A solicitor owes you a duty of care to act in your best interests.

Their service to you must be professional and you expect them to achieve the best possible outcome for you but all too often we are being told that what you receive falls short of your expectations and you may be entitled to make a claim against your solicitor for breaching their duty of care to you.

These sorts of claims are based upon solicitor negligence due to them doing something wrong, doing something badly or failing to do what they were meant to do at all. The result can be that your claim has been struck out by the Court, that you lose your case at trial, and/or that you have been ordered to pay costs to the other side (sometimes referred to as a Party’s costs order, wasted costs or adverse costs).

In the worst cases we have encountered you may have been found fundamentally dishonest, or face an allegation that your claim is fundamentally dishonest or even fraudulent. (link to that section).

Examples of the sort of failings we have come across from negligent solicitors include:

• Issuing proceedings without seeking your authority to do so.
• Failing to advise or otherwise make you aware of allegations made in formal correspondence or within key Court documents such as the Defence.
• Failures to comply with Court orders.
• Missing key dates/deadlines including limitation.
• Causing your claim to be struck out.
• Making mistakes.
• Ignoring key evidence.
• Failing to obtain evidence from independent witnesses.
• Failing to include claims for all of your losses or those of your insurers.
• Settling your claim for less compensation than it is actually worth.
• Failing to advise on offers to settle or to discontinue your claim.

Negligent solicitors can cost you a substantial amount of time and money as well as creating problems that can lead to serious consequences if you do not address them.

However, it is important to point out that there is a difference between professional negligence for which you may be entitled to compensation and inadequate service, so the best option is to get in touch with our free very simple no obligation contact form and let us see if we can help you today. (link)