Compensation for victims of data leaks

In March last year, victims of the Virgin Media data breach learned that their information had been compromised due to the company’s failure to keep it secure. Approximately 900,000 UK victims were affected by the incident, which caused their personal details to become subjected to unauthorised access. All victims of data leaks could be entitled to claim compensation for the harm caused, and the victims of the Virgin Media data breach are no different.

Soon after the breach, we began taking on claims for those affected, as we believed that Virgin’s actions, or rather inaction, could amount to data protection negligence. Under the GDPR, the primary data protection law in the UK, all data controllers are obliged to protect personal information with appropriate technical and organisational methods. Where they fail in this duty, they may be in breach of the law.

If you were notified of your involvement in the Virgin Media data leak and wish to claim compensation, you can enter your details in our online form here today to join our group action.

The consequences for victims of data leaks

To outsiders, the impact of a data security incident can seem minimal, but many victims of data leaks often have to contend with a number of distressing factors in the aftermath. The knowledge that your data may have been accessed by any number of unknown users is disturbing, and the psychological or emotional impact of a data breach can be profound.

On top of this, there can be material risks for victims of data leaks. Personal data can be highly valuable to cybercriminals, who often misuse exposed data for the purposes of scams and fraud. For example, those who have email addresses compromised may be targeted with phishing scams, in which fraudsters could pose as reputable companies to extract more personal information, such as bank account details.

Claiming compensation as a data breach victim

Fortunately, the law acknowledges how severe the consequences can be for victims of data leaks, allowing them to claim compensation for the harm caused. In fact, data breach claims can often be split into two parts, with victims claiming General Damages for the factors of the loss of control and distress, and Special Damages for any financial losses or expenses incurred.

For victims of the Virgin Media data breach, we expect many to claim for loss of control and distress, but some victims may have also fallen victim to fraud due to email or phone scams, so they may be able to claim back any financial losses as well.

Join our Virgin Media group action

We firmly believe that victims of data leaks should not suffer in silence: the law is designed to protect you in your time of need, so you should seize the chance to achieve justice.

As specialists in data breach claims and group actions, we have been involved in a number of major data leak cases, including the high-profile Group Litigation Order against British Airways. We want to give as many Virgin Media victims as possible the chance to access expert representation, which is why we are agreeing to take on all eligible claimants on a No Win, No Fee basis.

To sign up, simply register your details in our online form today.

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