If a Former Partner Violated your HIPAA Rights, Contact Our Ex-Girlfriends and Ex-Boyfriends Health Record Privacy Lawyer
Breakups are painful enough without the added betrayal of having your private medical information exposed by someone you once trusted. When ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends access or share your health records without permission, they are not just breaking your trust but also the law. Health record privacy violations by former romantic partners happen more often than most people think, and the consequences for victims can be severe. According to the HHS Office for Civil Rights, impermissible uses and disclosures of protected health information remain the most frequently reported HIPAA complaint category. While HIPAA covers healthcare entities, Minnesota state law extends protections even further, including situations where ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends improperly obtain or share your medical information. If this sounds like something you may be going through, contact an ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends health record privacy lawyer in Minnesota for help.
Here at Kuhlman Law, we help people whose health record privacy have been violated by ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends. Attorney Christopher Kuhlman understands the emotional toll these violations take and is dedicated to pursuing justice on behalf of victims. If a former partner has accessed, shared, or misused your private medical information, you may have a valid legal claim. We offer free consultations so you can learn about your options at no cost. Call today to protect your rights and to begin your case.
How Ex-Girlfriends and Ex-Boyfriends Get Access to Health Records
Romantic relationships often involve sharing personal information, including health insurance details, patient portal passwords, and medical histories. Even though these things may have been shared voluntarily during the relationship, that does not mean your ex has the right to use that information after the relationship ends. Ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends might retain old login credentials, remembered passwords, or even screenshots of health information that was once shared in confidence.
In other cases, a former partner might have a connection to someone who works in a medical office, hospital, or clinic. They could ask that person to look up your records, which is a serious violation of both professional ethics and Minnesota law. Some ex-partners may also impersonate you or claim to be an authorized representative to obtain records from a healthcare provider.
How Ex-Girlfriends and Ex-Boyfriends Use Your Health Records to Cause Harm
Former romantic partners who access your health records often do so with a specific goal in mind. Unlike ex-spouses who may use health records in formal legal proceedings, ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends tend to weaponize this information in more personal and social ways. A common tactic is sharing your private medical details in group chats, social media posts, or conversations with mutual friends to humiliate you after a bad breakup. If you were treated for a sexually transmitted infection, sought counseling for depression or anxiety, or had any kind of sensitive medical procedure, that information becomes a tool for public shaming.
Some ex-partners use health record information as part of a pattern of stalking or controlling behavior. They might reference details from your medical appointments to let you know they are monitoring you, or they might threaten to reveal your health conditions to your employer, your new partner, or your family if you do not do what they want. This type of coercion is not only illegal under the Minnesota law, but may also constitute harassment or stalking under Minnesota criminal law. Others use your health records to interfere with new relationships by disclosing your medical history to someone you are dating, which can cause devastating personal consequences.
Common Reasons Former Partners Misuse Health Records
When ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends violate your health record privacy, it usually comes down to one of several motivations, including the following:
- Seeking to embarrass or shame you by revealing mental health treatment, sexually transmitted infection testing, or other sensitive medical details
- Attempting to control or intimidate you by demonstrating they can access your private information
- Improperly sharing your health information with mutual friends, family members, or on social media to damage your reputation
- Using your medical information in legal proceedings, such as custody disputes or restraining order hearings
- Engaging in stalking or harassment behavior by monitoring your medical appointments or pharmacy activity
- Trying to “get back” at you or make you miserable, especially if you had cut off the relationship
- Sabotaging your life including your job, relationships with friends and family, or preventing your from getting into new relationships, and
- Other conduct that barred by civil law or could constitute criminal offenses under Minnesota law, which our ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends health record privacy lawyer could handle for you.
HIPAA Does Not Let You Sue, but the MHRA Does
You may be wondering whether HIPAA protects you in this situation. HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a federal law that sets national standards for protecting patient health information, but it is enforced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, not by individual patients through private lawsuits. That means HIPAA does not give you a private right of action. You cannot personally sue your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend under HIPAA, even if your records were clearly misused. The National Institutes of Health confirms that the Privacy Rule does not provide for a private right of action by patients.
However, the Minnesota Health Records Act (MHRA), codified in Minnesota Statutes sections 144.291 to 144.298, is a state law that protects the privacy of health records and gives patients the right to sue for compensatory damages, costs, and reasonable attorney fees when their records are improperly accessed or released. The MHRA is the legal tool that allows Minnesota residents to take direct legal action when their health record privacy has been violated by ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends. If you have been a victim of a health records violation, call Health Record Privacy Lawyer Christopher Kuhlman.
What Counts as a Violation Under the MHRA?
Under the MHRA, it is illegal for any person who receives health records from a provider to release those records without the patient’s signed and dated consent. If your ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend obtained your health records through a healthcare provider and shared them without your permission, that may be a clear violation. The same is true if someone obtained your records under false pretenses, forged your signature on a consent form, or intentionally accessed a health information system without authorization.
Importantly, if you are unsure if you have been the victim of a health record privacy violation, please contact attorney Chris Kuhlman for a free case evaluation. He and his compassionate legal team can review what happened and the applicable law to protect your rights.
Records Obtained Through Healthcare Workers – An Extreme Violation in Minnesota
A particularly troubling scenario arises when an ex-partner knows someone who works in a healthcare setting. If a healthcare worker looks up your records at the request of your former partner, both the worker and the person who asked for the information could potentially be held liable. The MHRA imposes liability on any person who negligently or intentionally requests or releases a health record in violation of the statute. This is a classic scenario where liability under MHRA would allow for a victim to be entitled to compensation.
Damages You May Be Entitled To Under Minnesota Health Record Privacy Laws
Under Minnesota Statute 144.298, if your ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend violated the MHRA, you may be entitled to compensatory damages for the harm caused. This can include emotional distress, damage to your personal and professional reputation, anxiety, depression, relationship harm, and other real consequences that resulted from the privacy violation. In addition, the MHRA allows for recovery of costs and reasonable attorney fees, which helps level the playing field for victims who might otherwise be unable to afford legal representation.
What You Should Do If Your Ex Violated Your Privacy in Minnesota?
If you believe your ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend has accessed or shared your health records without permission, take these steps. Secure your health information by changing passwords, revoking any authorizations, and contacting your healthcare providers. Document everything, including any messages, posts, or communications that reference your private health information. Then, contact a Minnesota MHRA attorney like Christopher Kuhlman who can review your situation and help you understand your legal options.
Call Our Ex-Girlfriends and Ex-Boyfriends Health Record Privacy Lawyer Who Will Fight for You
At Kuhlman Law, attorney Christopher Kuhlman is here to help victims of health record privacy violations by ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends. We take these cases seriously because we understand how deeply personal your health information is and how harmful it can be when it falls into the wrong hands. Our law firm offers free consultations so you can explore your legal options without any financial obligation.
Under Minnesota law, you may be entitled to compensatory damages, reasonable attorney fees, and costs as part of a judgment or settlement. You deserve to have your privacy respected and protected. Contact Kuhlman Law today to take the first step toward holding your ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend accountable for violating your health record privacy under the MHRA. Our ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends health record privacy lawyer in Minnesota offers free consultations and case evaluations, meaning there are no out-of-pocket expenses to learn more about your rights.