How to Sue Your Attorney for Malpractice

To pursue an attorney's negligence, you must to show that the breach of duty had negative legal, financial or other repercussions for you. You must prove an immediate connection between the attorney's negligence and the negative results.

Legal malpractice does not include matters of strategy. However, if you lose a lawsuit because your lawyer did not file the lawsuit in time it could be a case of an act of malpractice.

Inappropriate use of funds

One of the most prevalent types of legal malpractice involves the misuse of funds by a lawyer. Attorneys are bound by a fiduciary obligation to their clients, and must act with integrity and fidelity when handling money or malpractice lawsuit other assets that the client has given them.

When a client pays their retainer and the lawyer is required by law to keep that money in a separate escrow fund that is only intended for the specific case. If the lawyer co-mingles the escrow account with their personal funds or utilizes it for any other purpose it is a clear breach of fiduciary duty, and could constitute legal misconduct.

As an example, suppose that a client hires an attorney to represent them in the case of a driver who hit them while they were walking across the street. The client can prove the driver's negligence and that the collision caused the injuries they sustained. Their lawyer, however, misses the statute and is not able to file the case in time. The lawsuit is dismissed and the person who was injured is liable for financial loss as a result of the lawyer's error.

A statute of limitation limits the time it takes to bring a lawsuit against a lawyer for malpractice. This can be difficult to determine when an injury or loss was caused by the attorney's negligence. A New York attorney who is skilled in malpractice law can explain the statute of limitations and assist you in determining whether you have a case which is suitable for a lawsuit.

Failure to Follow the Rules of Professional Conduct

Legal malpractice occurs when a lawyer does not adhere to the generally accepted standards of professional practice and causes harm to the client. It is a requirement of the four elements of the most common torts: an attorney-client relationship the breach of a duty and proximate cause.

A few examples of malpractice include the lawyer combining their personal and trust funds, not submitting claims in time to file suit within the statutes of limitations, taking cases in which they're not competent, failing to perform an effective conflict check, and not keeping up to the current court proceedings or any recent developments in law that could impact the case. Lawyers have a responsibility to communicate with their clients in a reasonable way. This isn't just limited to email and faxing and also includes returning telephone calls in a timely manner.

Attorneys are also able to commit fraud. This can be done in various ways, including lying to the client or anyone involved in a case. In this situation it is imperative to have the facts on your possession to determine if the attorney was dishonest. A breach of the agreement between the attorney and client occurs when an attorney is able to handle a case outside their area of expertise without informing the client or informing them to seek out independent counsel.

Inability to provide advice

If a client decides to hire an attorney, it means they've reached the stage where their legal problem is beyond their ability and experience and they are unable to solve it on their own. The lawyer has a duty to inform clients about the benefits of the case, the potential risks and costs involved, and their rights. If a lawyer fails to perform this, they could be guilty of malpractice lawsuit.

Many legal malpractice claims stem from of poor communication between attorneys, and their clients. For example, an attorney might not answer phone calls or fail to inform their clients of a decision taken on their behalf. An attorney may also be unable to communicate important details about the case or fail to identify any issues with the transaction.

A client may sue an attorney if they have suffered financial losses due to the lawyer's negligence. These losses must be documented. This requires evidence, such as email and client files, or any other correspondence between an attorney and a client as well bills. In the event of theft or fraud It may be necessary to be able to have an expert witness review the case.

Failure to Follow the Law

Attorneys must adhere to the law and know the law's implications for specific circumstances. They could be found guilty of malpractice if they do not. Examples include mixing client funds with their own, or using settlement proceeds to pay personal expenses, and failing to perform basic due diligence.

Another type of legal malpractice lawsuits includes the failure to file a lawsuit within the timeframe of limitations, failing to meet deadlines for filing with the court and not adhering to the Rules of Professional Conduct. Attorneys are also obligated to disclose any material conflicts of interest. This means that they have to inform clients of any financial or personal interest that could influence their judgment in representing them.

In addition, attorneys are required to follow instructions from their clients. Attorneys must abide by the instructions of clients unless it is clear that the act is not beneficial.

To win a malpractice lawsuit, the plaintiff has to show that the lawyer acted in violation of his duty of care. It isn't easy to prove that the defendant's actions or actions caused harm. It isn't enough to prove that the attorney's error caused a negative outcome. A malpractice claim must prove that there was a substantial likelihood that the plaintiff's case could have been won had the defendant followed standard practices.