Data Breach Solicitors For Stoke-on-Trent

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Stoke-on-Trent Data Breach Solicitors – Expert Claims Support

This guide examines how data breach solicitors for Stoke-on-Trent can help you to claim compensation for a data breach. Data breaches are security incidents, which compromise the protection of personal data. When a data breach takes place, sensitive data can be exposed, which can cause the victim to suffer acute stress. What’s more, fraudsters may use the breached data to target the victims for identity theft, leading to financial losses.

Data breach solicitors Stoke-on-Trent

Data breach solicitors for Stoke-on-Trent

If you have experienced a Stoke-on-Trent data breach, Legal Expert can help you. We can provide you with a data breach solicitor covering Stoke to handle your compensation claim. Our team of skilled solicitors have solid experience handling data breach compensation claims. So your claim will be in safe hands. What can you do if your data has been breached? Please call us today on 0800 073 8804 for free legal advice. Or you can begin your claim online at LegalExpert.co.uk.

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All About Data Breach Solicitors Who Cover Stoke-On-Trent

This guide will explain how to work with a data breach solicitor covering Stoke-on-Trent to claim compensation for a data breach. We are often asked, “Can I get compensation for a data breach?”, the answer is yes, if your case meets specific criteria. You can claim data breach compensation if you have experienced emotional distress or psychiatric injuries because of a data breach. And you can also claim compensation to reimburse you for any financial losses caused by a data breach. However, this is only true if you can prove that those you hold responsible for your data being breached are liable for allowing the breach to take place.

We are often asked ”Do I need a Stoke-on-Trent data breach solicitor to handle my claim? ” You are free to choose whatever solicitor you want no matter where in the country they are located. Due to technology and the use of telephones, there is no longer any need to choose a solicitor just because they are based close to where you live. You may find a solicitor that is best suited to your case that is located somewhere else in the country.

We recommend that you prioritise finding a solicitor with relevant experience. Remember, Legal Expert can provide you with a skilled data breach lawyer to handle your compensation claim no matter where you are in the country. What’s more, your claim can be handled on a No Win No Fee basis. Please get in touch with us at any time to get started on your claim.

Is There A Time Limit To Make A Data Breach Claim?

There is a time limit to starting a data breach claim, as stated in the Limitation Act 1980.

  • The data breach claims time limit is six years.
  • However, the data breach claims time limit is one year if the claim is against a public-funded body.

Please get in touch with Legal Expert, and one of our advisors can determine how long you have to claim.

What Is Considered A Breach Of Data Protection?

So, let’s define what a data breach is. Organisations and businesses collect personal data from members of the public and employees. These organisations are known as data controllers. And those who supply personal information are known as a data subject. They collect personal data to operate or for commercial purposes. A data breach is when the protection of personal data is compromised.

Here are a few examples of mishaps that can cause a data breach:

  • The data is lost
  • The data is stolen
  • Personal data is altered
  • An organisation allows unauthorised persons to access the data

Employees can cause a data breach because of human error. Organisations are responsible for providing their employees with training to help them better manage personal information. Data breaches can also happen due to cyber criminals trying to gain access to data stored on digital files. This is often a deliberate act.

Are Data Breaches Illegal?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an EU Directive that was introduced into law in 2018. As at the time the United Kingdon was part of the EU we also followed these regulations. The GDPR was enacted into UK law through the Data Protection Act 2018. Since leaving the EU the United Kingdom has configured their own version – UK GDPR. The DPA 2018 has also been updated to reflect the withdrawal program.

The UK GDPR requires organisations to protect the personal data they hold. Organisations are obliged to have processes to protect this data, including investing in up-to-date cyber security systems.

If an organisation breaches your data, you may be eligible to claim compensation for a data breach under the GDPR. However, as mentioned previously this is only the case if the data controller failed to take adequate steps to protect your personal data. If the data controller did all they could to secure your data then a claim is unlikely.

What Are The Main Causes Of Data Breaches?

Let’s look at examples of data breach causes. To have your data breach case assessed by our data breach solicitors covering Stoke-on-Trent call our team today.

  • An organisation can send out a mass email. However, an email data breach can occur if the employee enters the email addresses into the Ccc column rather than the Bcc column. Therefore, the organisation would share the email addresses because of the breach.
  • An incident of insider threat could happen at a company. An insider threat is when a person within an organisation deliberately breaches personal data. For example, an employee at a bank may deliberately leak confidential information for money.
  • A housing association data breach can happen if a housing association accidentally posts tenancy agreements to the wrong address. Consequently, an authorised person will receive confidential information in the post.
  • A university data breach can happen if unauthorised people gain access to a room on the campus containing confidential files.
  • Or a school could breach personal data if it updates its website with student personal information because of an error.

The Stoke-On-Trent City Council Data Breach

December 2011 a serious Stoke-on-Trent City Council data breach occurred, which compromised the safeguarding of vulnerable people. A solicitor sent emails regarding a child protection case to the wrong email address. As a result, Stoke-on-Trent City Council subsequently breached sensitive data. Therefore, compromising the safeguarding of these individuals.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) investigated the data breach and fined Stoke-on-Trent City Council £120,000.

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-20083120

Why Are Breaches Increasing In Frequency?

We frequently hear about data breaches in the news. So we may wonder, “Are data breaches becoming more common?”. Organisations are obliged to report data protection breaches to the Information Commissioner’s Office within 72 hours if they affect the rights and freedoms of data subjects.

Here are the ICO’s data security incident trends for 2019 – 2022:

  • The ICO received 25,965 reported data security incidents during this time
  • 19,513 data security incidents were caused by non-cyber issues.
  • 6,452 were caused by cyber security incidents.
  • The health sector was affected the most with 4,738 data security incidents.

These numbers should give you a good indication of how prevalent data breaches are in society.

Do You Need A Specialist Solicitor To Make Your Claim?

If your data has been breached, you can involve a solicitor to handle your compensation claim if you want to. Legal Expert can assign a data breach solicitor for Stoke-on-Trent claims to handle your compensation claim. What are the benefits of entrusting Legal Expert to handle your compensation claim?

Firstly, your solicitor will have solid experience handling data breach compensation claims. Moreover, we can handle your data breach claim on a No Win No Fee basis. And finally, we will value your claim correctly, so you receive the right amount of compensation.

What should you do if you believe that an organisation has breached your data? Firstly you can raise your concerns with the organisation in question. This can be escalated within the organisation. However, if you are not happy with how things are proceeding you can report the data breach to the Information Commissioner’s Office. This should be done no later than 3 months after your last meaningful contact with the data controller.

Estimating What Your Data Breach Claim Could Be Worth

Data breaches can be emotionally distressing experiences. In some cases, a data breach can result in the victim becoming traumatised. Therefore, the victim may experience psychiatric injuries as a result. These injuries could include post-traumatic stress disorder, depression or serious anxiety attacks.

As well as being harmful to one’s mental health, data breaches can also be financially damaging. For example, criminals may use stolen email addresses to target the data breach victims for Phishing attacks. Whereby the criminals could defraud the victims of money and other financial assets.

What damages can you receive for a data breach? Your data breach compensation payout can include up to two heads of claim:

  • You can claim material damages, which will compensate you for your financial losses.
  • You can claim non-material damages, which will compensate you for any emotional distress or psychiatric injuries.

We will now help you estimate how much compensation you could claim for non-material damages. The table is based on Judicial College guidelines, which data breach claim solicitors use to value your injury along with an independent medical report. But please take note that we have not included material damages compensation amounts in this table.

Edit
Psychological Health Problem Information On The Injury Severity Compensation Payout
Psychiatric Damage Compensation would be calculated based on how much suffering they have gone through and what effect the claimant has suffered. Less severe £5,500 upper limit
Psychiatric Damage The claimant would have symptoms which could have affected their ability to carry on in work or education in a simialr way as to before the trauma as well as having effects on their relationships. Moderately severe £17,900 – £51,460
Psychiatric Damage Claimants will face similar problems to those below. However, they could expect to make a better recovery. Moderate £5,500 – £17,900
Psychiatric Damage With a poor prognosis, the claimant will significantly suffer with similar aspects of life to those highlighted above. Severe £51,460 – £108,620
PTSD The person could have experienced permanent trauma. There are specific criteria which must be met in order for a diagnosis of PTSD to be made. Severe £56,180 – £94,470
PTSD The trauma may leave the person with a significant level of disability for sometime. They may recover with professional treatment. Moderately Severe £21,730 – £56,180
PTSD Victims should not be left with any (grossly) disabling symptoms. Moderate £7,680 – £21,730

Please do not take these figures as fact. Every case is different. And your potential compensation estimate will be unique to your case. After speaking with you in-depth about your ordeal, an advisor can provide you with a more accurate estimate. Please call our claims helpline to inquire how much you could claim.

Why Contact A No Win No Fee Data Breach Solicitor Who Covers Stoke-on-Trent?

Legal Expert’s data breach solicitors covering Stoke-on-Trent can handle your claim as a No Win No Fee case. When a solicitor handles a claim on a No Win No Fee basis, they do not charge an upfront solicitors fee. Instead, the client pays a success fee to fund their solicitor. But the success fee is only payable if the solicitor wins the claim. Both parties sign a Conditional Fee Agreement to formalise the process.

Here are some of the benefits of working with a No Win No Fee solicitor:

  • Firstly, your solicitor will not charge you an upfront solicitors fee. So, you may find this option more affordable.
  • Secondly, in the unlikely event that you lose the claim, your solicitor will not charge you a success fee. You may feel this is the more financially secure way to hire a solicitor.
  • And thirdly, if you win your claim, most of your data breach compensation goes straight to you.

Get Specialist Help With A Data Breach Solicitor Covering Stoke-on-Trent

Legal Expert can provide you with an experienced data breach solicitor covering Stoke-on-Trent claims. We hope you feel confident to begin your claim for a GDPR data breach that has affected you.

Start your data breach compensation claim today. Get in touch with us using the following details:

  • Claim online using the contact form on our website.
  • Or call us on 0800 073 8804 to speak with an advisor about your claim.
  • Alternatively, use the chat widget on your browser to ask us a question directly.

Guides Related To Data Breach Solicitors For Stoke-On-Trent

We hope this guide to making a compensation claim for a potential Stoke-on-Trent data breach has been helpful. Please feel free to look at these online resources with more information about claiming data breach compensation.

If A Nottingham Trent University Data Breach occurred would you know what steps to take? – How to claim compensation if a university has breached your data.

NHS Data Breach – Information about making a compensation claim after an NHS healthcare data breach.

What Was The Blackbaud Data Breach? – Advice on what to do if you were affected by the Blackbaud data breach.

Your data matters – A guide to how organisations may use your data from the ICO.

Rights for data subjects – A guide to your data privacy rights from the UK  government.

Personal data breaches – A guide to data breaches, from the ICO.

Thank you kindly for reading our guide to data breach solicitors for Stoke-on-Trent.

Guide By Cheleache

Edited By Melissa.

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    • Patrick Mallon

      Patrick is a Grade A solicitor having qualified in 2005. He's an an expert in accident at work and public liability claims and is currently our head of the EL/PL department. Get in touch today for free to see how we can help you.