WA Appeals Court To Hear Data Breach Lawsuit Against CDHD

The Washington Appeals Court will hear a case from two people suing Chelan Douglas Health District over a security breach. 

The Health District reported a breach in July of 2021 but did not inform possible victims or the public until March 2022. 

The district said Social Security numbers, dates of birth or death, financial account information and personal medical data was removed from their site in the breach. 

At the time, the Health District provided a hotline for people who might have had their information compromised. 

The two plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in Chelan County Superior Court in July of 2022. 

The suit claimed negligence on the part of the Health District for failing to maintain security practices to prevent the breach, and for failing to properly test its security system. 

The plaintiffs claimed the negligence caused them lost time, anxiety, increased risk of identity theft and medical identity theft and lost value of their medical information. 

The Health District countered by filing a motion to dismiss the case, saying the plaintiffs had not claimed they suffered identity theft. 

Judge Kristin Ferrera agreed and dismissed the case, saying plaintiffs had failed to state a claim upon which damages could be awarded. 

The state Appeals Court Division III in Spokane will take up the appeal from the plaintiffs on March 8.