As more and more aspects of our lives are conducted online, data breaches have become an increasingly troubling prospect. If you have been involved in a data breach, you have likely worried about potential adverse effects and the possibility that you could become a victim of identity theft. However, the mere fact that a person’s information is compromised in a data breach does not necessarily mean victory in a lawsuit for damages.
Walter Bradix worked for Advance Auto Parts (“Advance”), which informed him by mail in March of 2016 that employee information held by Advance, including his own, had been inadvertently disclosed to a third party. This included personal information such as names, social security numbers, and salary details. Advance provided affected employees with identity protection services for two years and advised them to be vigilant for any signs of identity theft.
Subsequently, Bradix noticed two unidentified inquiries in his credit report. He also experienced anxiety over the data breach due to his fear of identity theft. Bradix filed a class action lawsuit in Louisiana state court against Advance on behalf of himself and “similarly situated employees” whose information was affected by the breach. He claimed that Advance negligently allowed the information to be stolen, was grossly negligent in handling the information, violated its fiduciary duties, and invaded employees’ privacy.