Negligence solicitors are a type of legal representative, and these positions primarily operate in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, and Australia. The most common types are medical or clinical, hospital, and professional negligence solicitors. A main goal of this occupation is to prepare cases of negligence for clients who have suffered damages from medical professionals, estate agents, lawyers, or financial advisers. Clients with pending or potential law suits of malpractice or negligence usually require guidance in order to receive compensation, which negligence solicitors have an extensive process for that often results in a settlement from the accused party. Duties vary depending on the type of representation required and the case.
Medical and hospital negligence solicitors have an enhanced knowledge of the procedures and medical vernacular used in malpractice litigation. The representative will determine whether the case can be classified under negligence and he or she will usually not accept a case that does not have winning potential. Some of his or her duties may include informing the potential defendant of plaintiff's accusations in a formal letter, obtaining the client's medical records, and hiring various accredited medical experts to assess injuries incurred under professional medical care. If the gathered information is significant, the medical professional's insurance carrier may choose to settle out of court. This process is expensive and time consuming, which is the primary reason that most representatives will research a case before accepting it.
Professional negligence solicitors work to gain compensation for clients who have lost significant amounts of money or property due to receiving faulty information from a professional adviser. The representative should be well-informed on both financial policies and law in order to prepare a thorough case against the defendant. Another key trait of professional negligence solicitors is superior negotiation skills, because cases based on professional negligence often have less merit in a court of law compared to medical injury cases.
Clients should carefully research potential negligence solicitors to ensure that he or she is trained and has experience in the field. Representatives that handle malpractice and wrongful advisory cases are often pricey, but attempting to pursue a case on one's own can be extremely expensive and unsuccessful. These trained professional have learned to focus on microscopic details of a case, and often perform additional duties in order to secure a victory. The time invested, expertise required, and process used to handle complex cases is usually reflected in the solicitor's fee.