Claim compensation for blackmail from a data breach

You could be entitled to claim compensation for blackmail from a data breach, and we may be able to represent you for a legal case on a No Win, No Fee basis.

Read on for some general advice. To talk to our expert team about pursuing a data breach compensation claim, please do not hesitate to contact us here now.

Can you claim for blackmail from a data breach?

You could be eligible to claim compensation if you have suffered blackmail from a data breach where any form of blackmail or ransomware is directly linked to a privacy incident. Blackmail tactics are commonly used by criminals to try to force people to pay them money to not release sensitive information that they have managed to steal. In many cases, victims could be tempted to pay the ransom to avoid the worry, anger, distress, upset, and even embarrassment that could be associated with personal and private data being exposed.

Even if you suffer some form of blackmail from a data breach, but your information has not subsequently been exposed, this can still be an incredibly distressing event. Ultimately, you could be eligible to pursue damages for any distress that has been caused by the loss of control of your personal information.

The best place to start is to contact our team and speak to us for a free, no-obligation legal chat about how we may be able to help you and whether you have a potential case to pursue.

How the GDPR allows privacy victims to claim

The GDPR can allow privacy victims to claim compensation, whether this is an incident involving blackmail from a data breach or not. It is usually all about any distress or loss that has been suffered.

In most cases, people will not actually suffer any direct monetary loss or incur expenses but, if these are factors, they can be considered. In many cases, people are seeking damages for any distress that has been caused. This could be substantial depending on the nature of the information involved, and how much is affected and how you have been personally impacted.

It is essentially about pursuing damages for a sort of “injury to feelings”, which the GDPR allows. The GDPR is not just there for organisations to follow in terms of making sure that they can uphold data protection legislation, it is also there for victims to use in the event something has gone wrong. The UK’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), uses the GDPR to issue monetary fines, but this money is not designed to be used as compensation. To be able to access compensation for any personal suffering, you should instruct lawyers to represent you in a civil privacy claim, which is exactly what we do.

Data breach compensation and pay-outs

When it comes to data breach compensation and pay-outs, most people could recover thousands of pounds in damages for a claim where they are pursuing a settlement for any distress caused by the loss of control of personal information. Each case is different, so it entirely depends on your individual circumstances. As general guidance, our average data breach settlement as of last year is still at just over £6,000. This amount is just in respect of damages for our clients alone, so it is well worth pursuing the case.