Council data breach claims for compensation

Council data breach claims are one of the most common types of individual compensation cases that we take forward for people on a No Win, No Fee basis.

We represent thousands of clients for cases, and many involve some local authorities in some way. They often hold a great deal of information, and a lot of it can be incredibly personal and sensitive. As such, the impact of a council data breach can be substantial, and this is accounted for in a case.

Damages claims can be in the thousands of pounds for just the distress that a victim can suffer from the misuse of their private information. Here’s some advice about when you could claim, what you could claim for, and some guidance about how our No Win, No Fee representation works.

Council data breach claims

Council data breach claims can be severe. One leaked document or one email containing personal data could include:

• Personal information;
• Medical data that may be used for meeting a person’s needs;
• Domestic and family information used for social services matters;
• Financial data for council tax matters.

Victims can be eligible to claim for breaches and leaks caused by the negligence of an employee or agent working on behalf of a local authority. Information shared or published without consent is also something that you could claim for.

If information is exposed in a cyberattack, you could be eligible to succeed with a compensation case if the hack was preventable.

What could you claim?

Victims pursuing council data breach claims could be eligible to receive compensation for a number of things.

These can include:

• Damages for the distress caused by the loss of control of personal information;
• Damages for any exacerbation to pre-existing conditions or problems that can be worsened by a breach;
• Damages for losses, such as money lost from fraud or theft;
• Damages for expenses, such as the costs of additional security that may be needed.

An important thing to remember is that you do not have to have suffered any actual financial loss or paid out any expenses to be able to claim. The GDPR can allow a victim of a data breach to receive compensation damages for just the distress that has been suffered. A claim for this can amount to thousands of pounds, and the more you suffer, the more a claim could be worth.

As councils hold a great deal of personal and sensitive information, the impact of breaches like this can be substantial.

No Win, No Fee representation

We are proud to be able to offer No Win, No Fee legal representation for clients who place their council data breach claims with us. We represent thousands of people for cases, and we truly believe in access to justice for all, which is why we work this way.

If you are eligible for our No Win, No Fee representation, we can take your case forward quickly and easily. Importantly, if the case does not succeed, we can write off our legal fees, subject to the agreed terms and conditions that we have in place.