Material damage is the legal term to refer to the financial losses you have suffered due to a personal data breach. You can recover lost income, therapy payments, and relocation costs through a compensation claim. Your compensation can also cover non-material damage for the emotional distress you have experienced due to the breach of your data.
To further understand claiming for material damage and the data breach claim process, get in touch with one of our advisors. They recognise that this is a complex subject, so you can expect straightforward answers. You may even be eligible to work with a solicitor from our panel, who can make strong arguments for the defendant to cover the total impact that you have experienced due to the data breach. Whether you want to take the next steps towards getting compensation or simply want additional information, enquire today.
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Jump To A Section
- How Might A Data Breach Lead To Material Damage?
- How To Prove Material Damage For Data Breach Compensation
- Will I Need To Report Material Damage To The ICO?
- What Can A Solicitor Do To Help When Claiming For Material Damage?
- Why Choose Data Breach Claims’ Panel Of Solicitors
- More Information
How Might A Data Breach Lead To Material Damage?
A data breach can lead you to suffer material damage (financial losses), as many claimants find that the resulting emotional distress causes them to take time off work and pay for therapy. This can add more stress to an already difficult situation, as such losses can result in financial worries. Byclaiming for your material damage, you can recover financial costs and prioritise your mental health.
In more serious cases, there may have even been a need to relocate due to a breach of a person’s home address details. Relocation can be an extremely costly process, as you may have paid to hire removal vans, remove waste from the property, put your house on the market and access storage facilities. If you do need to relocate, you can keep a record of your costs and add them to your data breach claim.
You can speak to our friendly team of advisors with any questions you may have about claiming for your material damage following a personal data breach.
How To Prove Material Damage For Data Breach Compensation
You can prove material damage for data breach compensation by providing bank statements, receipts and pay slips. It is important that you can show any losses that you wish to add to your data breach claim. You may also benefit from keeping your own records of the financial losses you have incurred, as you can refer to this throughout the claims process.
You may be unsure about the evidence you can provide to strengthen your data breach claim. Speak to our advisors to find out more about this. You may be eligible to work with a solicitor from our panel, who could help you to access the evidence that would strengthen each part of your case.
Will I Need To Report Material Damage To The ICO?
No, you are not required to report material damage to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), though you may find it beneficial to report the data breach to them. The ICO is the body responsible for upholding laws that protect the personal data of those in the UK.
The ICO does not award compensation, but it can investigate your data breach and confirm whether the organisation has failed to comply with the law. You then may be able to use the ICO findings to bolster a claim for data breach compensation. The ICO can also fine organisations that have failed to adhere to data protection laws.
Our advisors are available 24/7 if you would like to understand more about the role of the ICO and how to report a breach. They can also explain what steps you can take to improve your chances of successfully claiming material damage.
What Can A Solicitor Do To Help When Claiming For Material Damage?
Our panel have honed their legal services over years of experience, so you can trust that they will represent your interests when it comes to claiming compensation for your material damage. More specifically, they can:
- Ensuring all the material damage you suffered following a breach is covered within your claim
- Identifying how much you should receive for your material damage
- Explain what evidence you will need to prove the breach and the resulting financial losses
- Negotiating for your material damage compensation to reflect any valid financial losses you have incurred
You can contact our advisors to discuss your case and learn more about how a solicitor from our panel could help you.
Why Choose Data Breach Claims’ Panel Of Solicitors
You should choose one of the data breach solicitors from our panel to represent your claim, as they will work hard to support you through each stage of the process. They can do so through a No Win No Fee contract. This means that, by signing a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), there is no need to pay for your solicitor’s work:
- Before the data breach claim starts
- While the case is proceeding
- In the event that you are not compensated
However, should you successfully gain compensation, you will owe a percentage of the compensation to your solicitor. This is called a success fee. You will still take home the largest share of the compensation, as the percentage that can be taken is limited by a legally-enforced cap.
Contact Our Advisors
Don’t worry if you’re still not sure what exactly you can claim under material damage. The data breach claims process is complex, and our panel have undergone years of training to navigate it. Get in touch with an advisor today to learn more about how data breach compensation is calculated and find out whether you could start your own claim today.
- Call us on 020 8050 6279
- Complete our online enquiry form
- Use the live chat pop-up in the corner
More Information
Visit our other guides below for more information:
- Find out what the time limit is for data breach claims
- Learn how to make an internal email data breach claim
- Read about our data breach case studies
External resources:
- Learn about personal data from the ICO
- Read the government information on UK data protection legislation
- Visit the ICO’s advice on making a compensation claim
Thank you for reading this guide on material damage.