Your Professional Negligence Claim - How A Lawyer Can Help You Sue Another Lawyer

There may be a time in your life when you are confronted with a breach in the law by a professional or a disagreement that cannot be settled amicably. If so, you are likely to find yourself surrounded by a highly charged and emotional atmosphere.

Quite correctly, you contact a solicitor whom you trusted to bring justice or to claim compensation. However you feel that you have been given incorrect advice and poor service. You could be able to claim professional negligence against the solicitor which was dealing with your case.

The term 'professional negligence' is used when a professional, such as an accountant, architect, barrister, estate agent, insurance broker or surveyor, gives a client incorrect service or advice that leads to financial loss or damage. These errors need to be proved and usually an independent professional and a governing institution or association will be involved.

Should this incorrect advice or poor service have led to the client suffering any damage or loss, they may be entitled to make a claim against the professional for professional negligence. You will however be prevented from making a professional negligence claim if you just feel unsatisfied with the service received but you haven't actually suffered any loss.

So what happens if the solicitor acts incorrectly too? Well, it is a common misconception that solicitors will protect each other and be unprepared to pursue a professional negligence claim against another solicitor. In fact there are many scenarios where this can, and has, occurred and with a successful outcome.

For example your solicitor may have missed a deadline meaning that you are no longer entitled to compensation. This, like any other improper legal transaction made on behalf of you by your solicitor may have meant you missing out on a large compensation. In another case you may have concerns about a negligently drafted Will meaning that perhaps a loved one's wishes are not being carried out.

There are numerous different types of cases of professional negligence that can be brought against a solicitor, for example purchase claims to commercial or civil disputes, property sales or divorce. It can even be a case of solicitor legal negligence arising out of professional negligence claims themselves.

If you do feel like you have received sub-standard treatment from a legal professional, then do seek legal services elsewhere, an experienced professional negligence solicitor will be able to advise you on the merits of your claim and help you get the compensation you deserve.