Dittman, B. v. UPMC

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA WESTERN DISTRICT BARBARA A. DITTMAN, GARY R. : No. 149 WAL 2017 DOUGLAS, ALICE PASTIRIK, JOANN : DECOLATI, TINA SORRENTINO, : KRISTEN CUSHMAN AND SHANNON : Petition for Allowance of Appeal from MOLYNEAUX, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON : the Order of the Superior Court BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY : SITUATED, : : Petitioners : : : v. : : : UPMC D/B/A THE UNIVERSITY OF : PITTSBURGH MEDICAL CENTER, AND : UPMC MCKEESPORT, : : Respondents : ORDER PER CURIAM AND NOW, this 12th day of September, 2017, the Petition for Allowance of Appeal is GRANTED. The issues, as stated by Petitioners are: a. Does an employer have a legal duty to use reasonable care to safeguard sensitive personal information of its employees when the employer chooses to store such information on an internet accessible computer system? b. Does the economic loss doctrine permit recovery for purely pecuniary damages which result from the breach of an independent legal duty arising under common law, as opposed to the breach of a contractual duty?