A lot of the enquiries we receive relate to medical data breaches, particularly within the NHS. These prompted our investigation into NHS data breach compensation claims.

Below, you can find out how much compensation has been paid out for data breaches by each NHS Trust, as well as the total number of claims made and compensation paid out.

We also uncovered the most prevalent types of data breaches within the UK health sector over the last three years.

Learn More About Making A Medical Data Breach Compensation Claim

If you’ve been impacted by a medical data breach by the NHS, you could be entitled to compensation. You can head here to learn about the eligibility criteria for claiming medical data breach compensation, or you can get in touch with us for free via our live chat or 24-hour helpline.

Here at Legal Expert, we have a team of specialist data breach solicitors who are well-versed in medical and NHS data breach compensation claims. They can help you today too.

How We Conducted Our Research

Legal Expert sent a Freedom of Information Request to NHS Resolution to find out the number of data breach claims lodged against each NHS Trust in the UK.

We also asked for the amount of damages paid out by each trust for such claims in the last three years, the results of which you can see below

Similarly, a request was sent to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to find out the number of data breach incidents reported to them by the healthcare sector as well as the types of data breaches that are most prevalent.

The Most Common Data Breach Types Within The UK Health Sector

The most common data breaches in the health sector in the last two years have been disclosed to Legal Expert by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Between 2022/23, data breaches have skyrocketed by 21% in the UK health sector.

Data breaches reported to the ICO by businesses in the health sector includes; 

• Advisory boards and panels
• Ambulance service
• Commissioning
• Dentists
• General practitioner
• Health research
• Healthcare and pharmaceuticals
• Opticians
• Pharmacist
• Primary care
• Private healthcare providers
• Public health
• Representative and arm’s length bodies
• Secondary care

In 2022, a total of 1,607 data breaches were reported to ICO from the health sector, this soared to 1,949 incidents the following year. 

So far this year, between January 1 – March 20, 2024, a total of 505 data breaches have been reported by the health sector to ICO. That’s an average of 168 incidents a month. If the trajectory continues, figures could reach record highs this year of around 2,020.

Legal Expert has ranked the top 10 most common data breach incident types reported to the ICO from the Health Sector between 2022-24.

Top 10 most common Data Breach Incidents Health Sector

Definitions as provided by the ICO

Unauthorised access – an unauthorised individual has gained access to personal data. This can include unauthorised disclosures. This incident type is used both in instances where an individual has unlawfully accessed or disclosed information and where a third party has forcibly accessed a system.

Data emailed to incorrect recipient – where an email containing personal data is sent to the wrong email address. This could be data about one person or multiple individuals.

Data posted or faxed to incorrect recipient – where a fax or piece of post containing personal data is sent to the wrong fax number or postal address. This could be data about one person or multiple individuals.

Loss/theft of paperwork or data left in insecure location – papers containing personal data are not secured, for example locking the paperwork in a cabinet or similar; or papers are misplaced or stolen.

Verbal disclosure of personal data – when personal data is shared or disclosed verbally to an inappropriate party.

Ransomware – a type of malware that unlawfully encrypts a user’s files and demands a ransom to unencrypt files, usually in the form of cryptocurrency.

Failure to redact – when personal data was disclosed without the appropriate redaction, or if the redactions made were inadequate.

Phishing – an attempt to obtain information by posing as a trustworthy entity, deceiving recipients into sharing sensitive information (such as usernames, passwords, or credit card details) or by encouraging them to visit a fake website.

Hardware/software misconfiguration – any hardware or software misconfiguration leading to a disclosure of information. For example, permissions on a folder set incorrectly, or failing to use a robot.txt file.

Data of wrong data subject shown in client portal – where personal information about one or more individuals is shown within the Online service area belonging to another person.

The Results Of Our Research Into NHS Data Breach Claims

We send out Freedom of Information Request for every NHS Trust asking for the number of data breach claims and the amount of compensation paid in the last three years.

All NHS Trusts provided the requested information. A total of 897 Data Breach claims were lodged against NHS Trusts between the financial years 2020/21and 2022/23.

In this time period, 418 claims were closed with a compensation payment. The total amount of damages paid by the NHS for these claims was £1,537,295.

Some 212 data breach claims were closed during this period with NIL damages paid out.

Our investigation revealed a total of 20 NHS Trusts paid out thousands in data breach compensation claims in the last three years, find your local trust below.

Top 10 most common Data Breach Incidents Health Sector

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust came far and above any other in the UK, with a hefty compensation pay-out total.

Between the financial years, 2020/21 and 2022/23, the trust had 61 claims lodged against it. 

36 claims were made between 2020/21 as well as 19 more the following year. A further 6 data breach claims have been lodged against the trust this year so far (up to March 2024)/

In the last three years, WWL Trust settled 47 claims, paying out a total of £79, 650 – the highest amount of any NHS Trust.

Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Norfolk and Norwich NHS Trust paid out the second highest compensation of all UK trusts.

Between the financial years, 2020/21 and 2022/23, seven data breach claims and incidents were reported to ICO regarding the trust. 

In the last three years, the trust settled 5 claims, paying out a total of £46,875.

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Trust paid out the third highest compensation of all UK trusts.

Between the financial years, 2020/21 and 2022/23, the trust had 5 claims lodged against it, all of which were made between 2022/23.

In the last three years, the trust settled 5 claims, paying out a total of £37,038.

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Trust paid out the fourth highest compensation of all UK trusts.

Between the financial years, 2020/21 and 2022/23, the trust had 5 claims lodged against it, all of which were made between 2022/23.

In the last three years, the trust settled all 5 claims, paying out a total of £30,500.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust paid out the fifth highest compensation of all UK Trusts. 

Between the financial years, 2020/21 and 2022/23, the trust had 16 claims lodged against it, all of which were made between 2020/21.

In the last three years, the trust has settled 9 claims, paying out a total of £29,750.

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust paid out the sixth highest compensation of all UK Trusts. 

Between the financial years, 2020/21 and 2022/23, the trust had 6 claims lodged against it, all of which were made between 2020/21.

In the last three years, the trust has settled 7 claims, paying out a total of £28,500.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust was also high on the list, paying the seventh highest amount out of all UK trusts.

The trust settled 8 data breach claims in the last three years with a sum of £23,590. 

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

South West Yorkshire Partnership Trust paid out some of the highest compensation amounts of all UK Trusts. 

Between the financial years, 2020/21 and 2022/23, the trust did not have any new claims lodged against it, according to NHS Resolution. 

But, in the last three years, it has settled 5 claims, paying out a total of £22,400.

West London NHS Trust

West London NHS Trust paid out some of the highest compensation amounts of all UK Trusts. 

Between the financial years, 2020/21 and 2022/23, nine data breach claims and incidents were reported to ICO regarding the trust. 

In the last three years, it has settled 5 claims, paying out a total of £22,350.

Mersey Care NHS Trust

Mersey Care NHS Trust paid out some of the highest compensation amounts of all UK Trusts. 

Between the financial years, 2020/21 and 2022/23, nine data breach claims and incidents were reported to ICO regarding the trust. 

In the last three years, it has settled 7 claims, paying out a total of £21,950.

What’s more Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust had the second highest number of data breach claims lodged against it during this time. 

40 claims were brought against the trust, all of which were between 2022/23.

It has been widely reported by various religious groups that there has been a sharp rise in the number of hate crimes against members of their faith. It prompted us to conduct our own research into the numbers reported to local police forces across the country.

What Is A Religious Hate Crime?

A religious hate crime is defined as a hostile act that’s motivated by a person’s religious beliefs. It’s important to note that the crime has to be perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by prejudice or hostility.

Get Help If You’ve Been Assaulted Or Injured In A Religiously-Motivated Attack

If you’ve suffered an injury in a physical assault because of your religion or beliefs or perceived religion, you could be entitled to compensation. It’s possible to make a criminal injury claim from a government-funded body called the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

At Legal Expert, we’re specialists in criminal injury compensation claims and we can help you too.

If you’d like to speak with us for free today, please call us on the number at the top of this page, speak with us via our live chat box, or click here to contact us in writing.

How We Conducted Our Research Into Religious Hate Crimes

To conduct our research and obtain the statistics that you can find below, we issued Freedom of Information requests to all police forces in the country.

Of the 44 police forces contacted, 35 (80%) responded within the deadline. We also obtained information from the British Transport Police.

You can find the results of our investigation below.

If you’d like to see a copy of the responses from police forces, please get in touch. We’re happy to share them.

The Results Of Our Research

Below, you can find the results of our research, broken down by police force

Metropolitan Police

The Metropolitan Police reported a rise of 553% in anti-Semitic hate crimes since the Hamas attack on Israel on October, 7, 2023.

In the months after the attack, the UK’s largest police force recorded a total of 1,371 anti-Jewish hate crimes, compared with 210 during the same period the previous year. 

Data obtained via Freedom of Information Request revealed an insight into the landscape of both anti-Semitic and Islamophobic hate crime levels in the UK

Results suggest a significant rise in anti-Jewish hate crime in larger police force areas since the Hamas attack.

Some forces also recorded a rise in Islamophobic offences, though the picture is more mixed.

A wave of protests against the Gaza war has swept US College Campuses in recent weeks, leading to a huge number of arrests.

Now, UK students are beginning a new round of protests against the Gaza War.

The continued political tensions seem to be reflected in the staggering new figures reported by the Met Police. 

The force revealed that between October 2023 and January 2024, a total 1,371 anti-Semitic hate crimes were logged by the Met Police. 

Figures from the same period the previous year showed a total of 210 such hate crimes recorded by the Met – that is an increase of 553% in the months after the Hamas attack.

Anti-Jewish Hate Crime – Met Police 

The picture was similar for anti-Muslim hate crime during the same time. 

Between October 2023- January 2024, a total of 692 Islamophobic hate crime offences were logged by the Met. 

That’s an increase of 101% compared with the 344 recorded the year before. 

Anti-Muslim Hate Crime – Met Police 

These figures are further substantiated by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) which confirmed in April that prosecutors charged 10% more hate crime cases in the final three months of 2023.

Figures from the CPS’s Quarter 3 (October-December 2023) data show the increase in charges for hate crime flagged cases compared to the three months before.

Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Kris Venkatasami, the CPS’s Protest Lead said: “The rise in hate crime chargers since the beginning of 2023, but particularly in the last part of the year, is concerning for all communities who are deeply affected by each incident. 

“Hate has no part to play in our society. Our consistently high level of charging demonstrates our determination and independence to seek justice in all cases.”

Greater Manchester Police

In the months after the October 2023 attack, GMP recorded a total of 228 anti-Jewish hate crimes, compared with just 69 during the same period the previous year.

The force revealed that between October 2023 and February 2024,  228 anti-Semitic hate crimes were logged.

Figures from the same period the previous year showed a total of 69 such hate crimes recorded by GMP – that is an increase of 231% in the months after the Hamas attack.

Anti-Jewish Hate Crime – Greater Manchester Police

The figures for Islamophobic hate crime during this time showed no significant increase or decrease compared with the previous year.

However, overall numbers show that there were almost triple the number of anti-Muslim hate crimes than anti-Semitic crimes between Oct 22- Feb 23.

Anti-Muslim Hate Crime – Greater Manchester Police 

West Midlands Police

In the months after the October 2023 attack, WMP recorded a total of 55 anti-Jewish hate crimes, compared with just 13 during the same period the previous year.

The force revealed that between October 2023 and February 2024, a total 55 anti-Semitic hate crimes were logged.

Figures from the same period the previous year showed a total of 15 such hate crimes recorded by WMP – that is an increase of 323% in the months after the Hamas attack.

Anti-Jewish Hate Crime – West Midlands Police

The figures for Islamophobic hate crime during this time show a decrease of 15% compared with the previous year.

However, overall crime incidents are substantially larger than anti-Jewish hate crime. 

The number of anti-Muslim hate crimes during this period are almost triple that of anti-Semitic offences in the West Midlands.

Anti-Muslim Hate Crime – West Midlands Police 

You might be thinking about starting legal action against a negligent healthcare provider but could have concerns about the length or complexity of the process. Our guide to the stages of a medical negligence claim will give you clear and helpful insight into how the claims process works. 

This step-by-step guide covers important actions to take before starting a claim. We additionally cover the stages of pre-action protocol, which must be carried out in order to prevent a case from needing to go to court. 

We also explain why having legal representation from our expert medical negligence solicitors helps to keep the process running as smoothly as possible.

You can learn more about making a claim under No Win No Fee terms, and whether one of our solicitors could help you through the stages of a case, by speaking to an advisor. They can provide free, useful advice and a detailed assessment of your potential claim. You can get started any time by either:

• Calling us on 0800 073 8804.
• Asking about your claim online so we can get in touch.
• Using the live support option below.

Select A Section

1. What Are The Stages Of A Medical Negligence Claim?
2. What Are The Stages Of Pre-Action Protocol For Medical Negligence Claims?
3. Will My Medical Negligence Claim Need To Go To Court?
4. Could A No Win No Fee Solicitor Help Me Through The Stages Of A Medical Negligence Claim?
5. More Resources On Medical Negligence Claims

What Are The Stages Of A Medical Negligence Claim?

A claim will go through pre-action protocol, which is intended to allow a case to be investigated, discussed and hopefully resolved in a timely fashion. The case may need to go to court if pre-action steps do not result in an agreement.

However, there are some steps you should consider before these stages of a medical negligence claim begin.

Step One: Discover If You Are Eligible To Make A Claim

The first key question to answer is: do you have a valid clinical or medical negligence claim?

Medical negligence means that care from a medical professional has deviated from the expected professional standards and caused avoidable harm.

Medical negligence cases against healthcare providers for negligent care must show that:

• A healthcare professional owed a duty of care.
• They did not provide care at a level expected of a competent professional.
• Their breach of duty meant the patient suffered harm that could otherwise have been avoided.

A quick and effective way to learn if you have a valid claim is by calling the number at the top of this page. By calling and talking to one of our friendly advisors, you can discover whether you have a valid medical negligence compensation claim.

Remember, the onus is on you to prove that the eligibility criteria above have been met, so it is important to collect as much supporting evidence as possible.

Step Two: Collecting Evidence Of Medical Negligence

The evidence required to prove medical negligence includes:

• Medical records, which we cover in more detail later in this guide.
• A statement or diary that explains how substandard medical treatment affected you.
• Witness statements from anyone who saw the negligent treatment take place. As such, you should collect the contact details of anyone who attended appointments with you.

If instructed, our solicitors can help claimants gather evidence during the clinical negligence claims process. 

As well as providing a free case assessment, our advisors can offer guidance on what evidence you can start looking for before your claim begins. Please don’t hesitate to call if you’d like to know more.

Step Three: Deciding Whether To Seek Legal Advice

Once you have a good idea of how strong your claim is, you should decide whether you want legal representation. You are not legally required to do so, but you may find it’s worthwhile to seek representation from a medical negligence solicitor.

Having a specialist solicitor on your side is useful for much more than gathering evidence. They can also:

• Submit any relevant claim form correctly and within the legal deadline.
• Help establish liability by making sure your evidence is presented effectively.
• Negotiate with the healthcare provider or their legal representatives on your behalf.
• Ensure you receive a suitable settlement in the event of a successful claim.
• Provide advice through all the stages of a medical negligence claim.

If you have a valid case and want the support of an experienced legal expert, our advisors could connect you to one right away when you call.

What Are The Stages Of Pre-Action Protocol For Medical Negligence Claims?

In this section, we cover seven elements of Pre-Action Protocol for the Resolution of Clinical Disputes that make up key stages of medical negligence claims.

Obtaining Health Records

Ultimately, medical negligence claims depend on showing that substandard care happened and caused some degree of avoidable harm. The best way to do this is through health records, which can be obtained from your GP or other healthcare provider.

Medical reports can show what actions the medical professional took or failed to take while you were under their care. They can also highlight the treatment you received after you were affected by substandard care and what diagnoses you were given.

Obtaining records is also important to show that new conditions have developed, or existing issues have worsened. 

Rehabilitation

During an initial consultation about the claim, all parties can discuss whether you have reasonable needs that can be met by medical treatment or another form of rehabilitation.

For example, if you were suing a hospital for unnecessary surgery but had an urgent need for rehabilitation, parties could discuss an arrangement for you to undergo physiotherapy.

Letter of Notification

Once you are ready to commence legal proceedings, the next step is to send a Letter of Notification to the defendant. This letter should explain that you are considering legal action. This allows the claimant to respond, which they must do within 14 days of receipt, and consider whether investigation is needed.

Letter of Claim

A Letter of Claim is more detailed than a Letter of Notification. It should give a clear summary of the alleged negligence and the facts you have based the case upon. It should also detail the physical harm, emotional suffering or financial loss you have experienced.

This letter should allow the defendant to start further investigation, if required, and prepare their Letter of Response.

It is worth noting that our solicitors can take care of sending letters to the defendant, or can help you write them. Just call our free helpline to discuss how a solicitor could help you claim against a medical practitioner.

Letter of Response

The defendant, or the legal team handling their case, should send the Letter of Response within 14 days of receiving the Letter of Claim. In this letter, they can respond by accepting or denying liability. They may also attempt to settle and propose how much compensation they are willing to offer.

If they do not accept fault for medical negligence, they should explain what disputes they have with the evidence presented by the claimant or the information they have provided.

Expert Evidence

As part of the medical negligence claim process, you will need to seek expert testimony. This will contribute to the medical evidence submitted as part of your case. If you work with a solicitor, they can arrange an assessment from an independent medical expert.

In certain cases, the Bolam Test may also be required, where relevantly trained medical experts determine whether your care met the correct standard.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

An Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is a method of ensuring that the matter can be resolved without commencing proceedings in court. This might mean negotiation, arbitration by a third party, or other means.

A resolution could be reached regardless of whether a defendant admits liability or not, if all parties agree that it is best to resolve the dispute without going to court.

Will My Medical Negligence Claim Need To Go To Court?

When considering the stages of a medical negligence claim, it is possible that your case may need to go to court. However, the truth of the matter is that the vast majority of cases are resolved before ever reaching the courts.

Particularly complex cases, or claims where the claimant and defendant are in total disagreement, might need to be heard in court. Outside of these specific circumstances, both parties will typically find a solution during the ADR stage of pre-action protocol.

Our expert solicitors will always look to resolve the case in a way that gives you the most successful outcome possible. Call today to learn if you have a valid case and you could be connected to a solicitor for dedicated legal guidance.

Could A No Win No Fee Solicitor Help Me Through The Stages Of A Medical Negligence Claim?

The medical negligence claims process may seem complicated at first glance. However, our solicitors use their knowledge and experience of cases to help claimants through all stages of a medical negligence claim with minimal hassle.

Our medical negligence solicitors offer their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement, which means that you do not pay a solicitor fee upfront or during the course of the claim.

As it is a type of No Win No Fee agreement, you would not cover the cost of legal fees at all if the claim failed.

Winning the case would mean that you receive financial compensation. Your solicitor would collect a success fee, but a legal cap set out by The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 means that they can only take a small percentage of the payout.

Contact Us

You can learn more about claims against medical professionals and how the claims process works by getting in touch with our team. An advisor can provide guidance and evaluate your case to see if you could start a medical negligence claim.

If you have a valid case, you can be connected to one of our specialist medical negligence solicitors for expert legal guidance. However, there is no obligation and contacting us is completely free, so you have total freedom to choose the right path for you.

You can get in touch today through any of these routes:

• Call 0800 073 8804.
• Write to us about your claim online and pass on some contact information.
• Speak to an advisor immediately through the live chat tab below.

More Resources On Medical Negligence Claims

You can learn more about making a clinical negligence claim through these helpful guides:

• Our compensation calculator guide provides some insight into the compensation you could be awarded if you have a valid and successful claim.
• We look at prescription error compensation claims and how to sue healthcare professionals responsible for negligent medication mistakes.
• We also discuss how to make a complaint about medical negligence as well as claiming.

These resources could also be useful to you:

• Helpful annual statistics on clinical claims from NHS Resolution.
• Detail on Statutory Sick Pay from GOV.UK.
• The General Medical Council, a regulatory body for doctors, explains how to raise concerns about a doctor’s conduct.

Thank you for reading our guide. Just call if you’d like more information on the stages of a medical negligence claim or to discuss your potential case.

Last updated 12th February 2025. Have you been involved in a cycling accident? Did you suffer an injury? If so, you might wonder what steps to take. This guide focuses specifically on the importance of reporting a cycling accident to the police and when you might be required to do so. 

Additionally, we look at some cycling accident statistics which can show the frequency of cyclists being injured in an accident and the ways road traffic accidents could be caused.

Later in our guide, we discuss other steps you could take after a cycling accident. For example, if you want to claim compensation, you will require evidence to substantiate your case so taking steps to collect proof of the accident and how it affected you can be helpful. 

Lastly, you can find information on how we can assist you if you do wish to make a personal injury claim following a cycling accident. 

For further guidance on cycling accident claims, you can get in touch with our team using the contact details below:

• Call on 0800 073 8804
• Fill out our contact form with your details
• Use the live chat feature below

Select A Section

1. Reporting A Cycling Accident To The Police Explained
2. How Many Cyclist Accidents Are Reported To The Police 
3. What Do I Need To Do As A Cyclist After A Road Collision 
4. Can I Make A Personal Injury Claim As A Cyclist After A Road Accident?
5. How Can Legal Expert Help Me Make A Cyclist Accident Claim 
6. More Resources On Making A Cycling Accident Claim

Reporting A Cycling Accident To The Police Explained 

If a vehicle is involved in a collision with a cyclist, it could be reported to the police within 24 hours of the incident. Any parties involved in the incident should stay to exchange details. However, you should still contact the police if the other person left the scene of the accident, as they are legally obliged to stop. 

The police may ask you to provide the follwing details:

• The location of the cycling accident
• The contact information of bystanders who witnessed the scene
• The contact details of those involved in the accident, including contact, insurance and registration details
• What happened to cause the accident? For example, if a road user was not following road laws
• When the accident happened

This information can help the police with their investigation. It can be a stressful situation when you experience a cycling accident, but we recommend that you try to record as much information as possible at the accident scene. 

After reporting a cycling accident to the police, you should keep a record of the incident number. This could be useful if you decide to make a claim for bicycle accident compensation. 

How Many Cyclist Accidents Are Reported To The Police? 

The Reported road casualties in Great Britain: pedal cycle factsheet, 2022, released by the Department for Transport, provides helpful statistics relating to accidents involving pedal cyclists. These statistics show how many road accidents involving cyclists were reported to the police:

• 91 pedal cyclists killed
• 4,056 reported seriously injured
• 11,546 slightly injured

Furthermore, between 2018 and 2022, almost half (46%) of pedal cycle fatalities were in 2 vehicle collisions between a pedal cycle and a car.

The reporting police officer often assigns a contributory factor to provide an insight into how and why collisions occur. Whilst the factors are mostly subjective due to reflecting the opinion of the police officer, we can see that the most common factors assigned to vehicles involved in fatal or serious collisions with cyclists are:

• Failing to look properly
• Failing to judge another person’s path or speed
• Driver or rider being careless, reckless, or in a hurry
• Cyclist entering the road from pavement

Reporting a cycling accident to the police can help massively when it comes to road safety. To find out more, please see this guide from Cycling UK, a charity for cycling safety

What Do I Need To Do As A Cyclist After A Road Collision?

As well as reporting a cyclist accident to the police, there are several other steps you may need to take following a cycling accident on the road. Getting medical treatment for any injuries you have suffered should be your first priority. Injuries that may seem only minor could turn out to be much more serious, so it is always best to seek medical advice. If the accident that caused your injury was not your fault, you may be thinking about making a personal injury claim. Here, we look at steps to help you do that. 

Medical Help

After an accident in which you suffer an injury, it’s important to seek advice from a medical professional. They can investigate your injury, provide a diagnosis, and any treatment necessary. 

If you plan to claim compensation, you can gather a copy of your medical records to help support your case. For example, copies of X-rays, blood test results, notes from a doctor or the hospital could all help show what injuries you suffered and the treatment you received.

Evidence

In addition to medical evidence, you could also gather the following:

• Contact details of any witnesses who can provide information about the accident.
• Contact details of anyone involved in the accident including their insurance and registration details.
• Pictures of injuries and the cause of the accident, such as another motor vehicle
• Video footage, such as CCTV footage. This can highlight any dangerous driving by another road user putting your own safety at risk.
• A police report
• A diary containing information about any symptoms and treatments 

You might also need to attend an independent medical assessment. This can generate a report that can help verify the injuries you suffered were caused by the accident in which you sustained them. It can also be used to help calculate the value of your injuries. 

Legal Advice

It could benefit you to seek legal representation from a personal injury solicitor if you are looking to start a compensation claim. They could help you:

• Gather evidence
• Arrange for you to attend an independent medical exam 
• Negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf 
• Send important correspondence on your behalf 

Call our advisors today to learn more about the other steps you could take after reporting a cycling accident to the police, including gathering evidence and seeking legal representation. 

Can I Make A Personal Injury Claim As A Cyclist After A Road Accident?

In order to make a personal injury claim as a cyclist after a road traffic accident, you need to prove:

• Another road user, such as a driver, owed you a duty of care. Road users owe one another a duty of care to prevent causing each other harm or damage while using the roads. They can uphold this duty by following the Highway Code and the Road Traffic Act 1988. The Highway Code provides rules that are backed elsewhere in law.
• This duty was breached. For example, a driver failed to check their mirrors when pulling out of their driveway causing them to knock you over as a cyclist.
• Due to the breach, you suffered an injury in the accident, such as a head injury and back injury.

Call our team to determine whether you could be eligible to make a personal injury claim with one of our expert cycling accident solicitors. 

How Can Legal Expert Help Me Make A Cyclist Accident Claim

Our team at Legal Expert can assess your case for free and determine whether you’re eligible to pursue compensation. If you are, they could connect you with an expert personal injury solicitor who has years of experience handling claims for cycling accidents and injuries.

Our solicitors also offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis via the terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement which means you can access their services without paying upfront or ongoing fees. You also won’t need to pay for their work if the claim fails.

To find out more about how they can help you claim compensation after reporting a cyclist accident to the police, get in touch using the details provided below:

• Call on 0800 073 8804
• Fill out our contact form with your details
• Use the live chat feature below

More Resources On Making A Cycling Accident Claim

For more of our helpful guides:

• Find out how to make a personal injury claim for a cycling activity that led you to sustain an injury.
• Discover if you could claim for a cycling accident if you didn’t wear a helmet and the steps you can take to secure a settlement.
• Learn what steps you could take if you were hit by a car as a cyclist and how to claim compensation.

More external resources:

• Information about claiming Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from Gov.UK.
• Discover if you could claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau after being hit by an uninsured or untraceable driver.
• Advice on first aid from the NHS.

Thank you for reading our guide on reporting a cycling accident to the police and other steps you could take after being injured. If you have any other questions, call an advisor on the number above. 

This guide explains, “How is medical negligence compensation calculated?”. Medical negligence is when a patient suffers harm that should have been prevented (otherwise known as avoidable harm) due to a medical professional failing to provide the correct standard of care.

For all successful medical negligence cases, numerous factors need to be considered to determine a claim’s worth. In the first section of this guide, we explain those factors. We will also explain the different forms of compensation you may be awarded for a successful clinical negligence claim, and provide you with a guideline compensation table to help you understand how much the harm you have suffered may be worth,

We also discuss at what point someone has a valid medical negligence claim, with some brief examples of how a medical professional could breach their duty of care. If you do have a valid compensation claim after experiencing medical negligence, you may be able to claim compensation with one of our solicitors on a No Win No Fee basis. At the end of this guide, we explain what No Win No Fee agreement is offered by our medical negligence solicitors and how it can greatly benefit you when claiming compensation.

It is free to contact our team to discuss your case. Our advisors can support you and help answer any questions you may have about the claiming process. They are available 24/7 through these contact options:

• Call 0800 073 8804
• Enquire about your potential claim online.
• Use our live chat box.

Jump To A Section

1. How Is Medical Negligence Compensation Calculated?
2. How Much Medical Negligence Compensation Could I Be Awarded?
3. Am I Eligible To Claim For Medical Negligence?
4. Why Claim With A No Win No Fee Medical Negligence Solicitor?
5. Learn More About How Medical Negligence Compensation Is Calculated

How Is Medical Negligence Compensation Calculated?

When a medical negligence claim is successful, the person will receive financial compensation for how the negligence affected them. These effects are separated into physical, psychological, and potentially financial.

General Damages

General damages is the head of loss which awards compensation for how the medical negligence has affected you physically and psychologically. Some factors that are taken into consideration when this head of your claim is being calculated include:

• The type of harm you suffered and its severity.
• How your emotional health has changed.
• How your quality of life has been impacted.
• How long your medical treatment and recovery period is.

You may be able to use a medical negligence claims calculator to help you gain a clearer idea of how much compensation you could receive in general damages. A medical negligence calculator works by asking you what harm you suffered and how severe your pain is.

Special Damages

Special damages is the head of loss which awards compensation for how the medical negligence has affected you financially. This head of loss also covers any future financial losses which you may incur due to the medical negligence. As such, here are some financial losses which may be able to be claimed under special damages:

• The costs of medical treatments and prescriptions.
• The costs for medical equipment, such as a wheelchair.
• Lost earnings due to taking time off work to recover. This includes any projection pension payouts if your future employability is affected.

• How much travelling to and from hospital appointments have cost.

• Professional care costs if you required help at home.

By being awarded special damages, your financial position should be restored to what it was before you experienced the medical negligence.

However, you need to keep evidence of the financial losses you are claiming for. For example, payslips, invoices, receipts, and bank statements can be used as evidence.

If you still have any questions regarding how medical negligence compensation is calculated or how to use a medical negligence claims calculator please don’t hesitate to have a chat with us.

How Much Medical Negligence Compensation Could I Be Awarded?

To help determine how much compensation you could receive under general damages, you might be asked to attend an independent medical assessment sometime throughout the case process. The reports conducted from this assessment can be looked at by those in charge of valuing your claim.

They may also look at the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The JCG documents different guideline compensation amounts for different forms of physical and psychological harm.

Guideline Compensation Table

There are many types of different physical and psychological effects that could be suffered from medical negligence. However, we have taken a small selection from the JCG, along with their guideline compensation amounts, to give you a rough idea of what could be awarded. Please note, however, that the first entry has not been taken from the JCG.

Also, note that no set compensation amount can be guaranteed for your potential claim since all cases are different and unique.

If you want to find out how much compensation your potential medical negligence claim could be worth, please contact us.

Am I Eligible To Claim For Medical Negligence?

All medical professionals and healthcare professionals owe a duty of care to all of the patients under their care. To comply with this duty, they are expected to always deliver the correct standard of care. If they deliver a standard of care that is substandard and falls below this minimum expectation, this is considered a breach of their duty of care.

For example, if a GP prescribed a medication to you that contained something you were allergic to, and they were aware of this allergy as it was stated in your medical records, this could cause you to suffer an allergic reaction. This could be classed as GP negligence.

As such, if you can prove each of the criteria below, then you could have an eligible medical negligence claim:

1. You were owed a duty of care by a medical professional.
2. They breached this duty.
3. As a result of this, you suffered avoidable harm.

Time Limits In Medical Negligence Claims

There is a standard 3-year time limit for most medical negligence claims, as the Limitation Act 1980 states. The time limit begins from the date the medical negligence took place or the date you first became aware of the medical negligence. This is sometimes referred to as the date of knowledge.

However, the time limit is paused if the claimant lacks the mental capacity to claim on their own. While it is paused, a litigation friend can be appointed by the courts to claim on their behalf. Should they regain this capability and no claim has been started, the claimant will have 3 years to begin their own legal proceedings from the date they recovered this mental capability.

Additionally, those under the age of 18 who have suffered medical negligence will have the time limit paused until their 18th birthday, at which point they will have 3 years to begin their own medical negligence claim. A litigation friend could begin this process on their behalf prior to the claimant’s 18th birthday.

Our team can give you more details about the medical negligence claims time limit and its exceptions. They can also confirm whether you are eligible to claim clinical negligence compensation and answer any questions you may have regarding how medical negligence compensation is calculated.

Why Claim With A No Win No Fee Medical Negligence Solicitor?

If you have an eligible clinical negligence compensation claim, our team can connect you with one of our specialist No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitors. Our solicitors have years of experience working on various clinical negligence claims. Some of the services they can offer to you include:

• Help with gathering evidence to support your case, such as medical records and eyewitness statements.
• Ensuring your claim is submitted within the time limit.
• Explaining any legal jargon that is used throughout the claiming process that you might not understand.
• Ensuring you receive a fair compensation settlement by negotiating this on your behalf.

Additionally, if one of the No Win No Fee solicitors on our team agrees to take on your case, they may offer their services to you under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).

Here are some reasons why it is greatly beneficial to be represented by a solicitor under a CFA when making your claim:

• You will pay no upfront fees for the work that your solicitor does.
• You will pay no ongoing fees for the work that your solicitor does
• If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not pay any fees at all for the work your solicitor has provided.

If your claim is successful, your solicitor can take a success fee out of your compensation. A success fee is a legally capped percentage. This percentage will be discussed with you prior to the claiming process beginning.

Start Your Case

Talk to our team to see if one of our expert solicitors could help you with your case. Our advisors can also help answer any questions you may still have, such as ‘How is medical negligence compensation calculated?’. You can speak directly with an advisor for free if you:

• Call 0800 073 8804
• Enquire about your potential claim online.
• Use our live chat box.

Learn More About How Medical Negligence Compensation Is Calculated

Below are a few of our related guides:

• How to prove medical negligence and what evidence you should gather.
• Find out what the average payout is for cancer misdiagnosis in successful cases.
• Find out what the average payout is for medical negligence resulting in death if you are looking to claim on behalf of someone else.

Below are some pages which might provide you with useful information:

• Gov.UK – how to receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you’re too ill to work.
• Royal College of Nursing (RCN) – information on a nurse’s duty of care.
• General Medical Council (GMC) – information on a doctor’s expected good medical practice.

Thank you for reading our “How is medical negligence compensation calculated?” guide. We hope to have answered your questions. If not, you can always contact a friendly member of our advisory team.

In this guide, we’ll explore the steps that you could take if an NHS letter was sent to the wrong address. UK residents personal data is protected by the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) as well as the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). We’ll discuss these legislations in more detail and define some common terms found in data breach law.

You are considered a data subject when personal data such as your name is processed. This type of data is protected by data protection law. This guide will examine the steps that can be taken should a breach of this personal data occur.

The guide will go further to examine how a compensation claim could be made under the UK GDPR when those responsible for such data fail in their obligations to protect it. As you get further down the guide, you will also see a section on the evidence needed to make a personal data breach claim and how compensation is calculated should you succeed. 

Finally, our guide explores the many benefits of working with a legal expert on your data breach compensation claim, and how a No Win No Fee agreement could help you.

Contact Us 

Our team of advisors are here to help, day or night. If you’ve been harmed mentally or financially by a personal data breach, contact us today by:

• Calling 0800 073 8804
• Contacting us online 
• Using the live chat feature

Select A Section

1. How To Claim If An NHS Letter Was Sent To The Wrong Address
2. What Information Could An NHS Letter Contain?
3. How To Prove An NHS Letter Was Sent To The Wrong Address
4. What Could I Claim For A Letter Sent To The Wrong Address?
5. Can I Make A No Win No Fee Data Breach Claim Against The NHS?
6. Where Can I Learn More About Medical Data Breach Claims?

How To Claim If An NHS Letter Was Sent To The Wrong Address

As we’ve already mentioned, the UK GDPR and the DPA work hand in hand to protect the personal data of UK residents. But what is personal data?

Under data protection law, personal data is any information that can be used by someone else to identify you. For example, this might include your postal address, phone number, or date of birth. 

The NHS can be classed as both a data controller and a data processor. A controller, because they decide why and how they need to use your data, and a processor because they process it.

An NHS trust can have access to a wide range of this data, as it can be needed if you are admitted to a hospital, see a GP, or use a mental health service. Since they are a public body, they are required to appoint a data protection officer (DPO) to help them comply with legislation.

Data controllers and processors must comply with data protection legislation. When they fail to do so, this could lead to a data breach for which they could be liable for. You could potentially make a personal data breach claim if you can prove that:

• The organisation in charge of your data failed in their legal requirement to adhere to data protection law. 
• This led to a data breach that involved your personal information.
• Due to your personal information being compromised, you suffered mental or financial harm as a result 

How Long Do I Have To Claim For A Medical Data Breach?

Generally, you have six years to start a personal data breach claim. However, there are exceptions to this rule. 

To learn about the steps you could take if the NHS sent a letter to the wrong address, or to find out if you are within the time limit to make a personal data breach claim, get in touch using the contact details at the bottom of the page.

What Information Could An NHS Letter Contain?

Some personal data falls under the heading of special category data. This data needs special protections, due to its sensitive nature. Importantly, information relating to your medical conditions is classed as special category data.

If the NHS sent a letter to the wrong address, this could allow an unauthorised person to gain access to information such as your:

• Home address
• Full name 
• NHS number 
• Medications
• Medical conditions, including your HIV status or information from your patient records
• Gender and sexual orientation 

For many people, this kind of information being exposed to a person could result in significant effects on their mental well-being. Contact our team today to find out what steps you could take if the NHS sent a letter to the wrong address.

How To Prove An NHS Letter Was Sent To The Wrong Address

When you make a personal data breach claim, you are responsible for proving that a data controller or processor is liable. As we’ve already mentioned, you can only make a claim if you can prove that the party responsible for your personal data failed to adhere to data protection law, which led to a breach that caused you to suffer either financial or emotional harm.

Some examples of proof that you could use to support a data breach claim include:

• A letter of notification: If you received a letter or an email notifying you that your personal data had been sent to the wrong address, you could use this as evidence 
• ICO correspondence: The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) oversees data protection in the UK. If you make a formal complaint to the ICO and they decide to conduct an investigation, the outcome could be used as evidence. 
• Medical records: To help prove that you suffered psychological damage, you can submit medical records or a letter of diagnosis from a psychiatrist 
• Financial records: Bank statements, wage slips, and invoices can be used to prove that you suffered financially. 

These are just a few examples of how you could prove a data breach claim. If you choose to work with a solicitor, they can help you gather evidence. Contact us to learn more, or read on to learn more about the steps you could take if an NHS letter was sent to the wrong address. 

What Could I Claim For A Letter Sent To The Wrong Address?

When you successfully claim for a data breach, you can receive up to two heads of compensation. Non-material damage is the psychological impact of the breach.

For example, if a letter containing details of your medical conditions was sent to unauthorised persons, this could cause considerable anxiety. Data breaches can also result in stress, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

When this part of your award is valued, the person calculating it might reference the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This document contains guideline compensation amounts for different psychological injuries, some of which are included in the table below. 

Please note that these amounts are guidelines only and that the first entry is not from the JCG. 

Guideline Compensation Brackets

Material Damage

Material damage is the financial loss caused by the breach. For example, you might be unable to work due to the psychological effects of the breach. If this results in lost earnings, you could potentially claim these back as part of your material damage compensation.

If you’d like to learn more about how much compensation you could receive, contact our team today.

Can I Make A No Win No Fee Data Breach Claim Against The NHS?

Data protection law can seem complex, and when it comes to making a claim, you may be unsure of where to start. 

Our expert solicitors have years of experience in data breach claims, and could potentially help you claim on a No Win No Fee basis by offering you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). 

Under this kind of agreement, your data breach solicitor will start working on your claim without any upfront fees. Plus, if your claim doesn’t succeed, then you don’t pay your solicitor for their services. 

If you successfully claim compensation, then a small percentage will be taken as your solicitor’s success fee. This percentage is legally capped.

Contact Our Team

Our advisors are here to help. When you get in touch, a member of our friendly team will offer you a free evaluation. If they find that you have a valid claim, they can connect you with one of our expert No Win No Fee solicitors.

To get started:

• Call 0800 073 8804
• Contact us online 
• Use the live chat feature

Where Can I Learn More About Medical Data Breach Claims?

For More Helpful Guides

• Find out how to claim for unauthorised access to patient records
• Learn how to report a data breach
• Get help with claiming for a care worker data breach

For More Helpful External Resources:

• Learn about how and why your data matters from the ICO
• Get information and support on living with mental illness from MIND
• Get advice and guidance from the National Cyber Security Center

Thank you for reading our guide on the steps you could take if an NHS letter was sent to the wrong address.

This guide explains when and how you can claim for a magistrates’ court data breach. Firstly, we cover the data protection legislation that sets out the court’s legal responsibility to keep your personal data safe. Additionally, we explain the eligibility requirements for starting a compensation claim.

Continuing through the guide, you can get an idea of the personal data a magistrates’ court may be responsible for processing. We also look at how to prove that a court was responsible for a breach that caused you financial damage, emotional harm, or both.

Furthermore, we use guideline figures to give an illustration of what a data protection claim payout could look like. Read to the end of the guide to learn how our expert solicitors help clients seek compensation on a No Win No Fee basis.

If you’d like to know more about claiming compensation, or whether you have the right to start a data breach claim, contact us now for free and helpful guidance. Our 24/7 service is available when you either:

• Phone our free helpline on 0800 073 8804.
• Ask about making a claim online and leaving us some contact details.
• Open the live support tab at the bottom of the page.

Select A Section

1. How To Claim For A Magistrates’ Court Data Breach
2. Types Of Personal Data Handled By Courts
3. How To Prove A Magistrates’ Court Breached Your Data
4. What Could You Claim For A Court Data Breach?
5. Can A No Win No Fee Solicitor Help With Magistrates’ Court Data Breach Claims?
6. Learn More About Data Breach Claims

How To Claim For A Magistrates’ Court Data Breach

The term ‘personal data’ refers to information that can be used to identify a person, either by itself or alongside another piece of information. Up to three parties can be involved when data is processed:

• Data subjects, who the data relates to or can be used to identify.
• Data controllers, who decide how and when data is processed. In the context of a magistrates’ court data breach claim, the court is the data controller.
• Data processors. A data controller can process the data itself, but it might instruct a third-party data processor to do it for them.

A data controller or processor must uphold two major pieces of data protection law: the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).

Regardless of the capacity in which you appear in a magistrates’ court, the court has a legal obligation to safeguard against personal data breaches that could affect you.

According to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), a personal data breach is a security incident affecting the confidentiality, integrity or availability of a person’s personal data.

As an affected data subject, you could make a data breach compensation claim if you can show that:

• A data controller or processor’s failure to adhere to the law led to a data breach or allowed a breach to occur.
• Your personal data was affected by the breach.
• You suffered psychologically, financially or both as a direct result.

You can learn more about starting legal action, including the time limit for submitting data breach cases, by calling our free helpline today.

Types Of Personal Data Handled By Courts

The magistrates’ court is the starting point for criminal cases. The court will refer the more serious cases to the Crown Court and handle minor or ‘either way’ offences, ranging from minor criminal damage to burglary. As a result, the court could process personal data related to defendants, lawyers, witnesses or others involved in a case, such as a jury panel.

Personal data that a magistrates’ court might hold includes your:

• Name.
• Date of birth.
• Phone number.
• Home address.
• Email address.
• Bank account information.

They may also have access to special category data, which is especially sensitive and requires extra protection. This can include data revealing or concerning your:

• Racial or ethnic background.
• Religious or philosophical beliefs.
• Biometric data, where used for identification purposes.
• Health.
• Sexual orientation.

Criminal offence data should also be afforded extra protection. This is the personal data of offenders or suspected offenders in relation to criminal activity, allegations, investigations, and proceedings. 

Numerous people within the court may have access to this information as part of the legal process. If data protection laws aren’t adhered, a data protection breach could occur. However, to claim for a magistrates’ court breach, you need to prove wrongful conduct resulted in a breach of your personal data and caused you to suffer emotional harm and/or financial damage.

For example, if the court got your address wrong and sent a summons to the wrong postage address, your private information would be available to an unauthorised person, which could lead to significant distress.

Alternatively, leaving documents unattended during a court case and allowing someone to steal sensitive data could come at a serious cost to your mental health and finances.

Call our free helpline for further information on data breach claims and whether you have the right to claim for a magistrates’ court data breach.

How To Prove A Magistrates’ Court Breached Your Data

All breach of data protection claims rely on relevant evidence. Such claims must show clearly that the data controller or processor acted wrongfully, and that there is a direct path linking a data breach to the claimant’s suffering.

The court may provide evidence by sending a letter of notification. Data controllers are obliged to tell affected data subjects if a data breach incident occurred that puts their rights and freedoms at risk.

This should happen without undue delay, but you can contact the court directly if you believe a data breach has occurred and you haven’t been notified. Keep a record of all contact as supporting evidence for your claim.

In qualifying cases, the organisation responsible for processing data also has to notify the ICO. Again, you could proactively inform the ICO if they are not already aware, and their findings could add to your evidence.

Furthermore, you should collect any documents that highlight how the data breach affected you. A psychiatrist’s report can outline any psychological injury suffered, while bank or credit card statements are examples of proof of financial loss. This may influence how the value of your data breach claim is calculated, as we cover in the next section.

You can get further relevant information about data breach claim evidence, plus how an experienced data breach solicitor could help you gather proof to aid your case, by calling us today.

What Could You Claim For A Court Data Breach?

A data breach can have a significant impact, in multiple ways. Therefore, it is possible for a claim payout to include compensation for two different forms of damage. You can seek compensation for both, or just one. They are non-material and material damage, both of which we explain below.

The term ‘non-material damage’ refers to psychological damage caused or made worse by a data breach. For example, someone’s personal data being lost could lead to the likes of:

• Anxiety.
• Stress.
• Depression.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

A number of factors determine how much compensation you would receive in a successful claim for a magistrates’ court data breach, including the extent of the mental injury and how much it affects your life.

We have used the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to make the table you can see below. The JCG is a document made up of guideline compensation brackets sometimes used as guidance for non-material damage calculations.

Compensation Table

The top line of this table is not from the JCG. Also, please remember that the table is only a guide.

What Is Material Damage?

When a claimant’s data is compromised, they may end up facing unavoidable and likely irrecoverable costs as a result. With that in mind, it is possible to seek compensation for material damage, meaning the financial harm inflicted after a personal data breach. You could seek material damage compensation if you lost money due to, for example:

• Being unable to work because of the effects of a breach.
• Having to move home or job.
• Paying for costs associated with mental health treatment.

As well as the bank or credit card statements we discussed earlier, other forms of relevant evidence could include rent statements, payslips or invoices. Keep hold of any documents that could help prove the extent of material damage.

Can A No Win No Fee Solicitor Help With Magistrates’ Court Data Breach Claims? 

You could benefit from the expert services of one of our data breach solicitors if you have a valid claim and want support throughout the claims process.

Having a specialist solicitor represent you can make all the difference to a claim and ensures that every important step of the process is handled with professional care.

Our solicitors offer a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which is a type of No Win No Fee deal. This means that you do not have to pay for their work if the case loses. Another benefit of a CFA is that there are no upfront or running solicitor fees.

If your claim for a magistrates’ court data breach is successful, you would receive compensation. A small percentage of the payout would go to the solicitor as their success fee. However, a legal cap set out by The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 ensures the percentage set aside for the solicitor is minor.

Contact Us

Our advisors are available all day, every day. They can not only answer your questions as part of a free consultation, but also evaluate whether you have reasonable grounds to seek compensation.

Although there is no obligation to claim even if you have a case, an advisor can easily connect you to a trained data breach solicitor if you want to explore your options.

Whether you want advice after your data was breached, or you’re seeking guidance on getting a claim started, we can help.

It’s easy to reach us and our advisors are ready to help you, so either:

• Call 0800 073 8804.
• Write to us about your potential claim online so we can get back to you.
• Send us a message using the live chat feature below.

Learn More About Data Breach Claims

We hope our guide has helped you. For even more data breach guidance, check out the below articles:

• Our lawyer data breach guide explains when and how you can claim compensation.
• Our UK GDPR claim compensation calculator provides more information about how you could be compensated.
• We take a look at probation officer data breach compensation claims.

These resources could also prove helpful:

• Information on data protection and the DPA from the Crown Prosecution Service.
• A data protection privacy notice shared on Judiciary.UK that explains how the judiciary of England and Wales process your data in certain capacities.
• Guidance on dealing with data breaches from the National Cyber Security Centre.

Call our free helpline today for further support or to ask whether you can start your claim for a magistrates’ court data breach.

Potholes are depressions on the road surface that form when water gets under the tarmac. While hazardous to all road users, cyclists are at particular risk as they lack the protection afforded by a motor vehicle. This guide will examine who could be eligible to begin a cycling pothole claim.

You will see information on who is responsible for maintaining the road network and how failing to adequately uphold this duty of care can result in accidents where a cyclist is injured, including some illustrative examples to show how these accidents can occur.

We also explain how personal injury compensation is calculated under the two heads of loss, including a compensation table with guideline brackets amounts for various types of injuries.

Our final section is concerned with the type of No Win No Fee contract offered by our solicitors, and how you can benefit when instructing a solicitor to represent you under such a contract.

To learn more about making a personal injury claim following a pothole accident or check your eligibility to claim compensation in your particular circumstances, contact our advisors today using the following contact details:

• Call an advisor on 0800 073 8804. 
• Contact us through our website.
• Use the live chat feature in the bottom left of your screen

Select A Section

1. How To Make A Cycling Pothole Claim
2. What Injuries Could You Claim Compensation For?
3. What Evidence Could Support A Cycling Pothole Claim?
4. Reporting The Pothole
5. How Much Compensation Could You Claim For A Pothole Accident?
6. Contact Us To Get Help Making A No Win No Fee Claim
7. Further Cycling Pothole Claim Resources

How To Make A Cycling Pothole Claim

The Highways Act 1980 places a duty of care upon the party responsible for a given road. This party must ensure the road is adequately maintained to allow ordinary traffic to pass without incident. As we mentioned above, cyclists are particularly vulnerable to road defects, especially potholes, because they are substantially less protected than the drivers of motor vehicles.

Who is responsible for a given road can vary. For example, the council or local authority are responsible for local roads, whereas Highways England has responsibility for major roads such as motorways and major A roads. Since cyclists are prohibited from travelling on motorways and certain dual carriageways, a cycling pothole claim is typically made against the council or local authority.

Eligibility Criteria To Begin A Cycling Pothole Claim

Now we’ve explained who owes road users a duty of care with regard to maintaining the road surface, this section explains the eligibility for pothole claims against local authorities or the highway authority.

1. The party responsible for maintaining the road owed you a duty of care.
2. That party failed to repair road defects and maintain safe conditions for ordinary traffic, thus breaching this duty.
3. As a result of this breach, an accident occurred in which you were injured.

However, section 58 of the Highways Act 1980 provides a defence for those responsible for maintaining the road networks. If responsible parties can prove that all reasonable measures were taken to ensure the highway was not dangerous to traffic or pedestrians, then a claim is unlikely. Just because you have an accident caused by a pothole does not mean you are automatically eligible to make a pothole claim.

For further advice on the eligibility criteria, or to get a free assessment of the validity of your potential cyclist pothole claim, contact our advisors today using the number given above.

Time Limits In Cycling Pothole Accident Claims

In most personal injury cases, there is a limitation period of 3 years from the accident date, as per the Limitation Act 1980. However there are circumstances when the general limit could be paused or extended. For example, those who were under 18 at the time of the accident will have the limitation period counted from their 18th birthday. If the injured persons lack the mental capacity to claim for themselves, this time limit is frozen altogether. In these scenarios, a suitable adult may apply or be appointed as a litigation friend and begin the claim on behalf of the injured person. 

You can get further advice on the relevant time limit by speaking with our advisors. The team can also provide a free assessment of your eligibility to claim. Get in touch today using the contact information provided above.

What Injuries Could You Claim Compensation For?

A cycling pothole claim could be made for a number of different injuries. We have detailed some example scenarios here to explore how an unrepaired pothole can present a serious risk to a cyclist:

• You were cycling through a town when you hit a pothole. This caused you to swerve onto the pavement and collide with a lamppost. You suffered a broken nose and damage to your arm.
• You turned off a main road into a side street. As you turn, your front wheel hits a pothole, causing you to lose control of your bicycle and hit an oncoming car. You suffered multiple broken bones in the crash.
• You were cycling with a group when you rounded a corner and hit a pothole. Multiple cyclists lost control of their bicycles and collided with one another, including you. You suffered a badly lacerated leg and damage to your knee.

Many other scenarios could arise where a pothole causes a cyclist to suffer injuries, this section is intended to provide guidance, not an exhaustive list. To find out if you could claim compensation in your particular circumstances, contact our advisors today. The team is available 24 hours a day via the contact information provided below.

What Evidence Could Support A Cycling Pothole Claim?

In this section, we examine how to prove fault in a cycle accident injury claim. This is done through supporting evidence. As well as demonstrating who was at fault, evidence is also used to show the extent of your injuries. 

Examples of evidence you could use for your cycling pothole claim include:

• Seeking medical attention is always recommended when you’ve been in an accident. While your health and well-being are the first priority, you can use the medical records from the treatment you receive as evidence for your claim.
• It is also advisable to keep a diary during your treatment, focusing on the physical and mental impacts your injuries and treatment had on you.
• If available, you can request CCTV footage of the accident. You could also get footage from a dash cam or similar device.
• Photographs of the pothole damage are vital. These should include measurements.
• Anyone who saw the accident occur could be a potential witness. Be sure to take their contact information so they can provide a statement at a later date.

Helping you gather evidence for your claim is one of the many tasks one of our solicitors could support you with. Once our advisors have decided your potential claim is valid, they could put you in touch with one of our solicitors. A solicitor could support with collecting evidence, as well as ensure your claim is made within the relevant time limit. Get your free assessment today by calling the number given below.

Reporting The Pothole

It is not a requirement of making a cycling pothole claim that you report the pothole to the local authority. That being said, there are a few advantages to doing this:

• Reporting a defect in the road makes it harder for the party responsible for the road to deny liability for further accidents. If they are made aware of a potentially hazardous defect, they have a duty to fix it.
• Leading on from this, reporting hazards can help prevent further accidents as the pothole should be repaired promptly.
• This can also contribute to the evidence for your own claim. When multiple people have reported a pothole, you can use this to support your claim that the council failed in their duty of care.

Cyclists are the road users most vulnerable to defects in the carriageway. As we examined previously, it is very easy for a cyclist to lose control if they hit a road defect. Our advisors can provide further information on the eligibility criteria for cycling pothole damage claims, as well as assess your potential claim for free. You can get in touch with our team at any time using the contact information provided at the end of this guide.

How Much Compensation Could You Claim For A Pothole Accident?

There are two relevant heads of loss for any given successful claim. Compensation for the pain and suffering caused by your injuries will be awarded under General Damages. You may also be entitled to compensation under Special Damages for costs stemming from your injuries, which we discuss further below.

Calculating a possible compensation figure for your potential claim is something one of our solicitors can help you with. The team assigned this task can make reference to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) alongside your medical evidence. The JCG publication contains descriptions of various different injuries with compensation brackets. We have used some of these guideline brackets in our table here.

Compensation Table

Please be advised that the first entry was not taken from the JCG and that this information has been provided for guidance purposes only.

Special Damages

As we mentioned at the beginning of this section, the financial losses you incur from your injuries can be compensated under Special Damages. It is often the case that compensation for Special Damages will be greater than General Damages. We have outlined some examples of such costs that could be awarded as part of Special Damages in cycling accident claims here:

• Lost earnings: Following a cycling accident, you may need time off work to recover from your injuries. In cases where serious injuries have been sustained, your ability to work may be reduced for an extended period. You could claim compensation for this loss of earnings.
• Care costs: You may require assistance in the home with cleaning, food preparation or other tasks if your injuries mean you cannot carry these duties out safely by yourself.
• Medical bills: prescriptions, therapy or other out-of-pocket medical costs.
• Transportation costs: If doctors have advised you not to drive once you are able to return to work, you could claim back the cost of public transport.

Other costs, such as bike repair costs, could make up your compensation payout should your claim succeed. To get a more personalised estimate of the value of your potential claim, contact our advisors today using the contact information given below.

Contact Us To Get Help Making A No Win No Fee Claim

Get in touch with our advisors for a free assessment of your eligibility to begin a cycling pothole claim. If our team assesses your potential claim as valid they could connect you with one of our highly experienced personal injury solicitors.

Our solicitors can offer claimants what’s known as a Conditional Fee Agreement or CFA. When instructing a solicitor to represent you under this type of contract there are some key benefits you will enjoy. The first of which is that there is no upfront fee to pay for the solicitor to begin working on the claim. There will likewise be no fees during the claim itself. Finally, if the claim is unsuccessful, there will be no fee to pay.

However, should your claim be a success, you will receive a personal injury compensation payout. A success fee will be paid to the solicitor as a percentage of this compensation. Because success fees are capped by law, you will get to keep the majority of the compensation you receive. 

To learn more about making a claim following a pothole accident or check your eligibility to claim compensation in your particular circumstances, contact our advisors today using the following contact details:

• Call an advisor on 0800 073 8804. 
• Contact us through our website.
• Use the live chat feature in the bottom left of your screen

Further Cycling Pothole Claim Resources

You can read some of our other cycling accident claim guides here:

• If the pothole that caused your cycling accident was the responsibility of the local authority, then one of our council accident solicitors could help you make a claim.
• Learn how much compensation for cycling accident claims you could be entitled to by reading this guide.

We have also provided these external resources for additional information:

• THINK! has published this guidance on cycling which you can read on their website.
• The NHS has released this guidance on applying first aid after an incident.
• If you are unable to undertake work, you may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay. Learn more on the Government website.

Thank you for taking the time to read our guide to making a cycling pothole claim. For more information, or to get a free no obligation assessment of your eligibility to start a claim, speak to an advisor today. Our team is available 24 hours a day using the contact information provided above.

Updated 9th May 2025. You will find this guide especially useful if you want to know what evidence you need for a data breach compensation claim.

Not all data breaches provide a valid basis for a compensation claim. A claim must show that an organisation, or a third party that processes data on its behalf, acted against data protection law and caused a breach of personal data. Furthermore, you need to prove that the breach caused you psychological damage, financial harm, or both.

In this guide, you will learn about the forms of evidence that can help prove these eligibility criteria and help your case towards a positive outcome.

We conclude by explaining how the claims process works, including evidence-gathering, which can be more straightforward with one of our specialist data breach claim solicitors working on your behalf.

You can call us at any time for 24/7 guidance and support, free of charge. You can also learn if you have a case that a solicitor could support you with on a No Win No Fee basis.

Choose any of these options for free advice on how to claim data breach compensation:

• Phone us on 0800 073 8804.
• Contact us online
• Use the live chat tab below to start a conversation.

Browse Our Guide

1. What Evidence Do I Need For A Data Breach Compensation Claim?
2. Proving Your Data Was Involved In The Breach
3. Evidence Of The Psychological Impact
4. Evidence Of The Financial Impact
5. How To Begin A Data Breach Claim On A No Win No Fee Basis
6. Learn More About What Evidence You Need For A Data Breach Compensation Claim

What Evidence Do I Need For A Data Breach Compensation Claim?

You will likely share personal data with many organisations during day-to-day life. Such data is any information that can be used, either alone or in combination with other information, to identify you.

The organisation responsible for deciding how and why to process information is known as the data controller. They could undertake processing themselves, or instruct a third-party data processor to do it for them.

Data controllers and data processors must follow two pieces of data protection legislation, the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).

Evidence for a data breach compensation claim should highlight how a data controller or data processor failed to follow these laws and a personal data breach occurred as a result. To show this, and any harm you suffered as a consequence, you will need the likes of:

• Recorded contact between you and the organisation involved.
• Proof of the breach and what was affected.
• Medical records to highlight emotional distress.
• Evidence of any financial losses caused by the data breach.

We cover the different types of evidence as the guide progresses. If you have any questions about what evidence you need for a data breach compensation claim, please call our 24/7 helpline at any time.

Proving Your Data Was Involved In The Breach

You need to prove that a personal data breach occurred and affected you directly. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), an independent body protecting personal data rights, defines a data breach as a security incident that affects the availability, confidentiality or integrity of personal data.

An organisation must inform individuals of a data breach that affects their rights and freedoms without undue delay. As a result, you could expect to receive a letter of notification, which might be posted or emailed. This letter can be used as evidence as it will likely discuss what happened, how it came about, what data was affected and the steps they are taking to address the issue.

However, you may not find out this way. You could see on the news that the organisation has suffered a data breach. Alternatively, cybercriminals might try to scam affected individuals, or contact them to demand payment for personal or sensitive information being deleted. You may otherwise learn that your data is being sold on the dark web. Whichever way a data breach comes to your attention, be sure to keep a record as evidence.

If you believe your data has been breached but the organisation has not told you, you can contact them directly.

If you are not satisfied with the response from the organisation, you can report your concerns to the ICO but wait no longer than three months from the last communication with the organisation. The ICO may investigate, but please be aware that they do not pay compensation. The outcome of their report could also be used as proof in a personal data breach claim.

For more information on how to make a data breach claim and what steps you can take to collect evidence, just call the number above today.

Evidence Of The Psychological Impact

A data breach can have a serious effect on the impacted person’s mental health. In a personal data breach claim, you could potentially claim compensation for psychological injuries such as:

• Depression.
• Acute anxiety or distress.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

For example, if your medical records were involved in a data breach, this could affect your mental well-being, knowing that your medical information had been compromised. Personal information relating to your health is also protected by data protection laws; they even go further to add extra protections as this data is considered sensitive information. 

There are two types of damage for which you can claim compensation: Material damage and non-material damage. We will discuss material damage in the next section, but non-material damage is the effect the data breach has had on your mental well-being, as discussed above.  

To claim compensation for non material damage, it is advised to seek medical attention and request a copy of your health records to use as evidence. Furthermore, you can keep a diary of symptoms and ways in which you have been affected.

Evidence Of The Financial Impact

Compensation payouts for data breach claims can account for the ways in which you suffered financially. Material damage is the financial harm you suffer due to the data breach. Some examples include:

• Your credit rating being damaged due to identity theft. 
• The cost of medical treatment or counselling, along with expenses for travelling to and from appointments.
• Fees associated with a forced home relocation if, for example, your personal details were leaked to a stalker.
• A loss of earnings from being unable to work or having to change jobs.

Any of the above could be possible. For example, if social services breach UK GDPR through a human error and cause an adopted child’s address to become available to their birth family, the adoptive family may be forced to move home.

The evidence you need to prove material damage could include:

• Bank statements.
• Other financial records, such as credit card statements or a credit report.
• Payslips.
• Invoices or receipts.

It is possible to claim compensation for financial damage, known as material damage, by itself. You can also claim for just psychological harm, or both together.

Call today for free guidance on data breach compensation amounts or to discuss how much compensation you might be able to claim.

How To Begin A Data Breach Claim On A No Win No Fee Basis

At Legal Expert, we’re passionate about providing high-quality legal representation to anyone who needs it, regardless of their financial situation. Our solicitors are highly trained in what evidence you need for a data breach compensation claim, and they’ll do all that they can to secure the payout that you deserve.

Our solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis, and provide their clients with a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is a type of contract that lets you benefit from their services without having to pay their fees upfront, as your claim continues, or at all if it fails.

If you make a successful claim with one of our No Win No Fee solicitors, they’ll be due a success fee. But don’t worry; this is automatically deducted from your compensation payout as a small percentage, and the percentage that they can take is capped by law. This legal cap helps to make sure that you keep the larger share of your data breach compensation. 

Our solicitors can help you learn how to prove a data breach compensation claim, but their expertise spans far beyond just data breach claims evidence. They can help you with every aspect of your claim, from negotiating a settlement to connecting you with specialists to help you through your recovery. 

We’ve already recovered over £80 million worth of compensation for people all over the country with our cutting-edge client-first approach, and we can help you, too. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help by:

• Phoning us on 0800 073 8804
• Contacting us online
• Using the live chat tab below to start a conversation

Contact Us

You can learn more about claiming compensation for data protection breaches or data breach compensation examples by speaking to one of our advisors today. Furthermore, they can assess your potential case. If you have a valid data breach claim, you could be connected to one of our solicitors without delay.

For guidance on what evidence you need for a data breach compensation claim, the No Win No Fee agreement our solicitors offer, and much more, either:

• Call 0800 073 8804 to access our free helpline.
• Contact us online
• Select the live support tab at the foot of this page.

Learn More About What Evidence You Need For A Data Breach Compensation Claim

Here are some further data protection claims guides that may be of use:

• Read our data breach compensation calculator article for more information on how payouts work.
• Information sent to the wrong postal address could cause various harm. Our wrong postage address claim guide covers this in detail.
• More information on how our data breach solicitors can help

These resources also contain useful information:

• ICO guidance on identity theft and what to do if you are targeted.
• Data breach guidance for individuals and families, provided by the National Cyber Security Centre.
• Get more information on data protection from the Government

Thank you for reading our guide. If you have any questions about data protection breach compensation, or what evidence you need for a data breach compensation claim, please call today.

Last Updated 11th June 2025. This guide provides an in depth overview of the public liability claim time limit. We explain the limitation period for personal injury claims and provide additional details on a number of different circumstances that could affect this.

Where there has been a fatality, the injured person is a child or lacks the sufficient mental capacity to claim; the law grants extensions to the general public liability claims time limit.

At the end of this guide, you will see a section on how starting your potential personal injury claim with one of our highly experienced solicitors can offer you significant protections with a specific type of No Win No Fee contract.

Our advisors are available 24/7 to answer any questions and provide free advice. As well as expert guidance, our team can assess your eligibility to start a public liability claim at absolutely no cost to you. Talk to the team today using the following contact information:

• Call an advisor on 0800 073 8804.
• You can also contact us online by completing this form.
• Alternatively, use the live chat button in the bottom left of your screen. 

Select A Section

1. What Is The Public Liability Claim Time Limit?
2. How Long Do You Have To Claim For Injuries To Children?
3. Can I Claim On Behalf Of Someone With A Reduced Mental Capacity?
4. How Long Is The Public Liability Claim Time Limit For Fatal Accidents?
5. What Are Some Examples Of Accidents Where Public Liability Claims Could Be Made?
6. Can You Claim If The Limitation Period Has Expired?
7. How To Start A Public Accident And Injury Claim

What Is The Public Liability Claim Time Limit?

A public liability claim is a type of personal injury claim made against the party, referred to as an occupier, in control of a public place. Occupiers are required to take steps to ensure the reasonable safety of all visitors to their premises as per the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. A failure to uphold this duty of care can result in public accidents where a claim could be made.

The Limitation Act 1980 stipulates the time for a number of different types of claims. Per the Act, a public liability claim is subject to a limitation period of 3 years. A failure to begin your public liability compensation claim within this time limit could see your case become time barred. This is when you are unable to make a public liability claim due to the time limit expiring.

However, there are exceptions that can apply in some circumstances. The time limit can vary in cases where the injured person is a child, has a reduced medical capacity or where there has been a fatality. We will examine these in more detail in the sections below. 

How Long Do You Have To Claim For Injuries To Children?

Children cannot start a claim in their own right. If a child is injured in a public accident, the public liability claim time limit is frozen until they turn 18. What this means is they will have until their 21st birthday to start a claim.

While the child is a minor, under the age of 18, a suitable adult can apply or be appointed by the Court to act as the child’s Litigation Friend and begin the claim on their behalf. If no claim is made on the child’s behalf by a litigation friend, then when the child turns 18, they will have 3 years to initiate legal proceedings. Learn about making public liability compensation claims on behalf of children by calling the number above and speaking to one of our advisors. 

Can I Claim On Behalf Of Someone With A Reduced Mental Capacity?

Similarly to injured persons who are minors, those with a reduced medical capacity, are unable to claim for themselves. In these cases, the public liability claim time limit is paused indefinitely. Should the injured person recover their capacity, such as in cases of non-permanent brain damage, they will be allowed to claim by themselves and be subject to the standard limitation period of 3 years. The time limit will come into effect from the date of recovery. 

Once again, a litigation friend could be appointed to begin a public liability injury claim on the injured person’s behalf while they have reduced mental capacity and are unable to pursue the claim themselves. Talk to the team today to learn about being a litigation friend or to find out if their potential claim is valid with a free assessment of their eligibility. 

How Long Is The Public Liability Claim Time Limit For Fatal Accidents?

The public liability claim time limit where there has been a death is still generally 3 years. This can be counted either from the date of death itself, or from the completion of any inquest or post-mortem, known as the day of knowledge.

Under the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1934, the estate of the deceased can claim for the pain and suffering, as well any financial losses experienced by the deceased prior to their death.

If the estate has made no claim on their behalf within 6 months, then under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976, certain qualifying dependents can claim for the impact the death had on them.

You can ask our advisors, “What is the public liability claim time limit in fatal accident claims?” or any other questions you may have by calling the number below. The team can also assess your eligibility to begin a claim at zero cost to you. 

What Are Some Examples Of Accidents Where Public Liability Claims Could Be Made?

Some examples of accidents where public liability claims could be made include:

• A leaking water pipe created a slip hazard in a restaurant bathroom. A wet floor sign wasn’t placed, and no steps were taken by restaurant management to organise the repair. You slipped and fell on the water, hitting your head on the sink.
• Faulty wiring in a clothing shop changing room caused you to receive a substantial electric shock when you flicked the light switch.
• The required maintenance inspections had not been carried out on a park terrace, and consequently, a damaged section of railing had not been replaced. You leaned on the railing and fell from a considerable height.

Public liability claims can be quite varied. Precisely how an occupier will need to ensure the reasonable safety of visitors will depend greatly on the specific location. If you would like to find out about making a claim for your particular accident, or want to check if you are within the public liability claim time limit, then call the number at the top of the screen today.

Our advisors can provide free advice, answer any questions you might have and check your eligibility to claim for free.

Can You Claim If The Limitation Period Has Expired?

In most cases, the answer is no. Once the limitation period has elapsed, a claim cannot be brought for the accident. However, the court may allow a claim to proceed if the deadline has passed.

If the limitation period elapsed due to your solicitor’s actions, you could claim compensation for professional negligence, as their actions caused you to lose the opportunity to pursue your claim.

How To Start A Public Accident And Injury Claim

Contact our advisors for a free assessment of your eligibility to start a claim. If the team decides your claim is valid, and you are within the relevant public liability claim time limit, they could put you in contact with one of our highly experienced personal injury solicitors.

Our solicitors can offer their services under a particular type of No Win No Fee contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement or “CFA.” The CFA offers claimants some key protections such as not having to pay any fees upfront or during the claim itself for the solicitor’s work in the majority of cases. There will also be no fee should the claim fail.

In the event of a successful claim, you will receive a personal injury compensation award. A legally capped percentage of this award will be taken as the solicitor’s success fee, meaning you will keep most of any compensation you receive. 

For more information on the types of public liability accidents you could potentially claim compensation for, read our public liability claims FAQ guide. You can also put any questions that may have arisen when reading this guide to our advisors.

In addition to offering further guidance, our team can assess your eligibility to start a public liability claim at absolutely no cost to you. Talk to the team today about No Win No Fee public liability claims using the following contact information:

• Call an advisor on 0800 073 8804.
• You can also contact us online by completing this form.
• Alternatively, use the live chat button in the bottom left of your screen. 

Further Resources on Public Accident Claims

You can read some more of our guides to public accident claims by following these links:

• Read our guide on how to sue a shop for compensation after an accident on their premises.
• Find out the eligibility criteria for claiming compensation for an accident in a public park and how compensation is calculated in such claims.
• If you slipped on water in a bathroom and suffered injuries, you may be entitled to compensation. Learn more with this guide.

We have also provided these external resources that you may find helpful:

• You can access the NHS guidance on first aid on their website.
• The Health and Safety Executive has provided this guidance for preventing slips and trips on business premises.
• See the government guidance on what insurance a small business needs on Companies House.

Thank you for reading this guide on the public liability claim time limit. You can get additional free advice, or an assessment of your eligibility to claim by speaking to our advisors. The team are available 24 hours a day using the contact details provided above.