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Technology is taking over all aspects of day-to-day living. While that is a good thing, technology can be used by malicious people to cause harm to others.
There is a general assumption that cyber-attacks can only lead to compromised financial information or other forms of data breaches online.
However, with technology being used in the medical field, food processing, the automotive industry, and other sensitive aspects of everyday life, it is only a matter of time until cyber accidents become a significant cause of accidents that could lead to severe injuries.
If such injuries result in lost wages, you could need a lawyer to fight for your damages.
Example Cases of Cyber-Attacks with Potentially Deadly Outcomes
Autonomous Cars
Autonomous cars are relatively low on cyber attackers’ hit list.
However, it could be a matter of time until they start paying interest. In 2015, two ethical hackers, Charlie Miller and Skanda Vivek gained access to a 2014 Jeep Cherokee remotely, which they then proceeded to commandeer.
In 2017 and 2019, a group of ethical hackers from Keen Security Lab gained access to several Tesla model’s computer systems and installed harmful lines of code in a Lexus NX300. Sadly, these are not the only examples of hackers accessing vehicles’ computer systems.
If such hacks are performed with malicious intent, the outcomes can be catastrophic, and the vehicle companies could be held liable for damages.
Florida Water Treatment Plant and Dusseldorf Hospital Cyber Attacks
In February of 2021, hackers gained access to a Florida water treatment plant and altered the concentration of lye, a purifying agent, to toxic levels that could have resulted in devastating consequences. Luckily the plant contained the situation before it could cause damage.
Hospitals, too, are not safe. In 2020, a hacker in Germany infiltrated a Dusseldorf hospital’s system, resulting in one patient’s death due to delayed treatment.
You May Need a Personal Injury Lawyer
The examples highlighted above are only a few ways you could suffer injuries from cyber-attacks. Personal injuries resulting from cyber-attacks may not be common, making them pretty complicated because there isn’t much in terms of precedence to refer to.
Also, the evidence required to prove such a case may not be easily accessible. Luckily, if you have a skilled lawyer working on your case, they can access expert witnesses through their networks to help you gather and break down the evidence needed to prove your case.
If you have suffered cyber-attack-related injuries or illnesses, head over to this website to learn more about pursuing compensation.
Recovering Lost Wages
Liability for cyber-attack-related injuries depends on who has the duty of care. For example, an automaker owes a duty of care to car buyers. If a problem with the car’s system results in an accident that is out of the driver’s control, the automaker should be liable for the resulting damages.
If such injuries cause you to miss work, it could mean lost wages, which fall under economic damages and are recoverable from the liable party.
Calculating Lost Wages
Hourly Wage
Calculating lost wages after an accident if you earn an hourly wage is pretty straightforward.
You only have to calculate the hours missed from work multiplied by wage per hour if you are paid an hourly rate.
Annual Salary
If you are paid an annual salary, you will need to divide your yearly salary by the total weekday work hours in a year which is a total of 2080 hours, to get pay per hour, and then multiply the figure by hours missed.
Self Employed
If you are self-employed, for example, a freelancer, you will need to provide documentation showing proof of your average income per day, which you can then use to determine lost income based on the time you were out of work.
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