FAQs about HCS
Here at Hayes Connor Solicitors, our core aim is to help our clients get the compensation they deserve following data protection breaches, cybercrime, and other online offences.
To give you an idea about how we do this, here are some of the most common questions we get asked about our firm and the work we do.
Cybercrime is quite new. How can Hayes Connor Solicitors be compensation experts?
Over the past year, our firm has established itself as the only niche provider of legal services in this area. A relatively new and evolving area of law, this is all we do, and we have become a true specialist in data breach law. As such, we lead our field when it comes to understanding the complexities involved.
But before that, we worked on different types of compensation claims. And, with over 50 years' experience helping our clients secure the justice they deserve, our solicitors work tirelessly to ensure the best possible outcome for you. Both in terms of damages achieved and service delivered.
What type of cybercrime and data breach cases do Hayes Connor Solicitors do?
At Hayes Connor, our experts deal with a significant volume of data breach cases each day. During our work, we see many different types of claims and how data breaches can affect people in different ways. There are two main ways we get compensation for our clients:
Group actions
If you have suffered damage or distress caused by an organisation breaching any part of the Data Protection Act, you have a right to claim compensation. However, in many cases, where a breach occurs, you won't be the only person making a claim. In such circumstances, it is often worth joining a group action claim.
Find out more about our NO WIN, NO FEE group actions.
Individual cases
In most cases, data breaches aren't caused by scammers trying to hack big businesses, but by simple human errors. And while these incidents don't make the headlines, for those involved the experience can be devastating.
Will Hayes Connor Solicitors keep my data safe?
Absolutely. We know that making a claim can be difficult. Particularly where your sensitive information has already been breached or another online offence made against you.
Once we have your details, we treat these with the utmost care, compassion, and privacy. We never pass on these details to third parties for marketing purposes - or indeed for any other reason without express permission. This commitment to ensuring our customers' peace of mind is absolute.
As well as making sure all personal details are protected/confidential, we also deal with all enquiries sensitively and professionally, and we never ask unnecessary or intrusive questions.
Is it difficult to make a data breach or cybercrime compensation claim?
At Hayes Connor Solicitors, we understand that making a compensation claim can be stressful. As such, we've created a handy step-by-step guide to help explain the process.
Read our step-by-step guide to making a data breach claim.
Also, we understand that you want a fast, efficient, no-nonsense service - and that's precisely how we deliver legal services to our clients. As such, we use the latest technology and a highly-trained team to provide excellence of service.
How much do Hayes Connor Solicitors charge to make a data breach or cybercrime compensation claim?
Access to professional legal advice is a fundamental right. That's why it's important that everyone can afford to make a data breach or cybercrime compensation claim should they need to.
Removing the financial risk, at Hayes Connor Solicitors, we provide our services on a no-win, no-fee basis to help our clients get the compensation they deserve. But what does this actually mean and are there really no costs if you appoint us?
Read our 'Explaining No Win, No Fee' guide.
Can't I just make a claim without a solicitor?
You can make a data breach or cybercrime claim on your own. What's more, if you go ahead and no settlement is reached, you can even represent yourself in court. In fact, the number of people doing this in recent years has increased.
The legal term for representing yourself this way is called 'litigating in person' (LiP). However, while there has been a rise in the number of people doing this, this is often because they don't think they have any choice due to a lack of alternative funding options.
At Hayes Connor, we believe that the best way to make organisations pay for their failures is to use a specialist lawyer. Of course, you would expect us to say that - but let us explain why.
We believe that a group action is undoubtedly the best way forward for data breach claims of this nature. It allows people with the same type of claim to bring it together on a collective basis to strengthen their overall position and increase their chances of settlement or success in litigation.
In addition to our own legal expertise, we also work with expert barristers to help us win our cases. So we are confident that our team will get the results you deserve.
On the other hand, when it comes to making a compensation claim, a lack of care can leave data breach victims open to advice and representation below the standard expected by the profession, and this could ultimately see you lose out financially as a result.
Crucially, we deal with all breach claims on a no-win, no-fee basis. This means that, if your claim is not successful, you won't have to pay a penny.
How much will Hayes Connor Solicitors charge me if I win?
To cover our costs, if we win your claim, we will charge a success fee. This is capped at 25% of any compensation you receive. We have to charge this to cover our costs. There are no hidden charges or other administration fees.
Will you explain everything in plain English?
Absolutely, we are committed to keeping you informed, every step of the way. In fact, we have created loads of content to ensure you always know what's happening.
We do this because we want our clients to have as much information as possible before making a claim so that they feel fully informed at all times. Through this approach, we ensure that the process of making a data breach claim is understood, straightforward and stress-free.
Read our latest News & Resources.
Will you pressure me into making a data breach or cybercrime compensation claim?
No way. We hate spam and pushy lawyers!
At Hayes Connor Solicitors, we only ever deal with organic enquiries. We never buy data, cold call, or send spam texts or emails. Even our PPC campaigns are monitored to reduce the spam effect, and we never pressure anyone into making a claim. We feel this is essential when it comes to protecting our clients, and upholding the standards of the legal profession.
Will you help me to recover from a data breach or cybercrime?
Yes of course. This is why we believe that it's vital that people seek compensation to help them get their lives back on track as soon as possible. But we don't believe that our obligation to our clients stops there. So, we also provide a wide range of information to help our clients protect themselves once a breach has occurred.