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Smile Brands Data Breach

Posted on behalf of Arnold Law Firm in

NOTICE: If you received a NOTICE OF DATA BREACH letter from Smile Brands, contact the Arnold Law Firm at (916) 777-7777 to discuss your legal options, or submit a confidential Case Evaluation form here.

ransomware attack sign in data centerOn April 24, 2021, Smile Brands, Inc. (“Smile Brands”) became aware of a ransomware attack where hackers gained access to its servers where sensitive patient data was stored. While Smile Brands waited until August of 2021 to notify people that their information was accessed through a letter dated August 9, 2021, hackers bragged about stealing over 700 GB of data from Smile Brands on April 23rd, 2021. Smile Brands is offering one year of free identity protection services. The best way to protect yourself after a data breach is to sign up for identity protection services as soon as possible. California offers extra protections and legal rights to its residents through the California Consumer Privacy Act. WHAT INFORMATION IS INVOLVED? According to the notice that Smile Brands sent, the following information was affected:
  • Name
  • Social Security number
  • Date of birth
  • Health insurance information
  • Diagnosis information
  • Telephone number
  • Address
This information is called your Personally Identifiable Information (“PII”) and Protected Health Information (“PHI”). It tells others about you and is considered part of your identity. Businesses are required to secure this information or risk facing statutory penalties, among other legal penalties. Stolen PII/PHI can be used by identity thieves to engage in fraudulent activity using your identity. Smile Brands is a dentistry company that provides support services to dental groups in the United States. You may not have dealt directly with Smile Brands as a result of their business structure. At this time, this data breach appears to have impacted about 1,200 people.

NOTICE: If you received a NOTICE OF DATA BREACH from Smile Brands, contact the Arnold Law Firm at (916) 777-7777 to discuss your legal options, or submit a confidential Case Evaluation request form here.

Settlement - $3,767,000

Truck Accident

A 20-year-old man who had been married for just 12 days left home on his way to work. He was driving on Pleasant Grove Road in Sutter County in the early morning when he came upon a slow-moving truck. As he pulled out to pass the truck, the truck driver turned left in front of him. The young man attempted to steer back into his lane but his vehicle struck an un-flagged piece of metal extending from the back of the truck. He died in the resulting crash.

Expert witnesses brought in by the Arnold Law Firm proved that the truck, owned and operated by a hauling firm, should never have been on the highway that morning. Specifically, the rear and side turn signals did not work and the rear-view mirror was in a poor state of adjustment at the time of the collision. As a result, the driver, who had failed to properly inspect the vehicle before setting out that morning, couldn’t see the young man’s vehicle as it attempted to pass.

The poor condition of the truck, its lack of maintenance and the manner in which it was operated were found to be substantial factors in causing the collision that killed the young man. The testimony also established that the man had been making a lawful pass at the lawful speed limit and acted reasonably when he attempted to avoid the collision.

The man’s 20-year-old widow was awarded $3,767,000.77, his parents were awarded $185,131 and the family was reimbursed $11,899 in funeral expenses. Though money is a poor substitute for a young man’s life, this verdict demonstrates that drivers who endanger the lives of others will be held accountable for their actions.