6 Mar 2015
Optical Express Face Legal Claims
High Street optician Optical Express is facing backlash and potential legal claims after it sent out a number of spam text messages to members of the public.
Thousands of complaints were lodged against the company, who appeared to offer laser eye surgery as a prize in a competition last month. Typical messages read: ‘OPTICAL EXPRESS: Are you the September Laser Eye Surgery winner? Reply YES to enter our free prize draw. Prize worth up to £5,390.’
The firm has since been warned by the privacy watchdog, the Information Commissioner, not to send out any more messages or it could face criminal prosecution.
Andy Curry, Enforcement Group Manager at the ICO said: ‘Thousands of people who had not signed up for marketing services received these nuisance messages.
‘We have issued this enforcement notice as a warning to the company that using people’s data without their consent is not acceptable. Any breach of the notice would be a criminal offence.’
Optical Express said it would appeal the ruling.
While you may take every precaution to ensure your optician’s practise is run in a professional and diligent manner, there is always a chance that a patient or member of the public could become dissatisfied and make a claim against you, leading to costly legal bills and compensation payments.
Independent opticians are particularly vulnerable to the huge financial consequences that come with a claim, and can struggle to pay out compensation and expensive legal fees, so insurance is a must.
What kind of insurance do I need?
As an optician you are required by law to have Public Liability Insurance, and practising without Professional Indemnity Insurance is also regarded as a serious matter. Anyone looking to safeguard their business against claims of dissatisfaction or professional negligence, such as those in the case of Optical Express, should arrange cover with the right insurer.
In the unfortunate event that a claim is made against you, Infocus Opticians Insurance will provide you with complete peace of mind. With decades of experience behind us, we have developed specialist knowledge of the eyecare industry meaning your practise will be in good hands.
Get in touch today to discuss your options.