South Staffordshire Water Data Breach Guide – Can I Claim Compensation?

In 2022, the parent company of South Staffs Water, South Staffordshire PLC, stated that they had been hit by a cyber attack. The water company were targeted by hackers who may have gained access to customers’ personal data. Within this guide, we will discuss the eligibility criteria that will need to be met to claim for a potential South Staffordshire Water data breach.

This guide will explore what constitutes a data breach as well as how one could occur.

We will also explore the data breach claims criteria as set out in the legislation while also covering key areas, such as the time limits that apply and relevant data protection laws.

Furthermore, the compensation you might be owed for a successful data breach claim will be examined, along with the steps you can take to enhance your claim. For example, gathering useful evidence or hiring a solicitor.

You can also speak to an advisor from our team if you have any specific questions. They are on call around the clock to offer you a free consultation. To get in touch:

Browse Our Guide

  1. South Staffordshire Water Data Breach – What Happened?
  2. What Are Personal Data Breaches And When Can I Claim?
  3. Evidence Which Could Support A Case
  4. What Compensation Could You Claim For A Personal Data Breach?
  5. No Win No Fee Data Breach Compensation Claims 
  6. To Find Out More On The South Staffordshire Water Data Breach Speak With Our Team

South Staffordshire Water Data Breach – What Happened?

South Staffordshire PLC, the parent company of South Staffs Water and Cambridge Water, announced they had been the target of hackers on 16th August 2022. It is reported that potentially the personal details of customers could have been accessed. The potentially compromised data included, addresses, names and bank details for direct debit payments.

The water company was potentially hit by a ransomware attack. These kinds of attacks involve online systems being hacked and data stolen or blocked, and a ransom is requested by the hackers.

If you have evidence that you were affected by the potential South Staffordshire Water data breach, please get in touch with our team of advisors, and they can inform you if there are any potential steps you can take.

Source:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-62565937

What Are Personal Data Breaches And When Can I Claim?

A personal data breach is commonly referred to as a security incident that leads to personal data being, whether accidentally or unlawfully:

  • Destroyed.
  • Lost.
  • Altered.
  • Disclosed to, or accessed by, an unauthorised person.

Personal data is anything that can be used to identify a person. For example, someone’s name, postal address or email address or phone number all count as personal data.

You may only claim for a personal data breach if you endure mental or monetary harm due to the wrongful conduct of the data controller or processor. A data controller will usually be an organisation that says how data is collected and why your data is used. A data processor could be hired as a third party by the data controller to process the data on the controller’s behalf. Both entities must comply with data protection laws.

Two key data protection laws protect your personal data: The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). Not all data is protected, but personal data and personal data that is sensitive are protected by these laws.

Time Limits For Data Breach Claims

The general data breach claims time limit is 6 years to initiate legal proceedings in court. In contrast, if you are claiming against a public body, you may only have one year to start the claims process.

If you would like to find out what steps you could possibly take if your personal data was affected by the potential South Staffordshire Water data breach, please get in touch with an advisor from our team.

Evidence Which Could Support Your Case

It is crucial to gather evidence to support a personal data breach claim. Evidence that proves a data breach occurred and that your personal data was involved, as well as any medical evidence that shows your mental state was affected or evidence to show that you suffered financially, is crucial.

  • Keeping track of correspondence between yourself and the relevant organisation about the breach. For instance, how the breach occurred, specifically what data was compromised or the ways in which it impacted you.
  • If you have suffered mentally, ask for a copy of your medical records to substantiate your claim.
  • Providing proof of any monetary harm suffered via receipts, invoices, bank statements, or credit score ratings.

An advisor from our team can provide more details in terms of the evidence that can be gathered to support a personal data breach claim if you get in touch.

What Compensation Could You Claim For A Personal Data Breach?

If your personal data breach claim is successful, your settlement may comprise two heads of claim. You could be awarded non-material damage compensation for any psychological injuries that are caused by a breach. Examples of this could include distress, anxiety or depression.

In place of a data breach compensation calculator, we have compiled a table of compensation guideline amounts that are provided by the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This is a collection of guideline brackets that can be used by those in charge of valuing claims. However, these amounts should only be used as guidance.

Injury SeverityCompensation Bracket
Serious Mental Suffering Plus Financial LossesSevereUp to £250,000+
General Psychological DamageSevere£66,920 to £141,240
General Psychological DamageModerately Severe£23,270 to £66,920
General Psychological DamageModerate£7,150 to £23,270
General Psychological DamageLess Severe£1,880 to £7,150
Post-Trauma Psychiatric HarmSevere £73,050 to £122,850
Post-Trauma Psychiatric HarmModerately Severe£28,250 to £73,050
Post-Trauma Psychiatric HarmModerate£9,980 to £28,250
Post-Trauma Psychiatric HarmLess Severe£4,820 to £9,980

Material Damage

Material damage compensation may also be included in your settlement. This looks to reimburse you for any financial damage incurred due to your personal data being compromised. For example, your credit score might be impacted, or the stress could lead to you receiving therapy at a cost.

If you want to know more about data breach compensation, call today to chat with an advisor from our team.

No Win No Fee Data Breach Claims

Our panel’s solicitors are experienced in handling any type of compensation claim for a data breach.

Working with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our expert panel would mean signing a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Ultimately, this minimises your financial risk because it means:

  • You don’t pay any solicitor fee in advance or while the claim continues.
  • Also, losing the case means no fees for their work at all.
  • You only pay a small and pre-agreed percentage of your compensation if your claim ends in success.

The solicitor’s cut, known as a success fee, will definitely be a much smaller percentage of your award than what you get. This is because The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 caps the proportion that can go a solicitor’s way.

If you want to discuss your potential compensation claim or how our panel’s data breach solicitors can help, check out the contact information below.

Talk To Us About Claiming For A Data Breach

Our advisors can offer you free advice at all times. If they deem you to have an eligible case, they could connect you with a data breach solicitor from our panel.

You can talk to someone today by:

To Find Out More On The South Staffordshire Water Data Breach, Speak With Our Team

Here are some more of our own guides relative to data breaches:

We have also included further reading that may be of use to you:

Thank you for reading this guide on the steps you can take if you have been affected by the potential South Staffordshire Water data breach. If you still have any questions, please do not hesitate to call or use our online support.