Folkestone Data Breach Solicitors – Expert Claims Support
If you think your personal information was exposed or compromised in a breach of data security, you may be wondering what action you could take. We produced this guide to explain how data breach solicitors for Folkestone compensation claims could represent you if your data was compromised.
Data breach solicitors for Folkestone
Organisations, companies, and other entities that collect your personal information are known as data controllers. You are referred to as a data subject when you provide information to organisations. Some data controllers gather and process your information, whereas others may outsource the processing to a third party.
In the UK, there are laws that protect your personal information and there is a body that enforces these laws. The laws relating to data protection are the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018), and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).
Our guide provides essential reading on when a data breach claim could be valid, and how a No Win No Fee solicitor could represent you. We offer an idea of the different compensation payouts for specific psychological harm a breach may cause you. The guide also offers advice on the sort of damages you could seek in a successful data breach claim.
If you would like to discuss the details of your case with one of our experienced advisers, you can do so by calling our freephone number 0800 073 8804. You also have the option to fill out our online claims form. Alternatively, please use our Live Chat feature found at the bottom of this page.
To continue reading our guide on how data breach solicitors for Folkestone claims could represent you, please click on the sections that follow.
Select a Section
- A Guide To Claims Handled By Data Breach Solicitors For Folkestone
- What Is A Breach Of Data Protection
- Types Of Claims Handled By Data Breach Solicitors For Folkestone
- Key Data Protection Statistics
- I Think My Data Privacy Was Breached, What Could I Do?
- Calculating Data Breach Payouts
- Why Choose No Win No Fee Data Breach Solicitors For Folkestone Claims?
- Start Your Data Breach Claim Now
- Find Out More About Data Breach Claims
A Guide To Claims Handled By Data Breach Solicitors For Folkestone
If you were the victim of a breach in data security and you suffered harm and/or monetary losses, could you seek compensation? For a claim to be valid you must prove that a data controller failed to protect your personal information accordingly, or that they did not abide by the law. You must also be able to prove you suffered some kind of psychological harm, monetary losses or both. The best way of finding out if your case is valid, is to contact one of our advisers today.
When your data is compromised or exposed, whether by human error or because of a cyber-attack, compensation may be possible. A high percentage of breaches in data security happen due to human error. An office worker may leave computer screen on revealing your data to anyone passing by. Or a member of the staff could send out an email containing your data to the wrong recipient. These could constitute a breach in data security and it may be possible to file for compensation. However, if the party responsible for the breach had done everything in their power to protect your information, your claim may not be valid.
Not all information is protected under data protection law. Only information that could identify you or be used in combination with other information to identify you is protected. A breach in data security could happen accidentally or deliberately. When you are caught up in a data breach, the consequences can severely affect you. You could suffer psychological harm, and/or you could be the victim of identity theft.
It is also worth noting that there is a statutory time limit linked to data breach claims. This could be 1 year or 6 years. To find out which deadline applies to your claim, please get in touch with a member of our team.
What Is A Breach Of Data Protection
A breach of data protection involves a security incident where personal information is compromised or unlawfully exposed. Your data could be:
- Lost
- Disclosed
- Destroyed
- Accessed
- Altered
Examples of data breaches caused by human error include:
- A data controller shares your data with unauthorised persons
- A member of staff sends out an email containing your data to the wrong email address
- Your data is not redacted in a case study that is published on the internet
- An employee leaves a computer screen on revealing your data to passers by
When your personal information is shared without a lawful basis for doing so, it would be deemed a breach in data protection. Thus, you may have grounds to sue for data breach compensation.
This is where Legal Expert can be of assistance. We can review the details of your case and determine if you could sue. A member of our team can then put you in touch with specialist data breach solicitors for Folkestone claims. The lawyer who agrees to handle your claim may do so on a No Win No Fee basis.
Types Of Claims Handled By Data Breach Solicitors For Folkestone
Data breach solicitors for Folkestone claims are able to take on all sorts of claims providing there is good cause to seek compensation. The type of claims that are covered include:
- Email data breach claims
- Medical record data breach cases
- Bank breaches in data security
- Social services breaches in data security
- Employer data breaches
The list of data breach claims that we can handle is extensive, so if you don’t see your case in our list, please get in touch. An experienced adviser can review the details of your case before advising you accordingly.
Key Data Protection Statistics
There is a cyber-security breaches survey that the Government publishes on a regular basis. The report offers an idea on how many cyber attacks happen over a specific period. In addition to the Government survey, the Information Commissioner’s Office publishes quarterly data breach reports on their website. For the second quarter of the 2021/22 financial year, there were 2,431 reports of data security incidents. Of this, 714 involved breaches in cyber security.
I Think My Data Privacy Was Breached, What Could I Do?
If your data is compromised or exposed in a breach, you should contact the data controller as soon as you can. You should voice your concerns with them and they should send you a timely reply. An organisation (data controller) may contact you directly informing you there was a breach and that your information may be compromised. If they do, you must hold on to the communication as this is valuable proof.
If however, the data controller does not contact you or the reply you receive is unsatisfactory, you have the option to contact the ICO and raise a concern. However, this must be done within three months of the last ‘meaningful’ communication you had with the data controller. If you wait too long before contacting the ICO, your concern may not be investigated.
However, you are not obliged to seek assistance from the ICO when you want to file a claim. You could contact a solicitor though to find out whether you have grounds to sue for compensation. This is where Legal Expert can help you. A member of our team can review all the details of your case and establish its validity. They can then connect you to data breach solicitors for Folkestone claims. A specialist lawyer could offer you a No Win No Fee service.
Calculating Data Breach Payouts
When you are caught up in a data breach, you could lose out financially. You could suffer psychological harm when your personal data is exposed. You may even develop a condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. Your symptoms could be long-lasting and could negatively impact your life and ability to work.
When you file a successful data breach claim, you could be entitled to two sorts of damages which are:
- Firstly, non-material damages for the psychological harm or emotional distress a breach caused you. This includes conditions like anxiety, depression, and chronic stress
- Secondly, material damages to cover your monetary losses
We have included a table showing compensation brackets taken from the Judicial College guidelines. The amounts in our table cover non-material damages and they do not include any material damages.
| Type of harm/damage suffered | Severity | Potential awards in non-material damages (Judicial College Guidelines) | Further notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychological harm | Moderately Severe | £17,900 – £51,460 | Claimants will suffer moderate to severe mental harm that impacts their ability to lead the normal life. Claimants ability to work is impacted to a certain extent |
| Psychological harm | Less severe | Up to £5,500 | Claimants experiences minor mental harm. Some minor symptoms could be ongoing which may impact their lives |
| Psychological harm | Severe | £51,460 – £108,620 | Claimants suffer extremely severe psychiatric damage and it impacts all aspects of their lives which includes their ability to work |
| Psychological harm | Moderate | £5,500 – £17,900 | Claimant suffers moderate psychiatric harm which can impact their lives to a lesser degree |
| Post-traumatic stress disorder | Less Severe | £3,710 to £7,680 | Claimants suffer minor symptoms linked to PTSD and is expected to recover within two years |
| Post-traumatic stress disorder | Moderate | £7,680 to £21,730 | Claimant experiences moderate symptoms associated with PTSD. The prognosis is positive but some symptoms may be ongoing |
| Post-traumatic stress disorder | Moderately Severe | £21,730 to £56,180 | Claimant experiences moderately severe symptoms of PTSD. With the correct treatment and therapy the symptoms are expected to lessen |
| Post-traumatic stress disorder | Extremely severe | £56,180 to £94,470 | Claimant experiences serious symptoms linked to PTSD. Their ability to work and lead a normal life is seriously impacted |
For a more accurate estimate of the sort of compensation payout you could receive, please get in touch with a member of our team. An experienced adviser can review all the details of your case and could arrange for you to be examined by a specialist local to you. The detailed report the specialist produces will be used to prove the extent of the psychological harm the breach caused you.
Why Choose No Win No Fee Data Breach Solicitors For Folkestone Claims?
Filing a data breach claim can be challenging, and although you aren’t required to have legal representation, it is more advantageous to do so. This type of claim is frequently a complex affair that requires legal knowledge and expertise.
Legal Expert has solicitors who provide a No Win No Fee service. Once we establish you have a good reason to sue, we can connect you to a specialist lawyer. We can let you know whether data breach solicitors for Folkestone claims could act on your behalf on these terms.
A No Win No Fee agreement (Conditional Fee Agreement) is a legal contract. It sets out the Terms and Conditions of the solicitor’s service. This includes:
- You don’t pay a No Win No Fee solicitor upfront or ongoing fees
- You won’t pay if your case fails
- You pay an agreed success fee when you win your case
- The amount is legally capped
Call today for more information about No Win No Fee compensation claims and whether we can put you in touch with data breach solicitors for Folkstone claims.
Start Your Data Breach Claim Now
When you contact one of our experienced advisers, they will review the details of your case. You would benefit from a no-obligation, free consultation which allows you to ask questions.
Contact a member of the Legal Expert team today:
- Call us on our freephone number 0800 073 8804
- Fill out the online claims form
- Use our Live Chat feature
- Email us at info@legalexpert.co.uk
Please feel free to check out our latest client reviews.
Find Out More About Data Breach Claims
The ICO Guide to Your Data Matters
The Seven Core Principles of UK GDPR
Social Services data breach claims
A guide to claiming compensation for stress
Thank you for reading our guide to data breach solicitors for Folkestone compensation claims.
