Medical data breach claims

Healthcare organisations hold swathes of medical records and information, most of which are stored digitally. Technological developments have put pressure on healthcare organisations to ensure medical data is protected with strong cybersecurity and strict data processing regulations, but some hospitals and practices are still failing to meet the mark. When a healthcare organisation causes a medical data breach, the effects can be significant for those affected.

Victims can have their privacy compromised in all kinds of ways, but the underlying truth is always the same; if a third-party organisation has failed to protect your information, your right to privacy may have been breached, and you may be entitled to claim compensation.

As specialist Data Breach Lawyers, we have been supporting victims through the difficult aftermath of data breaches for several years, helping them to obtain the compensation they deserve. Anyone who has been affected by a medical data breach can contact us for free, expert advice on their potential claim. You could be entitled to No Win, No Fee legal representation.

Types of medical data breach

Medical data breaches can come in many forms, meaning that they can vary in scale and impact. First of all, healthcare organisations can be particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks, as the sensitive information that they hold is often valued highly by cybercriminals. Ransomware, an ever-developing form of malware, can be a significant threat to the security of medical data. The NHS WannaCry ransomware attack of 2017 demonstrated how systems can be brought to a standstill by such cyberattacks.

In some of the worst circumstances, millions of data records could be compromised in a single attack.

However, external attackers are not the only threat to healthcare information. A medical data breach can also be caused by employees’ actions. In some cases, there can be accidental leaks due to employee errors, such as failing to anonymise recipients of mass emails to patients. However, employees can have wrongful intent, taking advantage of their status to snoop on medical records. Such was the case in the Greater Manchester NHS data breach, for which we are representing a number of claimants.

Claiming for a medical data breach

When you make a claim for a medical data breach, any of the circumstances described above can be seen as valid reasons for claiming. You could also be able to recover compensation as a result of a number of factors linked to the impact of the breach. For example, medical data breach victims commonly claim for the distress that they have suffered from as a result of the incident. The distress can extend to a psychological injury in some cases, which can increase the compensation amount awarded to the victim.

In addition, the exposure of financial data is possible in some medical data breaches, meaning that bank details can be misused by criminals for fraud. Victims affected by such losses can aim to recover damages that reimburse them for the financial blow.

Make your compensation claim

If you have been adversely affected by a medical data breach, we want to reassure you that you can take action. We can take all the stressful parts off your hands, ensuring the claim is as hassle-free as possible.

To receive free, no-obligation advice from our expert team, contact us today for more information about your potential No Win, No Fee claim.