If you have been affected by a gas company data breach, you could be eligible to receive compensation, provided your claim meets the relevant criteria. Our guide explores these in further detail as well as the steps you can take following a breach of your personal data. For example, our guide highlights how you can report a breach and the evidence you could collect to support your claim.
Gas company data breach claims guide
Additionally, we explore what a data breach is and take a look at the laws in place to protect your personal data. We also provide examples of how your data could be compromised if these laws are not adhered to.
Moreover, we outline the data breach compensation you could be entitled to receive and how the harm you suffered may be valued and what resources solicitors may use during this process.
We conclude our guide with a section detailing what you can expect if you are to work with No Win No Fee solicitors and the benefits of doing so.
For more information on how to claim compensation after a gas company data breach, please keep reading our guide. Alternatively, you can speak with a member of our team by choosing your preferred contact method below:
- Telephone us on 0161 696 9685
- Contact us by submitting your details via our online form
- Voice your queries to an advisor via the live chat function below
Browse Our Guide
- The Criteria For Claiming For A Gas Company Data Breach
- Examples Of A Gas Company Data Breach
- Establishing Liability In Data Breach Claims Against Gas Companies
- Data Breach Compensation Payouts
- Start A No Win No Fee Data Breach Claim
- Discover More About Claiming For A Gas Company Data Breach
The Criteria For Claiming For A Gas Company Data Breach
To begin, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) defines a personal data breach as a security incident which affects the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of personal data. This can include your name, address, email, and phone number.
Special category data is another form of personal information which requires more secure processing due to the sensitivity of its nature. This can be information about your race, ethnicity, religion, or health.
The Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) outline the responsibility a data controller and data processor have when processing your personal data. A data controller decides the purpose for processing your personal information. They can process this data themselves or they can outsource this task to a data processor. A data processor is responsible for processing your personal data on behalf of a controller, though they tend to be from separate organisations.
A gas company may hold personal data about you, such as your bank details, your name, postal address and email address. As a data controller, they have a responsibility to protect your personal data under the DPA and UK GDPR. However, in some cases, they could fail to do so leading to a breach.
To begin a claim after a gas company data breach, you will be expected to meet the following criteria:
- A failure on behalf of the controller or processor to adhere to data protection laws has occurred.
- Due to their wrongful conduct, a breach has occurred and your personal data has been compromised.
- This has led to you suffering harm, whether that is financial or psychological.
If your claim meets these criteria, you could be eligible to seek compensation.
Data Breach Claim Time Limits
It is important to adhere to the time limit when starting a claim after a gas company data breach. You typically have 6 years to start your claim, unless it’s against a public body, in which case you have 1 year.
For more information on how long you have to make a data breach claim as well as whether you’re eligible to do so, please contact a member of our team.
Examples Of A Gas Company Data Breach
There are various ways your personal information could be compromised in a gas company data breach. For example:
- Wrong email: Your personal information may have been emailed to the wrong email address.
- Wrong postal address: If a gas company does not update their records after you inform them of your new address and your personal information is sent to the wrong address in the post, someone could access these letters.
- Failure to redact information: There may have been a failure to redact sensitive information in a document before it is sent to others.
- Lost or stolen devices: An organisation may fail to put adequate physical security measures in place leading to devices containing your personal information being stolen.
If your personal data is compromised in a breach, this could lead to you experiencing emotional harm, such as distress, anxiety or stress. Additionally, you could experience financial loss in the form of money being taken from your account, loans being taken out in your name or an impact on your credit score.
If you are eligible to claim and do so successfully, the compensation you receive could address the ways in which the breach has affected you. Call our team to find out whether you could seek data breach compensation.
Establishing Liability In Data Breach Claims Against Gas Companies
There are a few steps you could take following a gas company data breach. Firstly, if you suspect a breach has occurred, you could report it directly to the organisation. This can help you gain more information regarding the nature of the breach, including how it happened and what information was affected. The correspondence you have with them, including copies of emails and letters, can be used as evidence to support your potential claim.
If the organisation provides a response that is unsatisfactory or they do not respond at all, you can report it to the ICO. The ICO is an independent body set to uphold your rights and freedoms as a data subject. They can investigate your concerns but cannot award compensation. If they choose to investigate, you can use their findings as evidence to support your claim,
Additionally, you could gather evidence of the harm or loss you have experienced. For example, if you have suffered mental harm, you can seek medical help and use any medical reports as evidence. Alternatively, bank statements or credit reports can illustrate any financial losses or damage you suffer.
To learn more about supporting your claim, contact our advisors for further information.
Data Breach Compensation Payouts
You could claim compensation if you have experienced harm due to a gas company data breach. There are two types of harm for which you could receive compensation:
- Material damage relates to any financial losses incurred due to the personal data breach.
- Non-material damage refers to any psychological injuries you have experienced due to the personal data breach. For example, if you have developed an anxiety disorder or if your mental health problems were made worse by a data breach, you could be compensated.
When valuing the emotional harm you have endured because of a data breach, legal professionals may use the Judicial College Guidelines to help them. This document contains guideline compensation brackets which can be referred to in the valuing process.
Some of these figures are in the table below. However, these are just for guidance as they are not definite representations of what you will receive.
| Type of Harm | Severity | Notes | Compensation Guidelines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychological Damage | Severe (a) | A poor prognosis and noted problems in the ability to cope with several aspects of life. | £54,830 to £115,730 |
| Moderately Severe (b) | Problems coping with several aspects of life are significant but the prognosis is better. | £19,070 to £54,830 | |
| Moderate (c) | There is a significant improvement with problems affecting several aspects of life. | £5,860 to £19,070 | |
| Less Severe (d) | How long the disability persists and the extent of it will be considered. | £1,540 to £5,860 | |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | Severe (a) | Permanent issues affecting all areas of life negatively. | £59,860 to £100,670 |
| Moderately Severe (b) | The prognosis is better and recovery has been made with professional help. However, the person will have a significant disability that persists into the future. | £23,150 to £59,860 | |
| Moderate (c) | There has been a substantial recovery and any effects that persist are not largely impairing, | £8,180 to £23,150 | |
| Less Severe (d) | Full recovery has virtually been made within one to two years. Persisting symptoms are minor. | £3,950 to £8,180 |
Please get in touch with a team member to receive advice on the compensation you could be awarded following a successful claim.
Start A No Win No Fee Data Breach Claim
You may find a No Win No Fee agreement helpful as they can provide certain financial benefits. A solicitor from our panel could offer you a specific type known as a Conditional Fee Agreement.
The benefit of this agreement is that it will usually mean you will not make any upfront or ongoing payments to your solicitor for their services. Also, if your claim is unsuccessful, you will not typically pay for the work they have completed.
Alternatively, your solicitor can deduct a fee from your compensation if your claim is successful. This is a success fee. The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 establishes a legal restriction on the percentage they are allowed to take. This will typically be discussed and agreed upon before the claim has begun.
Contact Us
For further information about working with a solicitor from our panel on a No Win No Fee basis, please get in contact. Our advisors can provide you with any information you need about claiming in this way.
Additionally, if you would like to receive further guidance on making a claim after a gas company data breach, they can. They are available 24/7 to answer any queries you may have.
To get in touch, please select a method of contact below:
- Call on 0161 696 9685
- Contact us by filling out our form
- Refer to our live chat box to receive support from an advisor
Discover More About Claiming For A Gas Company Data Breach
If you found our guide on claiming compensation for a gas company data breach helpful, you can find more of our guides below:
- How To Make A Lost Records Data Breach Claim
- How To Claim If Your Files Were Lost In A Data Breach
- Breach of Confidentiality Data Breach Compensation Claims Explained
More useful resources:
- Your Right To Be Informed If Your Personal Data Is Used – ICO
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder – NHS
- Large Organisations – National Cyber Security Centre
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