Causes Of Negligence Claims Against Solicitors

By Author: Ron Hogan
Total Articles: 2
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There are about 17,000 complaints issued against solicitors via the Legal Complaints Service every year, and this number has risen by 14 percent in the last three years. When you feel that you have been badly served by a solicitor, there is a procedure that you can follow in order to seek compensation. Common complaints include about unexpected or unexpectedly high bills and failure of solicitors to follow client instructions, but the most serious claims tend to involve professional negligence.

There are a few ways in which negligence disputes can occur. The most common dispute involves solicitors failing to meet strict court deadlines or limitation dates on bringing claims to court, especially in personal injury claims cases. Negligence of this sort can mean big losses for the client, and they can legally seek to be suitably recompensed for this.

Other main causes of negligence complaints involve the solicitor making a mistake as to which type of claim you should make, failure to attend court hearings, neglecting to give evidence that is vital to your case and a lack of expertise in the type of case you are pursuing.

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... are also quite a few complaints arising from wills and deeds. Solicitors have a dual responsibility in these cases, both to their client, and to any potential beneficiaries. The most common complaints involve the solicitor’s failure to spot drafting or clerical errors which result in the will becoming partially or fully void, failure to ensure that the will is fully prepared before the will maker dies, and neglecting to make sure that the will is signed and witnessed properly.

Negligence claims are also common in the field of employment law. The most common types of negligence claim in this area concern insufficient preparation for employment contract disputes, a lack of protocol observation with regards to email communication, as well as failing to impose the appropriate employment contracts. If it can be proven that any negligence resulted in a loss of money for the client, then they can issue a claim for professional negligence and seek to be compensated for their loss.

The final area of law in which complaints are routinely brought against lawyers pertains to mergers and acquisitions. This includes asset and share acquisitions, and management buy outs.
Sarah Parker is a retired legal advisor who recommends seeking professional guidance from conveying negligence claims specialists Dewar Hogan for the latest advice regarding  solicitors professional negligence