Holding Professionals Accountable for Failing in Their Duty of Care
When you hire a professional—whether a solicitor, accountant, surveyor, architect, or financial advisor—you have the right to expect competent, careful service. These professionals owe you a duty of care, and when they fail to meet the required standards, causing you financial loss or other harm, you may have a professional negligence claim.
At Gary Matthews Solicitors, we specialize in professional negligence claims across all sectors. We understand the complexities of these cases and work with expert witnesses to prove that the professional failed to meet the expected standard of care.
Claims against solicitors for errors including missed deadlines, poor advice, mishandling of cases, or failure to progress legal matters properly.
Claims for incorrect tax advice, accounting errors, failure to identify financial problems, or negligent auditing leading to financial loss.
Claims for inaccurate property surveys, failure to identify structural defects, or incorrect valuations leading to overpayment.
Claims for design errors, planning failures, inadequate project management, or specifications that don't meet building standards.
Claims for structural design failures, inadequate inspections, or engineering errors causing property damage or safety issues.
Claims for failure to obtain appropriate insurance cover, inadequate advice on policy terms, or errors in policy arrangement.
To succeed in a professional negligence claim, we must establish:
We work with expert witnesses—leading professionals in the relevant field—who provide independent opinions on whether the standard of care was breached.
Professional negligence compensation aims to put you in the position you would have been in had the negligence not occurred. This may include:
When professional negligence occurs, you have a duty to take reasonable steps to minimize your losses. This means:
Contact us immediately if you suspect professional negligence to protect your position.
Standard Time Limit: You generally have 6 years from the date of the negligent act, or 3 years from the date you discovered (or should reasonably have discovered) the negligence, whichever is earlier.
Date of Knowledge: The limitation period may not begin until you knew or should have known about the negligence. This can be complex to determine.
Latent Damage: Special rules apply where damage was not immediately apparent.
Don't Delay: Even if you think you might be out of time, contact us. The rules are complex and we can advise on your specific situation.
We discuss your case and assess whether you have grounds for a professional negligence claim.
We collect all relevant documents, correspondence, and records relating to the professional service.
We instruct an independent expert in the relevant professional field to assess the standard of care.
We send a detailed letter of claim to the negligent professional outlining the breach and losses.
We negotiate with the professional's insurer to secure appropriate compensation.
If necessary, we issue court proceedings and represent you through to trial if needed.
If a professional's advice or service has caused you financial loss, and you believe they failed to meet expected standards, you may have a claim. Contact us for a free assessment.
Professional negligence claims are handled by the professional's insurance company. However, the working relationship typically ends when a claim is made. We can advise on alternatives if maintaining the relationship is important.
These claims typically take 18-36 months to resolve, depending on complexity. Some settle through negotiation within 12 months, while complex cases requiring court proceedings take longer.
Most professionals are required to carry professional indemnity insurance. Even if they've ceased practicing, their insurer should still cover historical claims. We can help identify and pursue the correct insurer.
If you've suffered loss due to poor professional advice or service, contact us today for a free consultation.