What to do after a data breach – claim compensation

In many cases, victims face a heightened security risk following a data breach, leaving them with the prospect of having their information misused by cybercriminals. Regardless of the exact nature of the data exposure, it can be hard to know what to do after a data breach, and it can be difficult to protect yourself against the threats you have been made vulnerable to.

Your Lawyers, as leading specialists in data protection law, can advise you on the actions you can take to protect yourself, as far as possible, from falling victim to cybercrime. Just as importantly, we can also enable you to seek justice for any harm that you have been caused.

Every business and organisation that processes or stores personal data has an obligation to protect it to the best of their ability. As a result, when they fail to take sufficient steps to protect personal information and they consequently expose or compromise it, those affected can be entitled to pursue data breach compensation claims.

Protecting yourself after a data security incident

Data breaches can occur in different ways. It may be that an organisation has been subjected to a coordinated attack by an outsider, or it may be that an insecure server has been vulnerable to unauthorised access over a prolonged period of time. Depending on the nature of the incident and the type of data exposed, the threats to victims can be different.

For example, if your information has been stolen in a ransomware attack, it is likely at immediate risk of misuse. Often, the data reaped from such attacks is published on the dark web, as it was following the Hackney Council cyberattack as one example. As such, you would need to be highly vigilant of any potential security threats.

Knowing what to do after a data breach is key to minimising risks. If your contact details have been exposed, it is important to be careful when reading emails and text messages. You should be on alert for anything suspicious, such as being asked to disclose your bank account details or invest in a business, as a fraudster may be behind these messages. Meanwhile, if your payment card information has already been exposed, you will need to monitor your account for any unauthorised transactions and contact your bank for advice if necessary.

What to do after a data breach – pursuing a compensation claim

Now you know what to do after a data breach to try to avoid scams and fraud, it is also important to be aware of your legal rights following such an incident. If a third party is responsible for exposing or compromising your information, you may have a right to pursue a compensation claim.

As part of a claim, we can look to recover damages for any distress you may have suffered as a result of a data breach, or for any financial losses or expenses caused. The GDPR can allow you to recover damages for such distress, losses and costs.

Seek legal advice on your data breach claim

As leading specialists in data breach claims, we know what to do after a data breach to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. Having recovered over £1m in data breach damages for our clients to date, we can offer free, expert advice on your case.

If you decide to claim with us, you can be sure that we will fight for the maximum possible compensation amount, and we can even do so on a No Win, No Fee basis if you are eligible.

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