How we assess data breach group actions

Data breach group actions are something that we have been involved with now for several years, and there are dozens of different ones we’re fighting for justice in.

Although we’re involved in dozens of them, we don’t just take any forward without first ensuring that there’s an avenue for victims to be able to receive compensation. There has been so many large-scale incidents in recent years and some involve big name brands, but how we assess which cases we take forward can be a specialist process.

As experts in the field of compensation for data breach events and for group actions and multi-party litigations, we can give you an insight into our approach, as well as explaining what sets us apart form other law firms.

How we assess data breach group actions for breaches and leaks

When we’re approached for help by victims of an event, or where we spot potential data breach group actions, our team gets to work right away to see how we can help.

When it comes to a leak or a breach that has been caused by something within the organisation (like an employee), we look at whether there has been any negligence on their part. Although mistakes can happen, and human error remains a number one cause of data breach events, these mistakes can cause considerable distress for the victims whose data is exposed or misused.

If we consider that the law has been breached, we can take a case or an action forward on a No Win, No Fee basis

What about cyberattacks?

A lot of the data breach group actions that we’re involved with have stemmed from cyberattacks. Ultimately, we must assess what steps an organisation has taken in order to be able to defend themselves.

A famous example is the 2017 Equifax data breach event. Equifax has faced severe criticism globally given that this was an entirely preventable incident, and we’re representing  number of victims for compensation claims for this reason. A known vulnerability that Equifax failed to patch was exploited for a number of weeks before they realised what had happened.

In a more recent example, British Airways has been issued with a provisional fine from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for a record-setting £183m. This has been issued because the ICO considers that BA failed in their duty to protect the data that they hold, and we agree. That’s why we’re on the BA Group Action Steering Committee that’s responsible for the overall conduct of the litigation, acting for a number of individuals who have been affected by this incident.

Why data breach group actions are important

The data breach group actions that we take forward are incredibly important. Money from ICO fines doesn’t go toward compensation for victims which is why our work is so vital.

Organisations must be held to account when they fail to protect the valuable data that they store and process, but the victims must also receive justice for any distress and loss that has been caused as a result of the loss of control of their information. We’re here to make sure that the victims can achieve this.

When you look at some of the big breaches and hacks over the last few years, it’s worrying that many of them have still happened. The BA breach followed a very similar breach we’re also representing people for, which was the Ticketmaster data breach. These also came just months after the GDPR came into force, so there was every opportunity for big organisations to make sure their defences were strong. Despite this, they have suffered major breaches form cyberattacks.

There was another one that came to light last week as well where it appears the cause of the hack is practically the same as what happened in the BA and Ticketmaster incidents. Retailer Sweaty Betty has revealed that they have suffered an incident similar to the BA and Ticketmaster ones.

What sets us apart from the rest?

Since we started getting involved in data breach group actions when this area of law was a new thing, many more incidents have taken place. With this has come many other law firms who are now marketing services for people to claim with them.

Ultimately, it’s totally up to you as to who you instruct. If you’re thinking about us being your legal representatives, here’s a few things to know about us:

• We specialise in data breach compensation claims and group actions. The majority of our cases fall into these categories;
• We’re involved in one of the most infamous and sensitive leaks from 2015 which was the 56 Dean Street Clinic leak. Our experience also goes back to the huge TalkTalk hack and the big ones we have mentioned above like Equifax, Ticketmaster and BA;
• We operate on a No Win, No Fee basis. We wouldn’t want to have it any other way;
• We’re often in the media as a ‘go-to’ name in the field of data breach compensation claiming;
• We’re open most week nights until 10pm and on most weekends from 9am to 5pm to be as accessible as we can for you.

Want to know more about whether we can help you for a case? You can get in touch with the team who are happy to offer advice for you on a free and completely no-obligation basis.

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