Forefront Dermatology Waited a Month to Report Data Breach Affecting 2.4M, Says Class Action

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Forefront Dermatology Class Action Lawsuit Overview: 

• Who: Milan E. Kunzelmann lodged  a class action lawsuit against Forefront Dermatology S.C. and Forefront Management, LLS. 
• Why: Kunzelmann alleges Forefront Dermatology failed to disclose a June data breach in a timely manner and failed to fulfill its requirement of keeping its patients private information confidential.
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Washington federal court.

Forefront Dermatology waited more than a month before disclosing to patients that their personal information, including medical records, may have been exposed in a June data breach, a new class action lawsuit alleges. 

Lead plaintiff Milan E. Kunzelmann claims Forefront Dermatology’s failure to timely disclose the data breach left herself and other Class Members at risk of harm. Kunzelmann wants to represent a nationwide Class of consumers who had their sensitive PII and PHI exposed in the data breach. 

Millions Exposed Due to “Dithering” by Forefront Dermatology After Data Breach

The personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) of 2.4 million patients was exposed in a data breach discovered by the company on June 4. Forefront waited until July 8 before notifying their customers via press release, according to Kunzelmann.

“Forefront’s dithering between June 4, 2021 and July 8, 2021 wasted precious weeks in which consumers could and should have been taking affirmative steps to protect themselves from identity theft, preventing consumers from taking steps to insulate themselves from the risk of harm caused by misuse of their PII by hackers,” states the class action. 

The health care provider also downplayed the severity of the breach and failed to fulfill its requirement of keeping its patients PII and PHI private, alleges the Forefront Dermatology class action lawsuit. 

Forefront Dermatology reported the breach to the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services on July 8, the same day it first alerted its patients, claims Kunzelmannt. 

Forefront Dermatology set up a website with more information about the data breach, but it provides no additional assistance to the plaintiff or Class Members and gives no information on any services it will provide, according to the class action lawsuit. 

Kunzelmann accuses Forefront Dermatology of negligence, negligence per se, breach of implied contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, negligent misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment. 

Plaintiff is requesting actual damages, punitive damages, treble damages, statutory damages, exemplary damages, equitable relief, restitution, disgorgement of profits, attorney’s fees, and statutory costs. Plaintiff also requests Forefront take steps to increase its network security and provide lifetime credit monitoring and identity theft repair services to themselves and all Class Members. 

A similar class action lawsuit was filed against T-Mobile this week after the telecommunications company was accused of failing to properly protect and secure the private information of more than 100 million of its customers. 

Was your private information, including medical history, exposed in the Forefront Dermatology data breach ? Let us know in the comments! 

The plaintiff is represented by Stephen R. Basser and Samuel M. Ward of Barrack, Rodos & Bacine, and John G. Emerson of Emerson Firm, PLLC. 

The Forefront Class Action Lawsuit is Kunzelmann v. Forefront Dermatology SC et al., Case No. 1:21-cv-980, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington.

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