4th Circuit Severely Limits Data Breach Lawsuits
Written by: Sean Cox, Esq. A recent decision from the Federal 4th Circuit Court of Appeals is likely to make it much harder for plaintiffs within its borders bringing lawsuits following a data breach. In Beck v. McDonald1), the 4th Circuit Cou
Data Breach Plaintiffs Find New Ways Around Landmark Supreme Court Decision
Written by: Sam Crochet, Esq. In-house counsels are facing growing pressure to perform risk assessments and address internal policies to avoid data breaches for a new reason (as if they needed one). Data breach plaintiffs, depending on the stat
Failure To Learn From Own Mistakes Leads To $3.2 Million HIPAA Penalty
Written by: Richard Sheinis, Esq. A mistake is nothing more than an opportunity to learn. Of course, you have to take advantage of that opportunity. Children’s Medical Center of Dallas failure to take that opportunity has led to a HIPAA civil
FTC Fines VIZIO $2.2 Million For Collecting Viewer Data Without Consent
Written by: Richard Sheinis, Esq. Vizio, Inc., one of the world’s largest manufacturers of internet connected televisions has agreed to pay $2.2 million to settle charges by the Federal Trade Commission and the New Jersey Attorney General tha
OCR Gives Another Expensive Lesson in HIPAA Security Compliance
Written by: Richard Sheinis, Esq. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights (“OCR”) has agreed to a $2.2 million settlement with MAPFRE Life Insurance Company of Puerto Rico for potential non-compliance with t
Medical Provider To Pay $475,000 For Failing To Timely Report The Loss Of PHI
Written by: Richard Sheinis, Esq. The importance of timely reporting breaches of Protected Health Information (“PHI”) is now underscored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) first ever enforcement action against a
Court Dismisses Shareholder Derivative Suit Over 2014 Home Depot Breach
Written by: Richard Sheinis, Esq. An Atlanta court has dismissed a shareholder derivative suit against Home Depot’s CEO and Board Chairman, Executive Vice-President and Chief Information Officer, and several members of the Board of Directors,
UMass To Pay $650,000 For HIPAA Violations
Written by: Richard Sheinis, Esq. The University of Massachusetts Amherst is paying $650,000 to OCR to settle allegations of HIPAA violations that occurred in 2013. UMass neglected to designate their Center for Language, Speech and Hearing as a
Minnesota Pacemaker Manufacturer Faces Class Action for Cyberattack Risks
Written by: Sam Crochet, Esq. St. Jude Medical Inc., a producer of remote-access pacemakers and implantable defibrillators, is under intense scrutiny for what cybersecurity researchers have deemed a negligent risk of attack. A California patien
Home Depot Gets Nailed with $7.5 Million in Legal Fees In Data Breach Class Action
Written by: Tiffany Winks, Esq. On Tuesday, August 23, 2016, a Federal Judge in Atlanta awarded a whopping $7.5 million in legal fees to consumers’ lawyers in a lawsuit against Home Depot for its 2014 data breach. Not only did the Court awa