The rise in negligence claims in the UK is believed to be connected to the establishment of more and more professional negligence specialist law firms.
Fresh data from the country reveals that there has been a 33% increase in the number of negligence claims filed in the High Court against solicitors, a report from
The Law Society Gazette reveals.
Since 2012, the increase in claims against solicitors and barristers has been 170%, the report adds citing data from London law firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC).
RPC notes that the increase in claims may be connected to an increase in firms that specialise in professional negligence.
“These firms often use aggressive advertising campaigns, including on daytime TV, to target individuals who are disappointed with the outcome of a personal injury claim or who have settled a divorce solicitor who handled their original case,” the firm says.
The trend is further boosted by in person litigants who do not have legal advise to warn them whether their claims are weak and should not be pursued. This increases claims which are heard in court, the firm says.
“Dissatisfied clients are becoming increasingly likely to pursue a negligence claim against their solicitor. Advertising campaigns both by those specialist professional negligence law firms seeking to sue solicitors and organisations promoting access to the complaints system has meant that clients are more aware of how to make a claim than ever before, and therefore are more likely to pursue one if they feel their solicitor or barrister made an error during their case,” says RPC partner Joe Bryant.
“Whilst this is undoubtedly good news for the consumer, there is still not enough knowledge about how complaints against solicitors should be brought, meaning that unrepresented individuals are pursing claims through the courts and placing significant strain on already severely stretched resources,” he adds.
The law firm says conveyancing claims continue to make up around 50% of cases.
Related stories:
Consumers rank this as most important in lawyer relationship
US$1Bn PwC malpractice suit proceeds
