Professional negligence occurs when a professional fails to provide a service meeting the standard expected in their field, and this failure causes you a loss.
Professional Negligence Law in Woking
When you hire a professional like a solicitor, financial adviser, architect, accountant or surveyor you trust them to do their job. If they mess up it can be really bad: you might lose money a deal might fall through your business could be. You might miss out on something important.
Our professional negligence solicitors in Woking help people who have lost out because a professional did not do their job well as they should have.
What is professional negligence?
Professional negligence happens when a professional does not meet the standards that are expected of someone in their field and this causes you a problem. It is not enough that they just made a mistake. The mistake has to have caused you harm. Our team checks both of these things carefully before we decide if you have a good case.
The kinds of professionals we make claims against are:
- Solicitors and barristers. When they miss deadlines give advice or make mistakes with paperwork
- Financial advisers and IFAs. When they give bad investment advice sell you something that is not right for you or do not tell you about something that might affect their advice
- Surveyors and valuers. When they do a bad job of checking out a property value it wrongly or miss something important
- Accountants. When they give tax advice mess up an audit or make mistakes with financial reports
- Architects and engineers. When they design something badly make planning mistakes or mess up managing a project
So how does it all work?
When we make a claim, for negligence we follow a set of rules that are meant to help resolve things quickly. We start by looking at all your papers and letters and we might get an independent expert to give us their opinion. Then we send a letter that sets out what we think has happened. Often this is enough to resolve the claim through talking things through or mediation. If not we are ready to take it to court.
FAQs
What types of professionals can be held liable for negligence?
Many professionals can be held liable, including solicitors, accountants, financial advisors, surveyors, architects, engineers, doctors, dentists, and vets.
What kind of losses can I claim for?
You can typically claim for financial losses, property damage, or personal injury directly caused by the professional's negligence.
How long do I have to make a professional negligence claim?
Generally, you have six years from the date you suffered the loss, or three years from when you became aware (or should reasonably have become aware) of the negligence and the resulting loss.
What is the process for making a claim?
The process typically involves assessing the validity of your claim, notifying the professional, gathering evidence, sending a Letter Before Action, attempting to negotiate a settlement, and potentially going to court if necessary.
Do I need a solicitor to make a professional negligence claim?
While not mandatory, professional negligence law is complex. A solicitor can significantly increase your chances of success and ensure you receive fair compensation.
How much compensation could I receive?
Compensation aims to put you back in the position you were in before the negligence occurred. The amount depends on the extent of your losses.
What are the costs involved in making a claim?
Many solicitors offer conditional fee agreements (no win, no fee) or work on a damages-based agreement, making claims more accessible.
Can professional negligence claims be resolved without going to court?
Yes, many professional negligence disputes are resolved through alternative dispute resolution methods like mediation or negotiation, avoiding the need for litigation.
What is the difference between professional negligence and clinical negligence?
Clinical negligence is a specific type of professional negligence involving healthcare professionals. While all clinical negligence is professional negligence, not all professional negligence involves clinical care.