Turke & Strauss LLP, a leading data breach law firm, is investigating The Retina Group of Washington, PLLC (“RGW”) regarding its recent data breach. The RGW data breach involved sensitive personal identifiable information and protected health information belonging to over 450,000 individuals.
ABOUT THE RETINA GROUP OF WASHINGTON, PLLC:
RGW is an ophthalmology practice located in the greater Washington, D.C. area. Specializing in retina diseases and vitreoretinal surgery, RGW offers treatments and surgical procedures for a variety of retinal problems, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, macular diseases, retinal vascular diseases, ocular tumors, and ocular trauma.3 Additionally, clinical research has been a critical component of RGW since the practice opened in 1983. RGW has actively engaged in numerous national studies and has contributed to the publication of hundreds of scientific articles. Headquartered in Greenbelt, Maryland, RGW has 16 additional locations in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. and employs over 200 individuals.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Recently, RGW discovered that it had experienced a data breach in which sensitive personal identifiable information and protected health information in its systems may have been accessed and acquired. Through its investigation, RGW determined that an unauthorized actor may have accessed and acquired this sensitive information on March 26, 2023. On December 22, 2023, RGW began notifying individuals whose information may have been impacted. The type of information potentially exposed includes:
- Name
- Social Security number
- Date of birth
- Driver’s license or other government-issued ID number
- Address
- Contact information (e.g., phone number and email address)
- Medical record number
- Date of service
- Demographic information
- Health information
- Payment information
- Insurance information
If you have received a breach notification letter from The Retina Group of Washington, PLLC:
We would like to speak with you about your rights and potential legal remedies in response to this data breach. Please fill out the form, below, or contact us at (608) 237-1775 or sam@turkestrauss.com.
If you were impacted by the RGW data breach, you may consider taking the following steps to protect your personal information.
- Carefully review the breach notice and retain a copy;
- Enroll in any free credit monitoring services provided by The Retina Group of Washington, PLLC:
- Change passwords and security questions for online accounts;
- Regularly review account statements for signs of fraud or unauthorized activity;
- Monitor credit reports for signs of identity theft; and
- Contact a credit bureau(s) to request a temporary fraud alert.