Victims of the Charing Cross Gender Identity Clinic data breach – which occurred a year to the day yesterday – could be eligible to claim up to £30,000 each in damages, according to consumer action and data breach law firm Your Lawyers.
As was reported last year, the Charing Cross Gender Identity Clinic sent out mass emails to people using the CC function instead of the BCC function, mistakenly revealing the names and email addresses of close to 2000 people on its email list.
Your Lawyers has estimated that those most severely affected could receive up to £30,000 each in damages, whilst where there has been a catastrophic impact on the victim, awards could be higher.
Aman Johal, lawyer and director of Your Lawyers, said: “The Charing Cross Gender Identity Clinic severely breached patient trust through an inexcusable and completely preventable error. The sharing of sensitive and highly personal data could have an extremely negative impact on vulnerable people.
“Why organizations still rely on archaic methods of mass communication, when there is plenty of readily available software to use instead that will avoid a data leak, is absurd; especially given the additional clarity and focus that the GDPR has placed on data protection and information privacy since 2018.
“One year on, we continue to fight for justice for those affected. People deserve better when the consequences of a leak can be so damaging, and they are rightfully entitled to seek the compensation that they deserve.”
Consumers can sign up for legal representation here.