Bad Advice from Solicitor

What should you do if you have received bad legal advice?

When you entrust your legal matter to a firm of solicitors who market themselves as having the appropriate qualifications, training, and experience, you have every right to expect to receive a service that meets and exceeds their duty of care as a legal professional.

Unfortunately, there are times when a solicitor falls below the expected standards of their profession, causing you unnecessary stress, finances losses or a lost opportunity. If this has happened to you, you may have a strong case for solicitor negligence.

We have a proven record of securing compensation for those who have been on the receiving end of bad legal advice and we stand ready to help you.

What is bad legal advice?

A solicitor has a duty of care to act in your best interests. If your solicitor gives you incorrect advice or fails to do something that a competent solicitor would have done, this can be considered bad legal advice.

If you have received bad legal advice, there is a good chance that it could turn out to be solicitor negligence. However, receiving a bad service is not enough to amount to legal negligence. To be classed as professionally negligent, you need to have suffered from financial loss, too.

Who is liable for solicitor negligence?

A solicitor owes a duty of care to act in their client’s interests. If your solicitor gives incorrect advice or fails to do something, which any reasonably competent solicitor would have done, then you may be able to make a claim for negligence, if you can establish that you have lost something of value.

There are many different situations whereby a solicitor may have given you bad legal advice, which adversely affected your legal case. This could be things like failing to comply with an Order of the Court, not investigating evidence, making a procedural error or missing an important deadline to name a few instances.

There are many areas of legal practice, which are most vulnerable to bad legal advice claims including:

• Property solicitors
• Business solicitors
• Family law solicitors
• Employment solicitors
• Will and probate solicitors
• Medical negligence solicitors
• Personal injury solicitors

How do I know if I received bad legal advice or negligent treatment?

If you have received bad legal advice, it is only right that you want to bring a claim, to bring the negligent solicitor to justice. After all, when you trust a solicitor to handle your claim, you expect them to be reasonably competent and do a good job. When the standard you receive far below what’s expected, it’s normal to feel frustrated, upset and even angry at how things have turned out.

If you believe that your solicitor has breached their duty of care towards you, you may have a case against them.

In the UK, the legal profession is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). As an independent body, the SRA is responsible for maintaining standards in the legal profession. As such, their Code of Conduct provides helpful guidance as to whether you have received bad legal advice that is capable of being negligence, or if you have simply received bad service.

What do I do if I think I have received bad legal advice?

If you are not sure whether you have a case, the first step is getting in touch with us. As experts in professional negligence, we will listen to your situation and advise on whether we think that you could bring a claim for bad legal advice. This initial consultation is completely free of charge.

How do I fund a claim for bad legal advice?

Legal costs are always a concern for prospective clients, and understandably more so if you have been let down by your previous solicitor.

One of our primary objectives is to provide you with peace of mind regarding legal costs. Based on the facts of your case, we will quickly determine the likelihood that you have a case for compensation. If we think you do, we are usually able to offer our services on a ‘No Win No Fee‘ basis, also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). In doing so, we will agree a success fee, which is a percentage of the award that you receive. We will always agree this with you before we begin the claim.

If your claim is not successful, we simply will not charge you legal fees.

If you lose your case, you may be liable to pay the defendant’s legal fees. If we think you are at risk of losing your case, we will advise you to take out After the Event insurance. This then acts as a safety net to protect you in the event that you are unsuccessful – because we understand how important it is that you do not suffer any financial loss than you already have.

Are there any time limits for bringing a case for bad legal advice?

There are time limits, which apply to solicitor’s negligence claims; the general rule is six years, from the date of the negligence act or omission, or three years from when you became aware of the negligence. The rules regarding time limitations can be complex, so it is recommended that you seek legal advice if you are unsure.

We will assess the time limits based on the facts of your case. If you wish to know more, please get in touch today by phone on 0800 234 3234, requesting a call back or using our online contact form.

Why choose Been Let Down to claim for bad legal advice?

As experts in professional negligence claims, we have a proven track record when it comes to delivering justice to victims who have received bad legal advice. Offering the very best representation and a friendly, professional service, we are SRA-accredited and have years of experience in bringing successful claims for people in situations like yours.

As a firm with a diverse, multi-disciplinary team, we have spent years dealing with all different types of claims, from personal injury to family – so we will be able to fight your corner in virtually every sector.

If you think that you might have a claim, the first step is to get in touch using our online form or call us on 0800 234 3234. One of our experts will be happy to hear about the bad legal advice you have received with no obligation for you to go ahead with making a claim. During your initial free consultation, we will advise you on whether we think you have a case for bad legal advice and what to do next if you do.

Contact us today if you have Been Let Down

Get in touch today and find out how we can help win you compensation for bad legal advice.

Please call us on 0800 234 3234 or contact us using our online claims form and a member of our legal team will call you back at a time that suits you.