Hospital data breach claims

At The Data Breach Lawyers, we often represent victims for hospital data breach claims, so we are familiar with the devastating effects of hospital data breaches on the victims.

The data held by hospitals and other healthcare organisations includes some of the most sensitive personal information we will ever disclose to a third-party organisation. It must be properly protected to ensure that it is not misused or exposed.

The toll that medical data exposure can take on a victim can be huge, causing their everyday life to be marred by the worrying knowledge that their information could be being seen or misused by people we do not want to have access to it. We believe that each and every victim has a right to claim compensation for this untold distress, and that is why we represent eligible victims for claims on a No Win, No Fee basis.

The severity of hospital data breaches

Hospital data breaches can come in a variety of forms, each with its own unique circumstances and consequences. Due to the old-fashioned, inadequate systems in use at some NHS organisations, many data breaches can be easily caused by human error. For example, the failure to automate email address anonymisation in mass emails, even through using readily-available software, has allowed patients to view the names and email addresses of countless other recipients.

Medical data breaches like this in general can be very severe. Such was the case in the 56 Dean Street Clinic case, an action we represent people for, where patients suffering from HIV had their data leaked in a mass email sent to almost 800 patients.

In addition, hospital data breach claims can arise in the form of cyberattacks if the cybersecurity measures of the hospital are insufficient. Hospitals can be prime targets for hackers, as the sensitivity of the information can offer a wealth of possibilities for things like blackmail and cruel data exposure.

Hospital data breach claims – what can you claim for?

In hospital data breach claims, as with any other data breach claim, you could be entitled to claim for any losses or expenses caused by a breach, as well as for any distress caused by the loss of control of your personal information. One of, or both these factors, can be the basis of your claim, and each can be evaluated in order to determine the value of a claim.

As mentioned above, the emotional suffering for a hospital or healthcare-related data breach can be significant, and can often be deserving of large sums of compensation. Data covering our health and medical treatment can be incredibly private, particularly in cases where there is a stigma around the issue, such as in the cases of severe mental illnesses and HIV status exposures.

You do not have to have incurred any financial losses or costs to be able to claim, and most people will claim for the distress element alone.

Our work with victims of hospital data breaches

Over the years that we have been fighting for the rights of data breach victims, we have taken on many hospital data breach claims. Unfortunately, it seems that NHS breaches are not becoming any less frequent.

If healthcare organisations are to learn anything from the data protection failures that have plagued them in recent years, continuing to pursue hospital data breach claims could incentivise them to eradicate data insecurities. For the victims, a claim can also act as a vital pathway to some form of justice for what has happened.

If you have suffered distress or losses as a result of a hospital data breach, do not hesitate to contact us for free, no-obligation advice on the potential merits of your claim. You do not have to suffer in silence.