Righting the wrongs

Enlisting the help of a professional in any area of your life involves a lot of trust and confidence. The required services are often costly and time sensitive, and because it involves dealing with a professional, we rarely consider what may happen if things don’t go to plan. 

If a professional has not acted in your best interests which, as a result, has caused you harm, suffering or loss, you may be entitled to make a claim against them. Contact our dedicated team of professional negligence solicitors today. 

Who can I make a claim against?

We need professional assistance across many different areas of our lives and any of these run the risk of going wrong. Whether it be a mistake, wrong professional advice, an administrative error or straightforward unprofessionalism, we can help you make a claim against any of the following: 
 

  • Financial professionals, including accountants, financial advisors, insurance brokers and mortgage advisors
  • Property professionals, including architects, builders, engineers, valuers and surveyors 
  • Legal professionals, including barristers, solicitors and conveyancers 
  • Trade unions or associations

How we can help you

From poor legal advice to mis-sold or inadequately explained financial advice, we can help you to rectify situations where you have been left to pick up the pieces after receiving professional care which is deemed to be lacking.  

We have a specialist team of professional negligence solicitors who help clients pursue claims every day. To find out more, visit our dedicated professional negligence website

We understand that receiving compensation when things go wrong is only the beginning. We are committed to going above and beyond, supporting you through the process to make things right again. As well as this, our aim is to help you to prevent such issues from affecting others in the future. 

Don’t just take our word for it...

The success of our professional negligence team is backed by The Legal 500 recognition, which is an independent guide to law firms in the UK. It notes that we have handled a broad spectrum of professional negligence claims, adding:

‘Outstanding litigatorAlison Neate heads the professional negligence unit at Smith Partnership, which deals exclusively in claimant professional liability against financial advisors, accountants, solicitors and real estate developers.

In the Smith Partnership we found their technical abilities and reporting to be excellent. The case was a difficult case and one we felt may lose but they managed to negotiate an excellent compensation award for the clients, all of whom were elderly and needed extra care.

The Professional Negligence team at The Smith Partnership are absolutely first class. Their levels of client care, awareness of the needs of the clients and ability to solve even the most complicated of legal problems is fabulous.

Alison Neate heads up a brilliant team of legal professionals. Her dedication and commitment to clients is outstanding. Alison will always do her utmost to ensure that her clients achieve the very best in every situation. 

The Legal 500, 2023

Why Choose Smith Partnership?

As a firm, we pride ourselves in providing a service that is straightforward and practical. We ensure that any advice we offer is clear and free of any legal jargon so that you are fully aware of your position and options at every stage. We understand how important this is in claims of this kind which is why our solicitors are responsive and can promptly answer any questions or concerns you may have. 

With offices based in Derby, Burton Upon Trent, Swadlincote, Leicester and Stoke on Trent, our teams are accessible and always on hand to assist you in any way they can. Additionally, we take on professional negligence claims on a no win, no fee basis, meaning if your case is unsuccessful, you will not have to pay any of our fees. 

Drawing from our years of experience in the specialist area of professional negligence, we are able to tailor strategic approaches to suit your individual circumstances. No matter what these may be, we ensure that your legal rights are protected at all times. 

Contact our team today

To find out how our expert team of solicitors can help you, contact us today on 0330 123 1229, send us an email via info@smithpartnership.co.uk or complete our contact form.

FAQs

Negligence is a breach of duty of care which a person or business may owe to you. Negligence can give rise to a claim for damages provided losses have been caused by the negligence. It is often also possible to sue a professional for breach of contract.

A professional in the broadest sense is a person who holds themselves as having specialist, expert knowledge in a particular field.

‘Buyer beware’ is the maxim which applies when buying a property, but if you have engaged a surveyor to inspect a property and report upon it for you then, depending upon on the nature of the defect(s) and the type of survey which you obtained, you may be entitled to redress against the surveyor. It is much less common for there to be redress against the seller, unless they have deliberately concealed or otherwise misled you about the condition of the property.

Architects, like other professionals, are accountable to their client when they have been negligent in carrying out their services or have acted in breach of their contract with you. Claims against architects often involve an assessment of others who are part of a building project, e.g. structural engineer and building contractors. Therefore, using specialist lawyers can be important. Architects ought to have professional indemnity insurance in place to ensure that a successful claim will result in payment.

General household insurance does not usually cover claims for poor builders’ workmanship. If you have legal expense insurance as part of your household or other insurance policies, then you may be entitled to claim the costs of legal advice and representation to pursue a claim.

You may be able to do so. You will need to contact your insurer and inform them of your intention to make a claim. They will usually ask you to complete a claim form before they decide if you have cover for the claim. Often insurers insist that they appoint one of their panel lawyers to act for you. Some claimants understandably prefer to appoint their own legal representative. However, you are entitled to choose your own lawyer in certain circumstances. We can provide guidance to you.

Financial advice services are a complex and wide ranging area, from mortgages to investments to pensions. There is often also a choice of methods by which a claim can be resolved, e.g. through the courts or through an ombudsman scheme. Each has its own limitations. It is always best to obtain specialist legal advice if you are thinking of making a claim for bad financial advice.