court grants the motion for reconsideration and, upon reconsideration, denies the Excellus Defendants' motion to dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b)(1) to the extent that it sought dismissal of the non-misuse Plaintiffs' claims. All other aspects of the Court's Decision and Order, including its grant, in part, of the motions filed pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), remain intact.

BACKGROUND

The factual background and procedural history relevant to this motion are set forth in detail in the Court's prior Decision and Order, with which familiarity is assumed. (Dkt. 140). The Court provides only a brief summary, as well as additional background information as relevant to this motion.

This case arises out of a data breach involving Excellus Health Plan, Inc., a healthcare provider. According to Plaintiffs, on December 23, 2013, hackers gained access to Excellus' computer network systems, which stored the personal information belonging to millions of individuals. (Dkt. 99 (Consolidated Master Complaint at ¶¶ 52, 131, 133) ). During this data breach, the hackers had access to individuals' names, dates of birth, social security numbers, mailing addresses, telephone numbers, member identification numbers, financial payment information (including credit card numbers), and medical insurance claims information. (Id. at ¶¶ 1-3, 52, 134). Plaintiffs, who allege various injuries arising out of the data breach, bring a putative class action against eight defendants, including the Excellus Defendants, and assert claims under various federal and state laws.

Following the data breach, several potential victims filed lawsuits alleging various injuries. (Dkt. 9-2 at 3). The Court consolidated the lawsuits, appointed interim lead counsel, and directed Plaintiffs to file a consolidated master complaint. (Dkt. 27; Dkt. 28; Dkt. 80).

On April 15, 2016, Plaintiffs filed the Consolidated Master Complaint ("CMC"). On May 31, 2016, the Excellus Defendants filed a motion to dismiss. (Dkt. 107). Plaintiffs responded in opposition to the Excellus Defendants' motion to dismiss on July 7, 2016. (Dkt. 122). On August 8, 2016, the Excellus Defendants filed a reply in further support of their motion to dismiss. (Dkt. 133). Oral argument was held before the undersigned on September 8, 2016. (Dkt. 139).

*336On February 22, 2017, the Court issued a Decision and Order in which it concluded, inter alia , that certain Plaintiffs-the so-called "non-misuse" Plaintiffs who did not allege that they had suffered any misuse of their personally identifiable information after the data breach-did not allege an injury-in-fact based on the alleged harm of increased risk of identity theft. (Dkt. 140 at 22-23). The Court reasoned that those Plaintiffs' risk of future harm was not certainly impending because none of those Plaintiffs had alleged any misuse in the three years since the data breach began, and that their alleged injuries depended on a chain of possibilities about the actions of independent actors. (See id. ). The Court also pointed out, based on extra-pleading materials submitted by Plaintiffs, that it was unclear whether patient data had been exfiltrated, and, by extension, it was not clear whether cyber attackers breached the Excellus network in order to commit identity fraud. (See id. ). The Court further found that the four non-misuse Plaintiffs' alternative bases for standing were insufficient. (Id. at 24-28). Therefore, the Court granted the Excellus Defendants' motion to dismiss the four non-misuse Plaintiffs (Fero, Church, Boomershine, and Caltagarone) for lack of standing on the basis that they did not allege an injury-in-fact. (Id. at 29). The Court dismissed those plaintiffs' claims without prejudice. (Id. ).

On March 22, 2017, Plaintiffs moved for reconsideration of that portion of the Court's Decision and Order that dismissed the non-misuse Plaintiffs' claims. (Dkt. 142). On May 3, 2017, the Excellus Defendants responded in opposition to Plaintiffs' motion for reconsideration. (Dkt. 156). Plaintiffs filed a reply in further support of their motion on May 17, 2017. (Dkt. 166). The parties have also submitted multiple letters identifying supplemental authority for their respective positions, each of which the Court has considered in rendering this decision. (See Dkt. 174; Dkt. 175; Dkt. 176; Dkt. 177; Dkt. 178; Dkt. 179; Dkt. 180).

DISCUSSION

I. Standard for Reconsideration

Plaintiffs bring this motion for reconsideration pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 59(e) and 60(b)(1) and (2). (Dkt. 142).2

Rule 54 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure defines "judgment" as "a decree and any order from which an appeal lies." Fed. R. Civ. P. 54(b). Rule 59(e) governs a "motion to alter or amend a judgment." Fed. R. Civ. P. 59(e). Rule 60(b) provides that the Court "may relieve a party ... from a final judgment, order, or proceeding." Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(b). According to the Advisory Committee's notes on the 1946 Amendment of Rule 60 :

The addition of the qualifying word "final" emphasizes the character of the judgments, orders or proceedings from which Rule 60(b) affords relief; and

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304 F. Supp. 3d 333, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fero-v-excellus-health-plan-inc-nywd-2018.