If you searched Labcorp’s website from California or Pennsylvania between May 2021 and April 2026, a proposed settlement will bind you whether or not you want it — there is no opt-out — but it takes nothing from you that could be turned into money. The deal is injunctive relief only. Labcorp would stop using certain tracking technologies on labcorp.com for two years; class members receive no payment, file no claim, and keep any claim they have for damages.
Status: Preliminary approval granted, final approval pending | No claim form and no claim deadline | Objections postmarked by November 23, 2026 | Final approval hearing December 14, 2026
The Case in One Paragraph
The lawsuit is Howard v. Laboratory Corp. of America, Case No. 1:23-cv-758-WO-JEP, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. The plaintiffs allege that Laboratory Corporation of America and Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings broke California and Pennsylvania wiretapping laws by facilitating, through third-party tracking technologies, the interception of personally identifiable information and of the searches people ran on Labcorp’s website. Labcorp denies the allegations and all liability, and says settling is not an admission that any claim has merit. No court has ruled on who is right.
What was settled is only the part of the case that asks for a court order changing Labcorp’s conduct. That narrow scope explains everything else about the deal: no fund, no claim form, no opt-out, and no release of money claims for ordinary class members.
Two Classes, Defined by a Search Box
There are two Settlement Classes: all persons in California, and all persons in Pennsylvania, who conducted “Search Queries” on Labcorp’s website from May 1, 2021 to April 1, 2026.
The notice gives “Search Queries” a wide meaning. Typing any term into a search bar or search menu on labcorp.com or one of its subpages counts, and so does picking an option from a drop-down menu on the site. Looking up a test, a location or a service during the class period is likely enough. An account was not required.
Labcorp itself, its current employees, officers, directors, legal representatives, heirs, successors, and its wholly or partly owned subsidiaries and affiliates are excluded. So are the plaintiffs’ lawyers and their employees, and the judge and court staff assigned to the case. Because nothing is being claimed, there is no notice ID, no class member number and no eligibility lookup tool.
What Labcorp Would Have to Do
If the court approves the settlement and any appeals are resolved, the notice says Labcorp has agreed to:
- Stop using or enabling certain tracking technologies on labcorp.com and any of its subpages for two years. The notice names the Meta Pixel and Google Analytics as examples; the settlement agreement holds the full definition.
- Run an annual review and prepare a compliance report showing it is not using the prohibited technologies.
- Create or maintain a written policy on appropriate use of externally developed tracking technologies on its website.
- Put a senior employee in charge of overseeing compliance with those terms.
The two-year clock does not start at preliminary approval. It begins only once approval is final and any appeals are over. If the court rejects the deal, none of these commitments take effect and the lawsuit goes on.
Why You Cannot Opt Out — and Why That Costs Less Than Usual
In most class settlements, staying in means giving up the right to sue for money, which is why opting out matters. Here the notice says that because the plaintiffs sought only injunctive relief and Labcorp agreed only to injunctive relief, class members cannot exclude themselves. Everyone in the two classes is bound if the court approves.
The release is drawn to match. A class member gives up the right to sue Labcorp and affiliated entities for injunctive relief tied to the factual predicate in the operative complaint. Claims for damages or other monetary relief are not released for anyone except the Settlement Class Representatives. An individual money claim over the same alleged tracking survives. The settlement agreement on the official website controls the exact scope of the Released Claims.
Watch for Fake Claim Pages
A settlement with a recognizable company name and no claim form is an easy target for imitation. Any site offering a “Labcorp settlement claim form,” asking for a Social Security number or bank details, or promising a payment from this case is not part of it. The only official destination is the Laboratory Corporation Website Settlement site run by the court-appointed administrator, Epiq, which posts the settlement agreement, the long-form notice and the other filings.
This case is also separate from the Labcorp AMCA data breach settlement, which grew out of a 2018–2019 incident at a third-party billing vendor, was litigated in New Jersey, created a $35 million fund and closed claims on September 3, 2026. A claim filed in that settlement creates no rights in this one, and this settlement does not reopen that deadline. Many people fall into both classes because the time periods overlap.
The Dates That Matter
| On or before November 14, 2026 | Class counsel’s deadline to file the motion for attorneys’ fees, expenses and service awards. |
| November 23, 2026 | Postmark deadline for a written objection or comment and for a Notice of Intention to Appear at the hearing. |
| December 14, 2026, 10:00 a.m. ET | Final approval hearing, Courtroom 1, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, Greensboro. It may be held by videoconference or moved without further notice. |
How to Object
An objection has to be in writing and mailed to the Clerk of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, at the address printed in the official notice. According to the notice, it must include the case name and number; your name, mailing address, email address and signature (and your lawyer’s signature if you have one); the specific part of the settlement or fee request you object to, with any supporting law or evidence; and a statement that you ran a Search Query on Labcorp’s website during the class period, along with the state you were in at the time. A class member who does not object in that form waives the right to object or be heard at the hearing. Attending the hearing is optional and at your own expense.
What the Lawyers Are Asking For
Settlement Class Counsel have said they will ask the court for attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses totaling no more than $4.875 million, plus service awards of up to $2,500 each for three Settlement Class Representatives. The court may award less. With no common fund for the class, those amounts do not reduce anything a class member would otherwise receive. The Labcorp website tracking page on OpenClassActions.com embeds the full court-approved notice and will track the court’s ruling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to file anything to be part of the Labcorp website tracking settlement?
No. There is no claim form, no claims portal and no claim deadline. The benefit is a change to how Labcorp’s website works, so class members in California and Pennsylvania do not need to do anything.
Will I receive any money?
No. The official notice says the settlement provides only injunctive relief and no monetary compensation to class members. In return, class members other than the named representatives do not release claims for damages or other monetary relief.
Can I exclude myself?
No. Because both sides sought and agreed to injunctive relief only, the notice says class members cannot opt out and everyone in the class is bound if the court approves. You can object in writing, postmarked by November 23, 2026.
What counts as a Search Query?
Entering any search term into a search bar or search menu on labcorp.com or its subpages, and also making a selection from any drop-down menu on the website, between May 1, 2021 and April 1, 2026, while in California or Pennsylvania.
Is this the same as the Labcorp AMCA data breach settlement?
No. That was a separate case about a 2018 to 2019 breach at a billing vendor, with a $35 million fund and a September 3, 2026 claim deadline. This case is about tracking technology on Labcorp’s own website and pays no money.
When does the court decide?
The final approval hearing is scheduled for December 14, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time in Greensboro, North Carolina. It may be held by videoconference or rescheduled without further notice, so check the official settlement website for the current date.
Sources
- Official settlement website, FAQ and documents page — Laboratory Corporation Website Settlement, administered by Epiq.
- Court-approved long-form Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement in Howard v. Laboratory Corp. of America, Case No. 1:23-cv-758-WO-JEP, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.
- OpenClassActions.com — Labcorp Website Tracking Settlement.
Source and credit: this report builds on our sister site’s coverage — OpenClassActions.com: Labcorp Website Tracking Settlement — No Money, No Claim Form — which follows the case and is updated as new filings, orders and payment news come in.
Legal Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. OpenClassActions.org is a consumer news site, not a law firm, and is not affiliated with any party to the matters described. Allegations are allegations until a court rules on them, and court schedules and outcomes can change.