Hartlepool Data Breach Solicitors – Expert Claims Support
This online guide, aims at providing you with information about claiming using data breach solicitors for Hartlepool. Day to day we often share our data with a whole host of different organisations, and for the most part, this data is kept safe. However, mistakes such as simple human error, can put your data at risk. If your data is put at risk it could lead to you suffering mental hardship and monetary loss. In some cases, this could become the basis of a valid compensation claim for a breach of your personal data.
Data breach solicitors for Hartlepool
We might not answer all of your questions in this short guide. Your claim is going to be based on your own unique circumstances and we can only cover so much. In short, you might need to speak to one of our expert claim advisors to get the answers that you need. We keep our claims line open around the clock, 7 days a week. So feel free to call us at any time on 0800 073 8804. Alternatively, if you would prefer a callback, please send us a message using our contact form.
Select a Bookmark:
- Our Guide On Claiming With Data Breach Solicitors For Hartlepool
- What Are Data Protection Breaches?
- Types Of Cases Handled By Data Breach Solicitors For Hartlepool
- Are Breaches In Data Protection Common?
- What Could I Do To Help My Data Breach Solicitors For Hartlepool With My Claim?
- What Are Data Breach Claims Worth?
- How Does A No Win No Fee Agreement Work?
- Speak To An Expert About Your Claim
- Learn More About How Claims Work
Our Guide On Claiming With Data Breach Solicitors For Hartlepool
This guide to using data breach solicitors for Hartlepool to make a compensation claim will give both background on what data breaches are, and also how to start a claim for one. There are different ways that a Hartlepool data breach could potentially happen, and we hope to provide you with the relevant information about how and why they may occur in this guide. Towards the end, we are going to go over some information that relates to the claim itself, including financial considerations.
What Are Data Protection Breaches?
I think firstly, it is important to go over some key definitions. Not all data and information is protected by data-protection laws. Data privacy laws look specifically at personal information and personal data. They also look to protect special category data, which we will explain as we go through the guide. Data controllers are entities that collect and can process our data. Importantly some do not need our permission as the need may be fulfilled by another lawful basis. Very often data controllers are organisations who need our data to be able to provide us with the service we need. And lastly, those whose personal data is used are called data subjects.
Organisations that stores or processes your data in the UK, has to comply with all of the laws intended to safeguard this data. This applies to government bodies, charities, independent businesses and local government departments such as Hartlepool Borough Council. The local authority very often will need to collect the personal data of those who use their services.
A personal data breach can happen when your personal information is involved in a security incident that sees it lost, stolen accessed, destroyed, altered unlawfully or accidentally through human error. Not all victims of data breaches will qualify for compensation. The data controller must have failed to correctly secure your data in order for you to be able to claim compensation. If the data controller/organisation took all the right steps to keep your data safe but a data breach happened anyway they are unlikely to be liable.
Data Laws In The UK
A number of different sets of laws apply to data security and privacy in the UK. The two primary ones are the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). It is the responsibility of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to enforce compliance with these laws. The ICO is mandated to take punitive action against organisations that cause a data breach through non-compliance.
How The Law Protects Your Data
UK GDPR compliance is mandatory, but it isn’t all data that is protected by the legislation. Only certain types of your data are protected by law. Your special category data and your personal data. An explanation is needed here, so we have given a basic definition of each of these below.
- Special category data – this is the kind of data that can be used to discover something about you, that could potentially be exploited in some way. Some examples would include your genome data and medical records, your sexual preferences, membership of trade unions, your race and religion, etc.
- Personal data – this is all data that can be used to identify you. Some examples would include your date of birth, your phone number, email address or postal address, banking data and credit/debit card information.
Types Of Cases Handled By Data Breach Solicitors For Hartlepool
There are different types of data breaches that could happen, that data breach solicitors for Hartlepool could help you to make a claim for. Some data breaches are the result of an intrusion by a cybercriminal. Others are caused by ineffective computer and network security. Additionally, simple human errors can cause a data breach. Below, we have given some examples of the types of scenarios that could lead to data breach claims.
- An email is sent to the wrong recipient, and it contained some of your data.
- A document is circulated, but before your data had been fully redacted.
- Documents containing your data are posted or faxed to the wrong person.
- A mass email is sent, but the sender fails to use the BCC box, thus exposing your email address to the entire recipient list.
- Paper-based records containing your data are disposed of, without following regulatory guidelines for doing so in a secure manner.
- A digital data storage device is lost or stolen. This could be an external hard driver or a USB memory stick, for example.
- An employee discusses your data outside of work, causing an unauthorised verbal disclosure of your data.
In each of these examples, a team of data breach claim solicitors could be able to help you to make a compensation claim. However, it is important to understand that you will need to prove that the organisation failed to protect your data as they were obliged to, in order for a claim to be potentially valid. If you are unsure whether you have a possible claim or not, call and talk to one of our advisors. Explain your circumstances to them, and they can evaluate your claim for you.
Are Breaches In Data Protection Common?
The ICO makes data related to the cause and number of data breaches available to the public. We used some of this data to make the graph below. It shows the causes of non-cyber security-related data incidents for the financial second quarter of 2021/22.
What Could I Do To Help My Data Breach Solicitors For Hartlepool With My Claim?
There are a couple of steps that you can consider carrying out, before contacting data breach solicitors for Hartlepool claims. To claim data breach compensation evidence is key. So you could begin gathering evidence as soon as you can.
First of all, you might try contacting the organisation that you fear has breached your data. You can ask whether a data breach has occurred. And if one has, you can enquire whether your data has been impacted in any way.
Secondly, you may like to consider reporting the data breach to the ICO. The ICO will investigate data breach complaints. However, if the last meaningful discussion you had with the data controller about the data breach was more than three months ago, the ICO may not follow up on your complaint.
However, you can, if you wish, simply move straight on to the claims process. We can help you with this. Call and talk to a claim advisor to learn how.
What Are Data Breach Claims Worth?
We cannot provide you with an average figure for the amount of compensation that a data breach claim could be valued at. This is because every claim for a data protection breach is unique in some way. If your data breach claim is successful then you could claim material damages and non-material damages. Firstly, material damages look to compensate you for financial losses linked to the data breach. While non-material damages look at how the data breach has affected you mentally.
We have provided the table you can see below though. It gives examples of compensation brackets for non-material damages related to different severities of mental harm. Legal professionals rely on the guidelines produced by the Judicial College to value claims. We used these same guidelines as a basis for this table.
| Psychological Injury | Level of Severity | Additional Info | Potential Damages | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P.T.S.D. | Moderate | The claimant will have made some good recovery and will continue to recover with professional help. | £7,680 to £21,730 | |||
| P.T.S.D. | Less severe | The claimant will have almost made a full recovery within 2 years. Any lingering symptoms will be minor. | £3,710 to £7,680 | |||
| Mental harm | Severe | An anxiety disorder, depression, phobias, or other mental health condition. The claimant will be affected permanently. | £51,460 to £108,620 | |||
| Mental harm | Less severe | There is a lesser degree of mental illness. A few residual symptoms may exist after treatment. | £1,440 to £5,500 | |||
| Mental harm | Moderate to severe | Mental health problems ranging from moderate to severe. Such issues can include depression, anxiety, and phobias. There is a possibility that minor symptoms will persist for a long time, despite treatment. | £17,900 to £51,460 | |||
| P.T.S.D. | Severe | All aspects of the claimant’s life will be affected and recovery is unlikely. | £56,180 to £94,470 | |||
| Mental harm | Moderate | A near recovery is likely any remaining symptoms will not be major. | £5,500 to £17,900 | |||
| P.T.S.D. | Moderate to severe | This is a moderate to severe case of post-traumatic stress disorder that has a profound impact on your ability to function. After treatment, you may continue to experience some symptoms for quite some time. | £21,730 to £56,180 |
To get a more accurate idea of the level of non-material damages you might be able to claim for, you can call and ask for our advisors to organise a data breach solicitor to value your claim for you.
A Further Explanation Of Damages
The table above only shows non-material damages paid for psychological harm. However, you may also be able to claim material damages too. These correlate to financial losses, either past or future, caused by the data breach. Below, are some examples of material damages.
- To cover any fresh debt you have incurred, due to the acts of a cybercriminal who used your data fraudulently. Or for lost funds from your bank account, as it was accessed unlawfully and funds used.
- For any time you took off work that you were not paid in full for. Including having to use up some of your annual leave entitlement.
- For the cost of any private therapy, you paid for yourself.
- To cover ad-hoc costs that you incurred either dealing with the data breach or the claim.
To get an idea of the types of damages that you might be able to claim for, call and talk to our team. Once they know enough about your case, they can help you further.
How Does A No Win No Fee Agreement Work?
You may be able to use data breach solicitors covering Hartlepool working under a No Win No Fee agreement (also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement) to help you make a claim.
When you make a claim with No Win No Fee solicitors, you don’t pay any lawyer fees upfront. Or any lawyer fees while the claim is being processed. If the claim is lost, you still don’t pay your lawyer a fee. But if the claim is won, you will have to pay a small, pre-agreed success fee to your solicitor.
Speak To An Expert About Your Claim
Do you need the help of a No Win No Fee data breach solicitor to make a compensation claim? If so, we can provide you with data breach solicitors covering Hartlepool. Contact our team using the information below to get started.
Telephone: 0800 073 8804
Email: info@legalexpert.co.uk
Or use our web contact form.
Learn More About How Claims Work
Here are some links to other guides that might be of use.
School Data Breach Compensation Claims Guide
Hotel Data Breach Compensation Claims Guide
Compensation Claims For A Housing Association Data Breach
Here are some related websites.
Find Out What Data An Organisation Has About You
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) And Statistics
Guide By Wheeler
Edited By Melissa.
