Consumer Privacy & Data Breaches
Consumer Protection Lawyer Protecting Consumers Privacy and Combating Data Breaches
Data is king in the modern internet age, where people are increasingly asked to share a variety of personal details to operate online. Meanwhile, cloud computing and other online storage formats mean businesses, banks, health care providers, schools and others are using an electronic warehouse to stash sensitive financial, medical and personal information. It is important that you take certain basic precautions and that you understand your legal rights. At Glancy Prongay & Murray, a consumer protection lawyer helps people across the country safeguard their personal information and data. We also work aggressively to go after businesses and other entities responsible for data breaches. That includes pursuing the full compensation available under the law for our clients, both to cover the financial impact of the breach and to ensure that those responsible are held fully accountable.
We are seasoned consumer protection attorneys who have a strong track record for success in the courtroom and at the negotiating table. Our lawyers help people victimized by data breaches leverage their individual legal claims in a consumer class action on behalf of others similarly impacted by the breach.
These cases can raise complicated legal and technological questions. That said, it is vital to have knowledgeable consumer protection lawyers by your side.
Data Breaches
Data breaches are an increasingly common occurrence that can come with significant consequences.
A data breach happens when a company, government agency or other organization that collects personal information from customers, employees or the public discloses some or all of the sensitive information without authorization. Although a breach may not be intentional, they often occur because the holder of the data has not taken the appropriate steps to protect it.
People whose data has been breached are at risk of identity theft or of having that data used by fraudsters who pose as someone else to drain bank accounts, run up credit card bills and wreak other havoc. It is crucial to take certain immediate precautions to guard against identity theft if you have been notified of a breach. It is also critical to speak to experienced consumer protection attorneys to consider your legal options.
Other Privacy Issues a Consumer Protection Lawyer Can Handle
Our firm represents clients in a full spectrum of privacy issues, working to limit the impacts of a violation and ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. That includes:
- Internet Privacy: Whether it is the unauthorized use of your image online, the sharing of your emails and other electronic communications or the disclosure of information from social media sites, federal law protects people whose information is shared without their consent.
- Financial Privacy: Banks, insurers and others hold a treasure trove of personal information, which they are legally required to protect. They are also obligated to tell customers about any sharing of that information. Unfortunately, financial institutions do not always live up to these critical responsibilities.
- Cell Phone Privacy: Technological advances have made cell phones the primary way that many people store and share private information. That can also increase the risk that your data falls into the wrong hands. Smartphone apps, in particular, are often designed to mine for users’ data. It is important to review your settings and read the fine print about what you are agreeing to share.
These are just some of the ways in which individuals’ sensitive information can be put at risk. When a data breach happens or your personal information is used without your consent, you have the right to take legal action to protect yourself. Seasoned consumer protection lawyers can help.
Class Actions for Consumer Privacy Violations
Anyone who has shared or published information without their consent has the right to seek compensation from those responsible. The good news is you do not have to go it alone.
A class action is a collective lawsuit brought by a wide range of people who have been harmed by the same business or entity in similar situations. In cases in which nationwide retailers or other companies allow their customers’ sensitive data to be hacked, for instance, those customers can join together in a single class action to seek compensation.
There are some significant advantages to pursuing legal action collectively, rather than filing an individual lawsuit related to a privacy breach. A class action allows members to share legal and other costs related to the lawsuit. That can be helpful, especially when going up against large companies with high powered legal teams.
Class action members also have the benefit of combining their claims for additional leverage against those responsible for the privacy violation. A single lawsuit seeking thousands of dollars may not get the attention of a multinational corporation with hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue. A class action with thousands of members seeking millions of dollars is much more likely to bring the company to the bargaining table.
At Glancy Prongay & Murray, our attorneys take our class action cases on a contingency fee basis: Your consumer protection lawyer will only get paid if we win the case at trial or through a negotiated settlement.
Talk With a Consumer Protection Lawyer from Our Firm Today
If you or a loved one has been victimized by a data breach or has otherwise had sensitive personal information published without your consent, you must seek the counsel of experienced consumer protection attorneys. A lawyer can help you understand your rights and options for safeguarding your data and build the strongest possible case against those responsible.
The consumer protection attorneys at Glancy Prongay & Murray have been representing people in consumer, securities and other fraud cases for more than 25 years. We are proud to stand by clients in their ties of need and pleased to be able to guide them through the legal process. Call us at (310) 201-9150 or contact us online to speak with our consumer protection lawyers today.