When you have a legal issue in California, you want to believe that you can trust your attorney to handle the dispute accordingly. But if your attorney misses a deadline, damages your case or commits a serious error in judgment, you might be in worse shape than you were before the case began. With the help of a new attorney, you may be able to hold your previous attorney accountable for their error.
What are some common forms of legal malpractice?
A conflict of interest is one of the most common forms of legal malpractice. A conflict of interest could damage an attorney’s relationship with a client and prevent them from representing that client effectively. This is especially common if an attorney works extensively in a particular field and has relationships with multiple people and businesses in that same field.
Business transaction errors are another common form of legal malpractice. If an attorney makes a mistake while writing a deed, creating a contract, preparing mortgage documents or dealing with other legal issues, their client may have to deal with serious consequences. An attorney might also make a mistake when dealing with estate documents, which could result in a person’s estate not being properly distributed.
Legal malpractice can also involve missing deadlines, damaging evidence or simply failing to give a client the best possible representation. In rare cases, some attorneys even deliberately sabotage their client’s case. No matter what the case is about, everyone has the right to a fair attorney. You might want to seek legal action if you feel that your attorney has failed in their duties.
How can you seek legal action against an attorney?
If you’ve already been burned by one attorney, you might be hesitant to hire another, but most attorneys are committed to helping their clients and fulfilling their professional obligations. An attorney may be able to assess the damage that your previous attorney caused and figure out how to make things right. This might involve filing a lawsuit and gathering evidence to show that your attorney failed to act in your best interests.
