Posted On May 7, 2023 Consumer Privacy & Data Breaches
May 7 – McPherson Hospital, Inc. (McPherson Center for Health) reported a data breach to the Attorney General of Maine on May 4, 2023, after discovering that sensitive patient data had been compromised by a ransomware attack. According to the company’s lawsuit, the breach exposed consumers’ names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, health insurance information, medical billing information, and treatment information to an outside entity. After it was determined that customer information had been compromised, McPherson began sending notification letters to those whose information had been compromised.
If you’ve been notified of a data breach, it’s crucial that you know what is at stake. Console & Associates, P.C., data breach lawyers, are now looking into the McPherson incident. As part of our investigation, we are offering free consultations to anyone whose personal information was compromised by the McPherson Center for Health data breach and who wants to learn more about the dangers of identity theft, the steps they can take to protect themselves, and the potential legal options available to them.
McPherson Hospital, Inc. is a healthcare facility in McPherson, Kansas, offering a wide variety of specialties and services to its patients, including primary care, emergency care, walk-in care, respiratory care, women’s health, speech therapy, radiology, surgery, cardiac care, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, among many others. Having opened its doors in 1898, McPherson Hospital has grown to employ 225 employees and bring in $7 million annually.
The ransomware assault on McPherson Hospital was discovered on July 12, 2022, as stated in the company’s report with the Attorney General of Maine. McPherson immediately began investigating the situation with outside data security experts to find out what, if any, patient information was compromised.
The McPherson Center for Health conducted this inquiry after discovering that unauthorized users gained access to a subset of its computer network, which included files containing private patient data.
When McPherson Hospital learned that private patient information had fallen into the wrong hands, it immediately began combing through the affected files to ascertain what data had been leaked and how many patients had been affected. Your name, date of birth, SSN, health insurance information, medical billing information, and medical treatment information may have been compromised; however, the specifics vary from person to person.
McPherson Hospital informed those whose personal information was exposed in the breach on May 4, 2023, via letters.
When a firm suffers a data breach, it is usually because criminals have managed to steal sensitive customer information by evading the organization’s data protection measures. Criminals can commit several types of fraud, including identity theft, after obtaining stolen information. In this sense, the perpetrators of these attacks are hackers. However, tracking down a hacker after a breach is difficult, and if you do manage to track them down, they may lack the financial means to pay a judgment even if you win.
It’s not so simple to assign exclusive guilt to the hacker who initiated an attack on sensitive information. Victims of a data breach in the United States may be able to file a claim for monetary compensation against the organization that experienced the hack, thanks to the country’s data breach legislation.
A corporation that suffers a data breach might be considered a victim. However, businesses that collect and store customer data also serve as the first and last lines of protection against hacking. As a result, the only “innocent victims” of a data breach are the consumers whose information is compromised.
Companies are required by state and federal law to take specific safeguards while collecting or storing personal information. As a result, the attacked business may be held responsible for the victim’s damages.
Companies who collect and maintain personal information about U.S. residents have a legal responsibility to do so in accordance with the country’s data breach regulations. Companies that are negligent with their customers’ personal information may face financial consequences in the event of a data breach. Of course, the regulations regarding such claims are complex, and it is not always simple to ascertain whether or not a firm was negligent in the events preceding a breach. Therefore, anybody curious about data breach claims should seek the advice of a data breach attorney.
The consumer privacy lawyers at Console & Associates, P.C. help customers affected by data and security breaches pursue legal solutions by offering free consultations. By explaining your rights in clear, concise terms, we help you make an informed decision about your next steps. If you are a victim of the McPherson Hospital, Inc. data breach, Console & Associates, P.C. will investigate at no charge to you and offer advice on how to proceed. If you decide to pursue a case, rest assured that we don’t get paid unless you do. If your claim is successful, legal fees are either paid out of the funds recovered or by the defendant. If your claim is not successful, you pay nothing.
To schedule your free consultation, just call (866) 778-5500 today or fill out our secure contact form.
