What Is Professional Negligence?
Professional negligence arises when a qualified professional — such as a solicitor, accountant, financial adviser, architect, or engineer — fails to meet the standard of skill, care, and competence that a reasonable professional in their position would be expected to demonstrate. When their failure causes you financial harm or personal loss, you have legal grounds to seek compensation.
At Gary Matthews Solicitors, we handle professional negligence claims across a broad range of disciplines and have a strong record of securing meaningful outcomes for clients who have been let down by professionals they trusted.
Professionals We Can Pursue Claims Against
Our professional negligence team has experience acting against a wide range of professional service providers, including:
- Solicitors and barristers (legal negligence)
- Accountants and tax advisers
- Financial advisers and investment managers
- Architects, engineers, and surveyors
- Insurance brokers
- Medical and healthcare professionals
- IT consultants and project managers
- Estate agents and property valuers
Common Examples of Professional Negligence
- A solicitor missing a limitation deadline, causing you to lose your legal claim
- An accountant providing incorrect tax advice leading to significant financial penalties
- An architect or engineer producing defective designs resulting in construction failures
- A financial adviser placing your funds in unsuitable or unduly risky investments
- An insurance broker failing to secure adequate cover, leaving you exposed to uninsured losses
- A surveyor undervaluing or misrepresenting the condition of a property you purchased
For more information about professional negligence claims and how the process works in Ireland, visit our dedicated page:
Professional Negligence → personalinjurysolicitorsdublin.infoHow We Build Your Professional Negligence Case
Successfully pursuing a professional negligence claim requires demonstrating that the professional owed you a duty of care, that they fell below the accepted standard, and that their failure directly caused your loss. Our approach involves:
- A thorough review of all correspondence, contracts, and professional advice given
- Sourcing independent expert witnesses from the relevant professional field
- Quantifying all financial losses, including direct costs and consequential damages
- Engaging in early settlement negotiations where appropriate
- Issuing court proceedings if a fair settlement cannot be agreed
Time Limits for Professional Negligence Claims
In most cases, you have six years from the date of the negligent act to bring a professional negligence claim in Ireland. However, where the damage was not immediately apparent, the limitation period may run from when you became aware of the loss. Given the complexity of these rules, it is important to seek legal advice promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Solicitors, like all professionals, owe their clients a duty of care. If your solicitor made an error — such as missing a court deadline, providing incorrect advice, or failing to act in your best interests — and you suffered a loss as a result, you may have a valid claim for professional negligence against them.
You may be entitled to recover all direct financial losses caused by the negligence, as well as any consequential losses that flowed from it. In some cases, additional damages for distress and inconvenience may also be available. Our solicitors will conduct a full assessment of your losses at the outset of your case.
In many cases, yes. We assess each professional negligence case individually and, where we believe a claim has good prospects of success, we will discuss funding options including a no-win no-fee arrangement. Contact us for a free initial assessment of your case.