Vulnerable victims of data breaches

A data breach can have an adverse impact on anyone it affects, but some victims are forced to endure even worse consequences due to their personal circumstances. Vulnerable victims of data breaches can typically be prone to increased security risks and distress due to the highly sensitive nature of the information exposed.

Unfortunately, we have seen how some data controllers have little regard for the real implications of information exposure, which can drastically compromise a victim’s privacy and even personal safety in the long term. By bringing claims against these defendants, we aim to stand up for the rights of vulnerable victims of data breaches whose voices may otherwise go unheard.

If you have been put in a vulnerable position due to a data breach, please do not hesitate to contact us for free, no-obligation advice on your potential claim.

Why are some data breach victims particularly vulnerable?

Some victims of data breaches can be made particularly vulnerable due to the sensitive nature of the information exposed. For example, we represent victims of the 56 Dean Street data breach, who had their medical information exposed by the sexual health clinic. Some of those affected even had their confidential positive HIV statuses compromised. Given the stigma around HIV, this understandably caused significant distress as many people keep their status strictly confidential. Many have been worried as even close friends and family do not know their status, and they keep it confidential from employers also, which they are entitled to do. With their private medical information exposed, the risks for them can be substantial.

Similarly, the more recent Bristol City Council data breach resulted in the names and email addresses of disabled children and children with special educational needs being exposed. The impact for already stressed families can be clear to see.

Both data breach incidents are examples of an employee leaking confidential information, as both were caused by the failure to anonymise recipients when sending mass emails. Really, in both cases, proper mailing software ought to have been deployed to have prevented the breaches from occurring in the first place.

Compensation claims for vulnerable victims of data breaches

In data breach claims, your compensation pay-out can generally be proportionate to the level of loss and/or suffering you have faced. Vulnerable victims of data breaches could, therefore, be entitled to receive higher compensation awards given the increased impact on them.

In particular, vulnerable victims of data breaches could be in line to receive more compensation in cases where they have suffered from severe emotional distress, as the GDPR can allow victims to be compensated for the emotional impact of a data breach. Those who have suffered recognised psychological injuries could receive ever larger amounts in recognition for the severity of the harm caused.

Make your data breach claim today

At Your Lawyers – the Data Leak Lawyers – as leading specialists in privacy claims law, we have been representing victims for such matters since 2014; long before most other firms began to branch out into this emerging area of law. In accordance with the law, everyone can be entitled to have their data protected by third-party companies, so it is vital that those affected by data breaches have a chance to assert their rights.

We believe strongly in access to justice, which is why we can offer No Win, No Fee representation to all our eligible claimants. This gives you expert legal representation without the worry that you may lose money by making a claim, subject to the terms and conditions in place, of course.

To find out more about making a compensation claim, contact us today for free, no-obligation advice on your case.

Claiming compensation for a workplace data leak

Investment fraud resulting from data breaches