Tampa General Hospital Sued by Morgan & Morgan Following Data Breach

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Morgan & Morgan, a personal injury firm, recently filed a class-action lawsuit against Tampa General Hospital, claiming that the hospital neglected the cybersecurity and patient privacy of its patients.

This lawsuit comes after a data breach, orchestrated by cybercriminals, compromised the personal information of 1.2 million individuals, including the three patients represented in the lawsuit.

Notably, one of the victims has already fallen victim to identity theft, while another is a retired FBI agent. Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that the hospital exacerbated the risk of identity theft by waiting over two months to notify affected patients about the breach.

On July 19th, Tampa General Hospital disclosed that a “criminal group” had illicitly obtained sensitive data from approximately 1.2 million patients. Confidential information stolen by a notorious “criminal group” includes names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and crucial medical details. Don’t miss out on the alarming details of this shocking breach.

As per the lawsuit, this encompassed records that are safeguarded under the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, more frequently recognized as HIPAA.

FBI Investigating Data Theft at Hospital Uncovering “Unusual Activity” on Computer Systems

A recent data theft incident at a hospital has caught the attention of the FBI. The hospital’s computer systems detected “unusual activity” on May 31, prompting an investigation. With the assistance of a third-party forensic firm, it was revealed that an unauthorized user gained access to data files over a span of three weeks, up until May 30. Rest assured, authorities are diligently working to resolve this matter.

Hackers had a 19-day window to steal patient data without being noticed, revealed a statement from attorneys John Morgan and Ryan McGee of Morgan & Morgan.

“Our clients’ allegations in this case paint a picture of Tampa General Hospital’s cavalier attitude toward cybersecurity and patient privacy,” the statement reads. “It is our hope that this lawsuit will not only secure justice and accountability for the patients whose privacy and peace of mind have been irrevocably violated, but also will spur Tampa General Hospital to take additional steps to protect their patients’ privacy in a manner appropriate for the current climate of cyberattacks.”

Hospital officials remain silent due to an ongoing investigation and litigation.

Hospital’s Response to Unauthorized Access: Patients Promptly Notified of Data Breach

Patients of the hospital were immediately notified of a data breach, as the hospital swiftly took action to restrict unauthorized intrusion. In accordance with federal law, affected individuals were informed about the breach well in advance of the 60-day deadline.

Tampa General patient data has been compromised before. In 2014, an unauthorized user accessed data on 675 patients. May’s hack was not the first incident.

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