University Of Glasgow Data Breach Compensation Claims Guide – How Much Compensation Can I Claim? – Amounts For University Of Glasgow Data Breach
There are many reasons why universities need to store information about students, staff and alumni. For instance, timetabling would be impossible, as would matching students with exam results. While there are very good reasons to store personal data, universities have to try and secure it so that they comply with the latest data protection regulations. In this guide, we’re going to explain the circumstances in which data breach claims against the University of Glasgow might be justified, how they might happen and why you might be eligible to claim compensation.
University Of Glasgow- data breach claims guide
The rules on securing personal data are defined by the General Data Protection Regulation (also known as the GDPR) and The Data Protection Act 2018. The new rules state that organisations who want to use your information need to tell you why and request your permission before they do.
On top of their duty to gain consent, once your data has been processed it must be stored in a secure fashion to prevent it from entering the public domain. Failure to keep information safe could result in a financial penalty being issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and you could be eligible to start a claim for any harm caused.
Legal Expert can support you if you decide that you would like to make a data breach claim. We will assess any case without obligation and provide free legal advice. If their chances of winning your case are reasonable, it could be taken on by one of our data breach solicitors. All claims they accept are covered by our No Win No Fee service.
To begin a university data breach claim today, please contact us on 0800 073 8804. Alternatively, for more details about starting a case, please carry on reading our guide.
Select A Section
- Data Breach Claims Involving The University Of Glasgow
- What Is A Data Breach By The University Of Glasgow?
- Are Universities Covered By The GDPR?
- How Have Universities Been Impacted By Breaches Of Data Protection?
- How Many Universities Are Affected By Breaches Of Data Security?
- Preventing Data Thefts And Cyber Security Breaches
- What Data Protection Breach Compensation Are You Entitled To?
- Calculating Data Breach Claims Against The University Of Glasgow
- How A Data Breach Expert Could Help You
- No Win No Fee Data Breach Claims Against The University Of Glasgow
- Get In Touch With Us
- Learn More
Data Breach Claims Involving The University Of Glasgow
The manner by which we make a purchase, book appointments, use websites or sign up for university courses has changed a lot in recent times. That is because the organisations you work with need to gain your permission before they can collect your data, store it or share it with anybody else. That means when you fill in a form, whether on paper or online, you will be asked to tick boxes or press confirmation buttons to show that you approve of the ways in which your personal details will be used.
After your data protection choices have been recorded by an organisation, they must then only use your information for the methods you have agreed to. That means, if you give your mobile number to a hairdresser so they can contact you about your appointment, they cannot then use it to send marketing messages unless you have agreed to your number being used for that purpose. Also, any personal information that you provide must be stored securely to try and avoid data breaches from happening.
If you are harmed in any way by a data breach, you might be able to claim compensation. The time limit for doing so is usually 6-years. This can be decreased to 1-year if the reason for the claim is a breach of human rights, though.
Our usual advice is that if you begin your claim at the earliest opportunity, you’re more likely to recall things when you discuss the case with a data breach solicitor. And your lawyer has more time to request substantiating evidence the sooner the case begins too.
When you are ready to start a claim for a University of Glasgow data breach, please call our team on the number at the top of the page.
What Is A Data Breach By The University Of Glasgow?
Not all data breaches are caused by IT security problems like hacking, cyberattacks, ransomware or viruses. Any personal information recorded in physical documentation is also protected by the GDPR. For instance, a data breach could simply be where a burglar is able to steal personal documentation because a filing cabinet wasn’t locked.
The official explanation of a data breach, as defined under GDPR, is when a security issue means that data of a personal nature is accessed, lost, altered, destroyed or disclosed by means that a data subject has not agreed to.
A data controller (the organisation that was in possession of your information) needs to inform you if you are at risk following a data breach. They should let you know what personal information was accessed, when the data breach happened and how it took place. At the same time, they need to involve the ICO and keep them updated.
To start a data breach claim today, why not contact Legal Expert to have your case reviewed for free?
Are Universities Covered By The GDPR?
As data controllers, universities are bound by a set of principles listed in the GDPR. They, therefore, need to demonstrate compliance with the following:
- All personal data should be kept up to date.
- A data subject should know exactly why their information is needed.
- The act of data processing needs to be legal, transparent and fair.
- While there is no official time limit, personal information is only allowed to be stored for as long as it is necessary.
- The process used to collect and store data should be secure and upholds the individual’s privacy.
- When collecting personal information, the data processor should only request the minimum required to fulfil the reason behind the processing.
To clarify, personally identifiable information or data is something that could be used to identify a data subject. This could mean information like names, telephone numbers, addresses, student or staff ID numbers, email addresses. Additionally, some information relating to protected characteristics could be added to the list like ethnicity, sexual orientation, age or gender.
If you believe that you have a valid case to claim compensation following a data breach, please let us know what has happened and we’ll explain your claim options to you.
How Have Universities Been Impacted By Breaches Of Data Protection?
Now we are going to show you how a data breach involving a third-party software supplier has affected several UK universities, trusts and charities. Blackbaud provides a database management system that many universities use to manage relationships with their alumni, fundraisers and donors.
In 2020, the company identified that a subset of its backup data had been compromised and downloaded by cybercriminals who subsequently issued a ransom demand.
Once if found out about the breach, Blackbaud contacted those affected who, in turn, had to contact anybody who could be at risk. The information the was believed to have been leaked included personal details like names, addresses, contact information and the relationship the data subject had with the university since leaving.
Against the normal protocols, Blackbaud decided that the best way to resolve the issue was to pay the hacker’s ransom. In return, they were assured that the compromised information had been destroyed and was no longer useable.
If you can prove that the Blackbaud hack or any other university data breach has adversely affected you, please let us know and we will review your chances of claiming compensation for free.
How Many Universities Are Affected By Breaches Of Data Security?
Even though we have discussed data breaches affecting UK universities already, you may be wondering how commonly they occur. Well, a report from one cybersecurity firm suggests they are more prevalent than you might think.
The study looked at the replies to Freedom of Information requests from 86 universities in the UK. It found that:
- The overall staff training budget, per year, for data safety awareness, averaged out at just over £7,500 per university.
- Nearly half of the universities questioned (49%) don’t offer any proactive training on data safety to their students.
- A staggering 54% of universities had reported a data breach to the ICO in the last year.
- 46% of university staff had not received any data security training in the last 12 months.
- Over a quarter of the respondents (27%) said they had never hired an external company to test the security of their IT network.
You may well be surprised at some of those figures but there are some steps that could be taken to reduce the risk of future data breaches which we will look at in the next section.
Preventing Data Thefts And Cyber Security Breaches
As detailed in the previous section, data breaches and cyberattacks against universities are becoming more and more common. Because of the amount of sensitive information they hold, the threat to universities is unlikely to go away any time soon, so what can they do to try and stop these attacks?
They could:
- Follow industry advice and keep all computer systems, apps and software up to date.
- Use encrypted hard drives on portable devices so the information they contain is rendered useless if lost or stolen.
- Follow a cycle of reviewing and updating data privacy policies.
- Use specialist security firms to try and identify security flaws before any hackers do.
- Make sure staff, students and contractors are aware of their data security responsibilities.
While it might seem quite an expensive chore to carry out these actions, they have the potential to stop data breaches from causing harm in the future. In doing so, the university could in fact save money by avoiding potential ICO fines in the future.
What Data Protection Breach Compensation Are You Entitled To?
When you begin a compensation claim following a data breach, it is important that all aspects of your suffering are considered. The reason we say this is because you can only claim once. Therefore, if you forget to include something in the initial claim, you are not allowed to request more compensation later on. This is one of the main reasons we advise that you seek specialist legal representation.
Claims for the harm caused by a data breach are generally broken down into material damages, which are used to try and recover any financial losses, and non-material damages which look to compensate you for any pain and suffering caused by psychological injuries.
Usually, a data breach solicitor will consider if there is a need to claim for long-term harm as well as any that has already happened. For example, if you have been diagnosed with psychiatric injuries, an independent medical specialist will be asked to ascertain whether anxiety, depression, stress or other conditions will have a long-term impact on your ability to cope with life, work or maintain relationships.
Similarly, you could look at long-term financial losses as well as those already incurred. This could be the case if your personal data was used by criminals to obtain credit in your name. If that has happened, it may affect your ability to get a good rate for a mortgage or loan in the future.
As we have shown, data breach claims can become quite complex in some cases. If you work with Legal Expert, and your case is accepted, a specialist solicitor will assess it with you in detail before it is lodged to try and ensure no aspect of your claim is missed. So, please call today to see if we could help you start a university data breach claim.
Calculating Data Breach Claims Against The University Of Glasgow
If you want to know what compensation you could claim because of a data breach, you will need to have your claim properly assessed by a member of our team. We are unable to list exact amounts here because we know that every claim is unique. However, we can provide the table below which contains compensation amounts taken from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) which is used in court cases to help determine compensation amounts.
| Injury Type | Severity Level | Compensation Range | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Psychiatric Damage | Severe | £51,460 – £108,620 | This category covers cases where the claimant will have a very poor prognosis and remain vulnerable in the future. |
| General Psychiatric Damage | Moderately Severe | £17,900 to £51,460 | There will be significant problems with work, relationships and coping with life but a more optimistic prognosis than above will be offered. |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) | Severe | £56,180 to £94,470 | The level of symptoms in this case will be so severe that the claimant won’t be able to work or function at anything like the levels they were at prior to the trauma. |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) | Moderately Severe | £21,730 to £56,180 | The symptoms in this category will be significant for the immediate future but improvements should happen with professional support. |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) | Less Severe | Up to £7,680 | Within one to two years, all major symptoms will have been resolved and only minor issues could persist. |
We are using the JCG figures because the Court of Appeal decided, when reviewing the case Vidal-Hall and others v Google Inc [2015], that psychological injury claims caused by a data breach can be claimed for even in the absence of financial harm, and should be valued in the same way as personal injury claims.
To achieve the correct level of compensation, you are required to provide medical evidence to back up your claim. That means, during the claims process, you will have to participate in a local medical assessment, organised by your lawyer. During your meeting, an independent medical specialist will review any medical notes that are available and then ask you questions to try and determine how you have been affected.
Once the appointment has concluded, the specialist will write down their findings in a report and forward it to your solicitor.
How A Data Breach Expert Could Help You
OK, so you know why a data breach claim could be made, and you know how much compensation might be paid, but do you know how a data breach solicitor could help? Well, our team of solicitors have helped clients for decades. If your claim is taken on, you will be paired with a specialist who will handle all communications with the defendant on your behalf.
Furthermore, they will be able to answer any queries you might have as the claim progresses and you will receive progress reports regularly. The main role of your solicitor will be to try and make sure they provide enough evidence so that you receive the highest amount of compensation for your suffering.
Rather than asking friends for a recommendation, why not call Legal Expert today? Remember, any advice we provide is free whether you go on to start a claim or not. And if you wanted to check over some of our reviews, you can do so here.
No Win No Fee Data Breach Claims Against The University Of Glasgow
We want to provide access to justice for as many people as possible. That’s why we try to alleviate the stress and financial risks involved with claiming by offering a No Win No Fee service for any claim we take on.
To start the claims process, a solicitor does need to check the chances of winning your case. If they agree to work with you, and you are happy to start, a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) will be drafted for you. This is a contract between you and your solicitor which explains how your case will proceed. It will clearly state that:
- Charges will not be requested upfront.
- You won’t pay any solicitors fees while the claim proceeds.
- In the event the claim fails, your solicitor will not charge you any of their fees at all.
Should the outcome of your case be positive, your solicitor will keep a small percentage of your compensation to cover their costs. Within the CFA, you will see this ‘success fee’ percentage, which is capped legally, so there won’t be any surprises when the claim is finalised.
To enquire whether you could use our No Win No Fee solution to fund your claim, please contact a specialist today.
Get In Touch With Us
You are approaching the final section of this article about claiming for a University of Glasgow data breach. If you are now ready to begin your own claim, and you want Legal Expert to help you do so, please get in touch by:
- Calling our specialist advisors for free claims advice on 0800 073 8804.
- Asking to be called back by a fully trained advisor when you start your claim online.
- Sending a summary of your claim in an email to info@legalexpert.co.uk.
- Explaining how you have suffered to an online advisor in live chat.
We don’t want to waste your time when you call so we will always be honest about your chances of making a successful claim. When you get in touch, an advisor will walk you through the claims process and review your case. If they are of the opinion that your claim is viable, you will be connected to one of our data breach solicitors. As mentioned earlier, any claim they accept will be managed on a No Win No Fee basis.
Learn More
Thank you for taking the time to read our article on starting data breach claims against the University of Glasgow. As you progress through your claim, you may require some additional resources, so we have listed some below. Also, as Legal Expert specialises in different types of compensation claims, we’ve provided some of our other guides as well. Should you need any more information relating to your claim, please get in touch with our team today.
Student Privacy Notice – The latest privacy notice relating to students at the University of Glasgow.
Anxiety UK – This UK charity offers support to anybody who is suffering from anxiety.
ICO Fines – An up-to-date news feed from the ICO showing what action it has taken recently.
Pharmacy Claims – Details of when suffering caused by pharmacy negligence could mean you are entitled to compensation.
Suing An Employer – This guide shows how to avoid problems with your employer if you are making an injury claim against them.
How To Claim For Medical Negligence – Guidance on the claims process for suffering caused by medical negligence.
Other Useful Compensation Guides
- Teesside University Data Breach
- The Arts University Bournemouth Data Breach
- The Open University Data Breach
- Transform Hospital Group Data Breach
- University of Aberdeen Data Breach
- University of Bedfordshire Data Breach
- University of Bradford Data Breach
- University of Brighton Data Breach
- University of Buckingham Data Breach
- University of Cambridge Data Breach
- University of Central Lancashire Data Breach
- University of Cumbria Data Breach
- University of East Anglia Data Breach
- University of Edinburgh Data Breach
- Can I Get Compensation For Loss of Medical Records?
- University of Gloucestershire Data Breach
- University of Huddersfield Data Breach
- University of Hull Data Breach
- University of Kent Data Breach
- University of Lincoln Data Breach
- Data Breach Solicitors
Thank you for reading our guide to the University of Glasgow data breach claims.
Guide by Hambridge
Edited by Billing
