Roehampton University Data Breach Compensation Claims Guide – How Much Compensation Can I Claim? – Amounts For Roehampton University Data Breach
This guide discusses the concept of a data breach compensation claim against Roehampton University and what data subject rights are. Data subjects are those that have their data stored and have rights to data protection, such as students and staff at higher education facilities. Universities store personal information about students and staff for a variety of reasons including to:
- Confirm your academic attainments.
- Contact you (through post, email or phone).
- Monitor university equality and diversity responsibilities.
Roehampton University data breach claims guide
The Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are privacy laws that give you more control over how your data is used. They look at the responsibilities the data processor has when handling our personal information. A data controller is a person or body who determines how and why they process personal data. Breach of data privacy can be a consequence of:
- Human error.
- Someone wanting to cause harm/hack.
- Mismanagement.
In the event of a breach, an organisation may have to report it to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), investigate it and potentially get fined. If you, as the data subject, suffer financial loss or psychological harm due to a breach of data protection, you could claim compensation.
Legal Expert could help you do this. For more information on this guide about data breach claims against Roehampton University, call our team of advisors on 0800 073 8804. They’re available for you 24/7 to offer free legal advice. And, if you like, they can put you in touch with our solicitors who offer No Win No Fee services.
Select A Section
- A Guide On Data Breach Claims Against Roehampton University
- What Are Breaches In Data Protection At A University?
- Data Protection Obligations Under The GDPR
- Types Of University Data Breach Cases We Could Handle
- What Percentage Of Universities Have Suffered A Breach Of Data Protection?
- Attacks Against Universities By Cybercriminals
- What Types Of Compensation Could You Get For A University Data Breach?
- Settlement Calculator And Data Breach Claims Against Roehampton University
- Should You Claim For A Data Breach At Your University?
- No Win No Fee Data Breach Claims Against Roehampton University
- Start Your Case
- Related Guides
A Guide On Data Breach Claims Against Roehampton University
The GDPR requires data controllers to explain to you:
- Why they need your data.
- How they’ll use it.
They must also ask your permission to use your data. (There are exceptions, however.)
When online and booking a holiday, making another purchase or even sharing your personal information with universities, you may encounter a privacy notice. For example, you may have seen the data privacy notice for research participants at Roehampton University. This notice is a consequence of data protection legislation giving you control over your data.
We start by considering what a university data breach may entail, and follow on with an explanation of how laws protect you. Then, we explain the data protection guidance in these laws and include an example of data breach detection.
We include information to help you decide whether you have grounds for a claim, and how you could calculate your suffering as compensation.
If you are eligible to claim, you would be restricted by the breach of data protection time limit. This is normally 6 years from the date of the breach, or 1 year if human rights are breached.
If you have any questions about a data breach claim against Roehampton University, our advisors are on-hand 24/7. They could put you in touch with our solicitors, who offer No Win No Fee agreements to those who are eligible to claim.
What Are Breaches In Data Protection At A University?
You might have thought of a cyber-attack using malware, a virus, spyware or ransomware. Though these would still be considered causes of breaches under the GDPR, it includes others. This is because the GDPR aims to protect your personal information from any threat in any form. For example, a letter with any identifying details (such as your name and address or employee or student number) that is sent in error to someone other than yourself could qualify as a data breach.
The legislation looks to prevent the accidental or unlawful use of personal data through unauthorised:
- Destruction
- Loss
- Adjustment
- Disclosure
Whether someone inside or outside the organisation accidentally or deliberately causes the breach, the organisation needs to report it to the ICO if there’s a risk to the victims’ personal data.
After a data breach such as that, the data controller’s responsibility is to start an internal investigation, inform the ICO and if the data subject is at risk, they need to be told:
- What happened.
- How it happened.
- What personal information was exposed.
You may be confused by what a Roehampton University, London data breach could potentially involve so please call our advisors for more information.
Data Protection Obligations Under The GDPR
The GDPR was passed by the European Union (EU) and came into effect in 2018 but, though it no longer applies to the UK after Brexit, it has been integrated into UK data protection legislation in the Data Protection Act 2018.
It outlines the data protection responsibilities data controllers, such as organisations or universities, have over your data. The principles data controllers must comply with are to:
- Process data lawfully, fairly and ensure you’re told why it’s being processed.
- Collect data for legitimate reasons.
- Only handle a minimum amount of information as needed.
- Keep data accurate and up to date.
- Keep data for only as long as is necessary.
- Store and process data securely and confidentially.
You may find that the University of Roehampton data protection policy has been reevaluated due to GDPR and covers the points above.
The GDPR exists to protect your data subject rights. If you have any questions about a data breach claim against Roehampton University call us today for help.
Types Of University Data Breach Cases We Could Handle
In 2018, the University of Greenwich was fined £120,000 by the ICO. One of the University’s students created a microsite for use in a training conference in 2004. Because it wasn’t closed and lacked security, attackers were able to compromise and exploit it years later. They extracted the personal data (mainly contact details) of almost 20,000 people. Around 3,500 of these people had their sensitive information (including details of staff sickness and learning difficulties) compromised too.
The ICO found that, even though the University hadn’t known of the microsite, as the data controller, it was their responsibility to keep data secure throughout the institution. They didn’t take appropriate measures to prevent a data breach and the ICO fined them.
Should anyone choose to make a data breach claim, they must have proof that they were a victim. If you had your sensitive data exploited in particular you may have felt distressed and your mental health could have deteriorated. Even without financial loss, you could potentially claim compensation for any psychological injuries you suffered. To find out more, call our team on the number above. There’s no obligation for you to proceed with our services afterwards.
What Percentage Of Universities Have Suffered A Breach Of Data Protection?
Are you wondering how protected you are from a university data breach? The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and Jisc published a report in 2019 on how safe cyber-security is in higher education. It discussed that:
- A study of 37,000 Jisc conducted in 2018 showed only 39% of students in 2018 felt their university told them about how they store and use their data.
- In the spring of 2018, Jisc surveyed university information technology and security staff, 15% of higher education IT and security staff scored their institution/organisation as 8 or over on a scale out of 10. (1 was ‘not at all well protected’ and 10 was ‘very well protected’.)
Jisc also published a post on cybersecurity in universities and colleges that revealed:
- 82% of higher education respondents to their 2020 survey indicated that cybersecurity was important in their institution/organisation.
- 86% of higher education organisations reportedly had assigned cybersecurity staff in 2020.
The more recent figures show improvement on previous years. However, you could feel disconcerted if you discover you’re part of a higher education organisation that hasn’t employed dedicated staff to protect your personal information.
If a Roehampton University data protection breach should occur, we advise you to read their data protection policy. If you have any questions at all about university data breaches our advisors are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week to provide no-obligation advice to you.
Attacks Against Universities By Cybercriminals
Hackers try to access data for a variety of reasons. In 2020, a newspaper reported on countries attempting to hack British universities to steal research on Covid-19 and the vaccine. Medical information would be seen as sensitive and potentially particularly concerning if you find yours is subject to a breach.
With threats to your personal data coming from anywhere in the world an added concern may be that, in 2019, security testers breached the systems of 50 UK universities. As we move deeper into the digital age, preventing a data breach could involve:
- Regularly reviewing every data privacy notice.
- Employing a dedicated data protection team.
- Keeping up-to-date IT equipment and computer security software.
- Providing all who use the systems (staff, students and visitors) with appropriate safety training.
- Carrying out regular penetration testing.
To find out whether your university already does the above, check the university of Roehampton data protection policy or related data protection guidance.
If there’s anything in this guide about a data breach claim against Roehampton University that you’d like to discuss, call our team on the number at the top of the page. Alternatively, use our live chat. Advisors are here for you 24/7.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/03/hostile-states-trying-to-steal-coronavirus-research-says-uk-agency
Source: https://www.itgovernance.co.uk/blog/security-testers-breach-university-cyber-defences-in-two-hours
What Types Of Compensation Could You Get For A University Data Breach?
Could you claim compensation after a university data breach? It would depend. If any data controller’s inability to protect you from a breach of data privacy has led you to suffer psychologically or financially, you could seek compensation. This is on the provision that you can supply evidence.
The compensation of the claim can be split into material damage and non-material damage.
Material damages compensate you for the financial loss you’ve suffered due to the privacy breach. However, it may not always be the case that you suffer financially; you may only suffer psychologically. Therefore, in that event, you could still claim.
Non-material damages compensate you for emotional distress or psychiatric injuries you’ve endured because of the privacy violation. In addition, you may find that your deterioration of health is impacting that of your friends and family.
You should consider the future implications of the breach if you are to make a claim. Could it lead to further financial loss or even identity theft? Is it a permanent issue?
Additionally, if your claim is successful, the amount you claim should be reflective of how significantly you suffered.
Our guide to university data breach claims may not answer all of your questions so, read on to find out more then call us on the number at the top of the page for free legal advice.
Settlement Calculator And Data Breach Claims Against Roehampton University
We now look at how compensation is calculated following a successful claim for harm caused by a breach of data protection. This section is for informative purposes and figures may not be exact to your possible case. Our solicitors offer tailored compensation calculations once they’ve properly assessed your claim.
Following the case of Vidal-Hall and others v Google Inc [2015], Mr Justice Mitting allowed that compensation ranges allocated to psychiatric and psychological injuries in personal injury claims should be accessible for data protection breach cases too. Even if you haven’t endured financial loss, you could claim for mental injury.
The table below shows the parameters for some relevant injuries. We’ve used the Judicial College Guidelines (a publication that solicitors may use when valuing injuries) to collate this data.
| Injury Type | Severity | Compensation Bracket | Further Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric damage | Moderately severe | £17,900 to £51,460 | Prognosis will be much more optimistic than in severe cases. |
| Psychiatric damage | Severe | £51,460 to £108,620 | Poor prognosis with it unlikely that the claimant would respond well to treatment. Factors such as their ability to manage relationships, work or function will determine the award. |
| PTSD | Moderate | £7,680 to £21,730 | Where the claimant has mostly recovered and any continuing symptoms will not be grossly inhibiting. |
| PTSD | Severe | £56,180 to £94,470 | Permanent effects prevent the claimant from working or recovering their mental health as before the breach. |
If you choose to claim for mental suffering, you would need to attend an independent medical assessment. The medical professional assigned would give a prognosis as well as confirm whether the breach at least worsened (if not caused) your condition. Then the report they create would act as evidence.
If, when reading through our guide you’ve discovered that you’d like to speak to someone, then call our advisors. They’re also available any time, any day through our live chat, offering free legal advice.
Should You Claim For A Data Breach At Your University?
What would be the next step? If you choose to make a data breach claim against a university, you may want the advice of a solicitor. Choosing the right one for you can involve the following:
- Checking online reviews and making sure they’re reliable and consistent.
- Tracking how good their communication is.
- Ensuring they won’t under-settle your claim.
You don’t have to restrict your search to your local area. Solicitors can work for you from anywhere in the country. Though this means you have more quality options, you may find yourself with a lot of potentials to trawl through.
Legal Expert can help. Our advisors are available on the freephone number at the top of the page 24/7 and can put you in touch with our specialist solicitors. If you’re unsure, take a look at our reviews or call our advisors for free legal advice, without the pressure of being required to make a claim.
No Win No Fee Data Breach Claims Against Roehampton University
Now we consider what you could do if you’re concerned about finances when seeking compensation through a solicitor. No Win No Fee agreements are also known as Conditional Fee Agreements (CFAs). They can be useful for those who want to seek compensation with the help of a solicitor but do not want to pay upfront fees to their legal representation.
Some of the benefits are as follows:
- Firstly, if your case loses, you don’t have to pay any solicitor fees.
- Secondly, if your case wins, you pay a minor success fee to the solicitor, which is lawfully capped.
- And last but not least, there are no upfront solicitor fees while your case is ongoing.
To conclude, our solicitors could offer such a service to you. They’d first check the reasonability of your claim by confidentially discussing it with you at no charge.
For more information on this service, get in touch with our advisors through any of the below routes. They can put you in touch with our solicitors if you like.
Start Your Case
You can get free legal advice without the obligation to proceed with our solicitors’ services. Our advisors are here for you day and night, 7 days a week. For more answers to your questions pertaining to a data breach claim against Roehampton University call us on;
- Freephone 0800 073 8804.
- Email us at info@legalexpert.co.uk
- Complete our contact form.
- Use our live chat feature on this page.
You really are under no pressure to proceed with our services if you get in touch. And, we will only provide you with honest advice on the likelihood of your case winning. Our solicitors offer claims on a No Win No Fee basis meaning that, if they take on your case, they share the risk with you.
Related Guides
Hopefully, you’ve found the information included in this guide about a data breach claim against Roehampton University useful. We provide further support through the sources below. Just click on the links to access the information you need. If you would like to discuss anything else to do with claims, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Part of the ICO’s role is to take action to make sure organisations are protecting your data. Find out more.
Get Help from Mental Health Helplines
We also have the NHS’s A to Z of helplines. They’re there for you when you’re ready.
Work-related stress is just one illness you could claim for. Read our guide to find out more.
Claim for Professional Negligence
Professionals owe you a duty of care. Find out what that means in our guide.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Compensation
We provide a guide to claiming if you’re suffering from PTSD.
Other Useful Compensation Guides
- Redditch Borough Council Data Breach
- Regents University London Data Breach
- Robert Gordon University Data Breach
- My Personal Data Has Been Lost After a Breach, What Are My Rights?
- Royal Agricultural University Data Breach
- Royal Free Hospital Data Breach
- Rugby Borough Council Data Breach
- Salford City Council Data Breach
- Scarborough Borough Council Data Breach
- Solent University Data Breach
- South Tyneside Council Data Breach
- Southampton City Council Data Breach
- Southend-on-Sea Borough Council Data Breach
- Spire Healthcare Data Breach
- St Albans Council Data Breach
- St Marys University Twickenham Data Breach
- Staffordshire University Data Breach
- Standard Chartered Data Breach
- Sutton Coldfield Council Data Breach
- Swindon Borough Council Data Breach
- School Data Breach Compensation Claims
Written By Victorine
Edited By Melissa.
