From time to time Individuals and businesses will depend on professionals to take good care of important transactions and matters on their behalf. At such times a reasonable standard of skill and care is the very least that can be expected.
Sometimes a professional will fall below that standard: usually by doing something that he/she should not have done or by not doing something he/she should have done.
When this happens, the individual or the business may suffer financial loss. If the effective or dominant cause of the loss is attributable to the negligent acts or omissions of the professional then you may have a claim.
It is doubly unfortunate if your professional adviser whether a solicitor or barrister; construction/engineering professional or a financial/tax adviser conducts your business negligently or accidentally. However, he or she is usually backed by indemnity insurers who will pay out on successful claims made against their insured professional.
In all cases, we at FJG will first explore ways to resolve the claim out of court by delivering focused support, practical guidance and effective representation in a fair but firm approach.
A professional liability claim is a complex and specialist area of law. Consequently, indemnity insurers sometimes use large law firms with considerable experience to try to defeat professional negligence claims. It is therefore essential that any claim you may make is carefully crafted and from the outset is handled by an experienced specialist solicitor with equivalent training, knowledge and experience.
Our approach to resolving disputes has seen considerable success.
We will thoroughly investigate your case and provide you with a realistic assessment of your claim. In the case of non-lawyer negligence we will usually obtain the services of an expert in the particular field. We will then advance the claim on your behalf to the professional and his insurers and will actively seek to negotiate a settlement of your claim without the need for court proceedings. If negotiations fail to settle the matter, we deliver a well structured and well conceived claim that will have the best opportunity of producing the best result for you or your business.
Fisher Jones Greenwood have two offices in the Colchester area and our out of town office offers free parking and easy access for clients from London and East Anglia.
PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE FUNDING - NO WIN NO FEE
One method of funding a professional negligence claim is under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), a scheme commonly referred to as "no win no fee". We will confirm at the outset whether your claim is suitable for a “no win no fee agreement.”
If we agree to take your professional negligence claim on a CFA you will only be required to pay our fees if the claim is successful.
If you lose your professional negligence claim then you will not have to pay any fees to us, though you do remain responsible for any expenses incurred such as court fees. We can also arrange for after the event insurance cover to protect you from the other side's costs if you lose.
We deal with clients both nationally and internationally and are regularly instructed by London based clients. If you would like more information please call James Burkett on 01206 835242 or you can email him at professionalnegligence@fjg.co.uk.
