Pittsburgh Data Breach Attorneys

Class Action Lawsuits for Data Breaches

Companies that collect and store private data from their users must take reasonable and effective steps to secure that data. If a data breach occurs, then the company must make it right, which could mean paying significant damages to the users. When this happens, it usually makes sense to process the legal case as a class action lawsuit that can represent thousands or millions of plaintiffs.

At Robert Peirce & Associates, P.C. in Pittsburgh, our class action lawyers know the ins and outs of complicated lawsuits, including those that involve data breaches. Please let us know if your data was leaked or stolen from an online or digital source to see if you can start a claim. If enough people come forward to file complaints about the same data breach, then we can talk about using a class action lawsuit that expedites the process.

Call (844) 383-0565 and talk with our Pittsburgh data breach lawyers now.

Dangers of Data Breaches

When a data breach occurs, the consequences can be unpredictable. It all depends on what information was accessed illegally by the hacker or bad actor and how that information will be used. To make matters worse, many people who sign up for online services and subscriptions don’t realize how much personal data can be extracted once they complete the application or user identification form. What once seemed like an innocuous app like a fun smartphone game could be the source of all your private information being leaked to the public.

Information that can be leaked in a data breach includes:

• Name
• Phone number
• Physical address
• Social Security number
• Income
• Occupation
• Race, gender, age, etc.
• And much more

Data Breach Notifications

Companies like banks and retail giants have an obligation to stop data breaches. They are also expected to notify users as soon as possible once a data breach occurs. By telling users that their data might have been stolen, each individual user can take steps to secure their accounts and information with password and information updates.

Data breach notifications can be sent via:

• Email
• Text
• In-app notifications
• Traditional mail

A company can be financially liable for any harm caused by a data breach, but it can also be penalized further for failing to respond to a data breach correctly. We can investigate to see if the company that leaked your data did enough to contain the breach and notify affected users in a reasonable amount of time. If they didn’t, then it could add to the legitimacy of the data breach class action lawsuit.

Compensation in a Data Breach Class Action Lawsuit

The compensation available to plaintiffs in a data breach class action lawsuit will depend on the severity of the breach. In such situations, it is often impossible to put into exact numbers how much money was lost because of the breach. Indeed, individual users might not lose any money at all but still suffer from the knowledge that their information is now public and could be exploited by a bad actor later.

The court can also approve punitive damages to use against the company that leaked your data. Punitive damages are not based on a material loss but are instead used to further punish the defendant for egregious negligence. It could be argued that leaking the personal information of thousands or millions of people is egregiously negligent.

If compensation is won for a plaintiff class, the total amount is divided among the class, rather than calculated on a plaintiff-by-plaintiff basis. Lead plaintiffs tend to get a larger share than others, though. You could become a lead plaintiff if you are one of the first to come forth with a data breach complaint against a corporation, so don’t hesitate to dial (844) 383-0565 if you need our help.

Discover Your Rights After a Data Breach – Call Now

Robert Peirce & Associates, P.C. and our Pittsburgh data breach class action attorneys are here to help you understand your options after your data was leaked. You probably have many questions, and we have even more answers. Click here to start with a FREE case consultation.