Data Breach Summary
North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) has disclosed a significant privacy breach involving unlawful surveillance at its Sleep Disorders Center in Great Neck, New York. In a report submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NSUH indicated that the incident may have affected 13,332 individuals.
The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office has charged a former NSUH employee with criminal offenses related to unlawful surveillance. The individual is accused of secretly recording patients in the Sleep Disorders Center’s restrooms using a concealed camera.
Authorities say the former employee hid a recording device inside a fake smoke detector and attached it to restroom walls using Velcro. He allegedly removed the device at the end of each shift to retrieve the footage.
On April 23, 2024, North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) discovered evidence of employee misconduct and immediately reported the matter to the District Attorney’s Office. The employee, Sanjai Syamaprasad, is believed to have purchased a hidden recording device on August 2, 2022, although the exact number of times the device was used remains unknown.
Between July 2023 and April 2024, Syamaprasad, 47, allegedly recorded hundreds of individuals, including a child, while they used the bathrooms. He is said to have viewed some of the footage on his work computer before destroying the evidence by discarding the camera and a broken SD card at a CVS in Brooklyn. The camera was later recovered from a dumpster by a Nassau County Police detective. Syamaprasad now faces up to 4 years in prison if convicted and is scheduled to return to court on June 12, 2025.
Following law enforcement’s recommendation, the hospital withheld notification of affected patients until after a public indictment was issued.
Although NSUH does not have specific information regarding which individuals were recorded or the content of any footage, they notified all patients who visited the Sleep Disorders Center from August 2, 2022, through April 23, 2024, as a precaution.
In total, 13,332 individuals may have been impacted by the breach, according to the hospital’s report to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The potentially affected information includes names, sensitive personal images and videos.
If you received notification from North Shore University Hospital regarding this breach, we recommend:
Regularly monitoring your credit reports and financial accounts for suspicious activity
Placing fraud alerts or security freezes on your credit reports with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion
Taking advantage of the free identity monitoring services offered by North Shore University Hospital
Reporting any suspected identity theft to law enforcement, your state attorney general, or the Federal Trade Commission
Following the breach, North Shore University Hospital faces potential class-action lawsuits from patients alleging negligence in protecting personal data. Data breach lawsuits often claim companies failed to implement adequate security measures or delayed disclosure of breaches, thereby increasing victims’ risk of financial and identity theft damages.
Affected users may be entitled to compensation for costs related to identity monitoring, fraudulent transactions, lost time addressing the breach, and emotional distress.
If you were impacted by the North Shore University Hospital data breach, you may have the right to seek compensation for the potential harm caused. Class Action U is dedicated to helping data breach victims connect with skilled attorneys who specialize in this area of law and can guide you through the legal process.
Individuals whose personal information was exposed may have valid grounds to join a class action lawsuit, allowing them to pursue restitution.
If your data was compromised, you could be entitled to compensation for:
Loss of privacy
Time spent resolving the breach
Out-of-pocket expenses
Emotional distress
By pursuing a class action lawsuit, you not only have the opportunity to recover damages but also help hold North Shore University Hospital accountable, potentially prompting them to strengthen their security measures. Reach out to Class Action U today to find out if you qualify for a data breach class action and learn more about the compensation you may be entitled to.
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