This guide will discuss the benefits of working with data breach solicitors for Leeds. It will also discuss the eligibility requirements that must be met in order to put forward a personal data breach claim.
Data Breach Solicitors For Leeds
There is legislation in place to protect your personal data that certain entities must adhere to. We will provide further guidance on this throughout our guide and will look at how a personal data breach could occur if the legislation is not adhered to.
Additionally, we will look at the steps you can take if a breach of your personal data has occurred, including reporting the breach, gathering evidence and seeking legal advice.
For more information, please get in touch with an advisor. They can offer free legal advice at any time. To reach them, you can:
- Call on 0333 241 2521
- Fill out our ‘make a claim’ form online
- Speak with an advisor via the live chat function below.
Choose A Section
- What Are The Benefits Of Using Data Breach Solicitors For Leeds?
- When Are You Eligible To Make A Data Protection Breach Claim?
- Potential Evidence That Could Help In A Breach Of Data Protection Claim
- Data Breach Compensation Calculator – What Could You Receive?
- Why Use No Win No Fee Data Breach Solicitors For Leeds To Claim?
- Learn More About Using Data Breach Solicitors For Leeds
What Are The Benefits Of Using Data Breach Solicitors For Leeds?
Although there is no legal requirement to work with a solicitor, it can benefit you in several ways. For example, they can:
- Help you collect sufficient evidence to support your claim, including correspondence between you and the organisation.
- Assess the value of your claim.
- Provide regular updates throughout the different stages of the claims process.
You may think you need to use data breach solicitors in Leeds, but there are other factors you may wish to consider before choosing legal representation.
For example, working with a solicitor who has experience handling claims similar to your own can be more beneficial than choosing based on location. Additionally, you may find it financially helpful to work with a solicitor who offers their services on a No Win No Fee basis.
As such, our panel solicitors could help as they have experience with data breach claims and can offer their services on this basis. For more information on the services they can offer, please get in touch using the details provided above.
When Are You Eligible To Make A Data Protection Breach Claim?
You may be able to begin a personal data breach claim if you can prove the following:
- There was a failure to adhere to data protection law on the part of the data processor or data controller.
- Their failings led to your personal data becoming compromised in breach.
- You experienced financial loss or psychological harm as a result.
Two pieces of legislation called the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) outline how a data controller and processor have a responsibility to protect your personal data. Each of these entities has a different role and must adhere to data protection law.
Firstly, a data controller sets the purpose for processing and can sometimes process the data themselves. Secondly, the data controller might outsource the processing to a data processor who acts on their instruction.
If they fail to do so, it could result in a personal data breach which can mean the confidentiality, availability or integrity of your personal data is affected due to a security incident.
Personal data is any information that can be used to identify you, such as your name, postal address, email address or phone number. If this information is compromised, it could lead to you experiencing psychological harm such as distress or anxiety. It could also lead to you experiencing financial loss such as money stolen from accounts and loans taken out in your name.
How Can A Data Breach Occur?
There are several ways your personal data could be breached, including an incident with cyber security or involving human error.
Examples of human error data breaches include:
- An email or letter containing your personal data is sent to the wrong recipient.
- A filing cabinet containing medical files is left unlocked allowing those without authorisation to access them.
Examples of cyber security incidents include:
- A company fails to ensure there are adequate cyber security systems on their website leading to customer payment details becoming compromised. As a result, a data breach on a website occurs.
- An organisation fails to keep their cyber security software up to date making them more vulnerable to a ransomware attack.
You can get in touch with our team to find out whether you’re eligible to seek data breach compensation.
Potential Evidence That Could Help In A Breach Of Data Protection Claim
Data breach solicitors for Leeds can help you gather evidence to support your claim. This can include:
- Correspondence relating to the data breach. For example, if you have contacted the organisation responsible and they have sent an email with information on the nature of the breach and the information affected, you can use copies of this to support your claim.
- Medical evidence showing you experienced psychological harm as a result of the breach.
- Keep receipts and statements that show any financial losses you have experienced.
For more information on how a solicitor could help you throughout the claims process, get in touch on the number above.
Data Breach Compensation Calculator – What Could You Receive?
Below is a table containing guideline compensation brackets from the Judicial College Guidelines. This is a document often used to help solicitors value how much compensation you are owed for non-material damage.
This addresses the emotional suffering you have sustained because of the personal data breach. For example, you could suffer anxiety, stress or distress after a data breach. Also, in more severe cases, you could experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Please only use the figures as a guide, however, as each settlement will vary depending on your specific case.
| Type of Harm | Severity | Guideline Award Bracket | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Psychiatric Damage | (a) Severe | £54,830 to £115,730 | A very poor prognosis and significant impact on different areas of the person’s life including their work and education. |
| General Psychiatric Damage | (b) Moderately Severe | £19,070 to £54,830 | Similar issues to the bracket above but with a better prognosis. |
| General Psychiatric Damage | (c) Moderate | £5,860 to £19,070 | Significant improvement in different areas of the person’s life and a good prognosis. |
| General Psychiatric Damage | (d) Less Severe | £1,540 to £5,860 | Consideration is given to how long the person is affected and to what extent. |
| PTSD | (a) Severe | £59,860 to £100,670 | All areas of the person’s life are badly affected in a permanent way. |
| PTSD | (b) Moderately Severe | £23,150 to £59,860 | A better prognosis after the person receives professional help. |
| PTSD | (c) Moderate | £8,180 to £23,150 | A good recovery with any remaining symptoms not being hugely disabling. |
| PTSD | (d) Less Severe | £3,950 to £8,180 | A near complete recovery within a 2 year period and only minor issues continuing beyond this. |
Can I Receive Compensation For Material Damage?
You could also receive compensation for material damage which relates to the monetary losses incurred as a result of the personal data breach. This can include:
- Stolen funds from bank accounts
- Fraudulent purchases made on debit or credit cards in your name
- A negative impact on your credit score due to loans being taken out in your name.
Evidence can help prove these losses, such as statements from your bank or credit card statements. Please get in touch on the number above for more information on the compensation for a data breach you could be awarded.
Why Use No Win No Fee Data Breach Solicitors For Leeds To Claim?
Our data breach solicitors for Leeds could offer you a type of No Win No Fee contract. Whilst there are several types, our panel of solicitors can offer one in particular known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
As per this contract, you typically won’t be expected to pay fees for your solicitor’s services during the course of your claim, upfront or if the claim fails.
If your claim is a success, you will pay a success fee from your compensation. This is deducted as a percentage which is legally capped.
Contact Us For Free Today About Claiming Data Breach Compensation
We hope this guide has provided useful information on the benefits of working with data breach solicitors for Leeds. However, if you have any other questions, please get in touch with our team of advisors. They can provide further guidance on finding data breach claim solicitors.
To get in touch, you can:
- Call on 0333 241 2521
- Fill out our ‘make a claim’ form online
- Speak with an advisor via the live chat function below.
Learn More About Data Breach Solicitors For Leeds
For more external resources:
- Information Commissioner’s Office – Action taken
- GOV – Data protection
- National Cyber Security Centre – Advice for individuals and families
Find your nearest Data Breach Solicitors
You could get more information by reading our other guides:
Thank you for reading this guide on using data breach solicitors for Leeds. Please get in touch if you have any other questions.
Writer Jeff Wallowing
Editor Meg Morgan
