To settle a class-action data breach lawsuit, Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital agreed to pay all plaintiffs a total of $10,000 in damages and up to $7,500 to cover attorney fees and litigation costs, according to HIPAA Journal.
The plaintiffs alleged that in May 2014, Tampa General possessed "actual or constructive knowledge that unknown individuals wrongfully accessed and obtained plaintiffs' and class members' [protected health information] and [personally identifiable information] ... which included names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, admitting diagnoses and insurers," according to the report.
The suit also includes multiple examples of data theft at Tampa General between 2012 and 2015 and claims various patients suffered from identity theft. It alleges the hospital's "history of protecting patient information has been poor," according to the report.
To be eligible for a percentage of the settlement, plaintiffs must prove they've been affected and suffered losses due to the breach.
Tampa General claims it is not responsible for the alleged actions of its former workers.