The a class action lawsuit involving stolen laptops containing sensitive information has been settled. The Department of Veterans Affairs has agreed to pay $20 million to the servicemen whose personal data was on the laptop stolen during a burglary in 2006.

The laptop and an external hard drive contained the names, date of birth and Social Security numbers of 26.5 million troops and veterans.

“We are committed to being the ‘gold standard’ in data security, just as we are a leader in the health care industry. We want to assure veterans there is no evidence that the information involved in this incident was used to harm a single veteran”, the VA said in a statement.

The settlement was reached to avoid further expense and inconvenience that would result from the litigation.

The money will go to military personnel and veterans who were affected by the loss of personal data, either through emotional distress or through costs incurred in monitoring credit records.

The laptop was recovered in June of 2006 and the FBI believes that none of the personal information had been accessed.