Negligence claims against law firms halve

Research now suggests that most claims against solicitors in the past 12 months have come from women disappointed with divorce settlements or have come about because of disputes arising from no win no fee professional negligence solicitors’ agreements.  Even where firms are acting for clients on a no win no fee basis, and those firms are not paid anything for their work, the same duty of care is owed to clients.

Why has there been a decline in claims?

Is it possible that legal professionals and other professionals have improved their standards meaning that fewer claims are bring brought against them? 

This seems very unlikely as Judith Thompson, partner at Samuels Solicitors, suggests that more cases may be settling at an early stage, and therefore the claims are not being dealt with by the Courts.

Judith adds, “The changes to no win no fee arrangements, and the huge increases in Court fees in recent years have undoubtedly put people off issuing claims in Court.

“In some cases, this could mean claimants who might otherwise have taken a matter to trial, have settled their claims for less than they would have received at trial.  This is not necessarily a good thing for access to justice.”

What is certain is that solicitors, surveyors, accountants and other professionals will continue to make mistakes. It is important that solicitors who deal with professional negligence cases find new ways of assisting the client to ensure they have access to justice, wherever possible.

Samuels Solicitors, based in North Devon, have a range of flexible funding options, including conditional (no win no fee) arrangements and we will always try to find the right fee arrangement for our clients.

If you believe that you have a negligence claim against a solicitor, or any other professional, contact us today for a free no obligation discussion about your case.