Workers comp claimants' medical information released by former employee of Berkshire unit

The personal medical information of Oak River Insurance claimants who received spinal surgeries, urinalysis testing and other medical services in California between 2004 and 2011 was released by a for

Oak River Insurance Co., a unit of Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group, recently announced that a former employee released personal medical information belonging to about 2,700 workers compensation claimants.

The insurer said the information belonged to claimants who received spinal surgeries, urinalysis testing and other medical services in California between 2004 and 2011.

In some cases, Social Security numbers and health information also were released.

But the insurer said in a statement released Nov. 21 that it does not believe that access to the Social Security numbers or other identifying information was the goal of the disclosure.

The insurer also said it notified individuals whose information was released, although it could not locate all of them.