Bringing a Professional Negligence Claim: What You Need to Know

As a client of a professional, such as a solicitor, accountant, or surveyor, you expect them to provide you with a certain level of service and expertise. When they fail to meet those expectations, it can lead to serious consequences, including financial loss. If you’ve been let down by a professional in this way, you may be able to bring a professional negligence claim against them.

What is Professional Negligence?

Professional negligence is a term used to describe the situation where a professional fails to provide the level of service and expertise that would be expected of them. This can arise in a wide range of scenarios, including:

• A solicitor who gives incorrect legal advice.
• An accountant who makes errors in your tax returns.
• A surveyor who fails to identify defects in a property.

In each of these cases, the professional has failed to meet the standards of their profession, which has caused harm to their client.

How to Bring a Professional Negligence Claim

If you believe that a professional you have instructed to carry out a service has been negligent, you may be able to bring a claim against the professional in question. In order to do so, you will need to show that:

• The professional owed you a duty of care.
• They breached that duty of care by failing to provide the level of service and expertise that would be expected of them.
• You suffered harm as a result of their breach of duty.

If you decide to instruct a solicitor who has experience in professional negligence matters they will be able to guide you through the process of bringing a claim, which typically involves the following steps:

• Initial Assessment: Your solicitor will review the details of your case and advise you on whether they think you have a good chance of success.
• Letter of Claim: If your solicitor believes that you have a strong case, they will send a letter of claim to the professional in question, setting out the details of your claim and the harm that you have suffered.
• Response: The professional will have a certain amount of time to respond to the letter of claim. They may admit liability and offer to settle your claim, or they may deny liability and contest the claim.
• Negotiation: If liability is admitted, your solicitor will work with you to negotiate a settlement that compensates you for the loss you have suffered.
• Proceedings: if liability is denied, then your solicitor will consider with you whether to bring a claim at court where a judge will hear the evidence and make a decision on whether the professional was negligent and, if so, how much compensation you should receive.

How We Can Help

Our experienced team of solicitors has a proven track record of successfully bringing professional negligence claims against a wide range of professionals. We will work with you to understand the specifics of your case and to provide you with clear, practical advice on your options.

Contact us today to find out how we can help you bring a professional negligence claim.