PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY

(ACCOUNTING, LEGAL, ETC.)

Those with special training and certification in various fields are broadly defined as “professionals.”  Generally, we think of these as practitioners in such fields as medicine, law, accounting, dentistry, stock brokering, real estate brokering and other areas that require special formal training and licensure.  When a “professional” fails to exercise the degree of care and practice that is the acceptable minimum standard in the industry and when the failure to act with appropriate care results in an injury, the professional practitioner is liable for the resulting damages.

Our law firm has been involved in litigating many cases involving claims of sub-standard “professional practice” in fields as diverse as medicine, law, accounting, real estate, and insurance.  If you have a potential claim against the provider of a professionally licensed service, it is important to discuss the legal aspects with an attorney experienced in handling such cases.  The rules pertaining to professional liability are often unique and must be viewed in the context of the particular profession and even the “specialty” within that profession.  In most instances, the legal question of whether a professional has breached the standard of care must be resolved by expert opinion testimony.  Usually, that expert opinion testimony must be obtained from someone with experience, training, and qualification within the particular “specialty” in question.

We will closely evaluate a potential case against a professional services provider and make a decision as to whether it is sufficiently viable to warrant the substantial expenditures of money and time that are usually part of proving up any such case.  From the standpoint of the client, we believe it is much better to have a detailed evaluation early on, before substantial expenditures and efforts are undertaken, than to be told “down the line” that the case is problematical.  We will never prosecute a case that we do not think is winnable.  On the other hand, we will aggressively litigate through trial any case where we believe the law and facts support a finding for the plaintiff.