When a person hires a lawyer to help them with their legal needs, they should be able to trust that attorney to act in a manner befitting their professional responsibilities. However, there are regrettably many instances in which this does not occur. For some attorneys, a client’s needs may be inadequately protected for the sake of collecting legal fees. When this happens, a former client may be able to take legal action against their former attorney for compensation.
If your case has been mishandled by an attorney whom you hired, we may be able to help you to pursue a legal malpractice case against them. For more information regarding your options as a former client, contact the St. Louis legal malpractice lawyers of the Finney Law Office by calling 314-646-0300.
Four Requirements of a Legal Malpractice Case
Legal malpractice claims offer clients an opportunity to hold an attorney accountable for a breach of professional duty which resulted in an unfavorable outcome. In order to prevail in a legal malpractice case, a former client will be required to demonstrate the following:
- The attorney owed their client a duty, such as signing a contract of service
- An attorney’s actions caused that client’s case to suffer
- Without the attorney’s mistakes, the case would likely have ended differently
- There was some sort of loss that occurred as a result of the attorney’s mistakes
An inability to establish that these requirements have been met may lead to the dismissal of a legal malpractice claim, so it is advisable to consult with a lawyer before filing so that you can ensure you will not simply be wasting your time and resources.
Contact Us
An attorney’s errors may cost you a significant amount of money. If you would like to learn about how you may be able to respond to such a situation, contact the St. Louis legal malpractice attorneys of the Finney Law Office at 314-646-0300 today.