When you hire an attorney, you hope that this person provide you with a high level of service, while doing whatever it takes to help you win your case. This typically happens, but that doesn’t mean you should expect it. It’s unfortunate, but there are times when legal malpractice comes into play. It’s critical that you keep your eyes open for legal malpractice, as this allows you to protect your legal rights.
Here’s what you should look for
You never know what could go wrong when working through a legal case, so it’s imperative to understand the process and where you fit in.
Here are some of the things you should look for:
- Putting your case off: For example, if an attorney is overwhelmed with work, they may continually put your case on the backburner. And when that happens, there’s a better chance that things won’t work out how you were hoping. If an attorney takes on your case, they should have enough time in their schedule to provide you with a high level of service.
- Failure to prepare documentation: There’s a lot of paperwork that goes into making a legal claim. This is one of the reasons you hire an attorney in the first place. You don’t want to manage the paperwork on your own. If your attorney neglects to prepare and/or file the proper documentation, it can have an adverse effect on your case.
- Missing the statute of limitations: There’s likely to be a statute of limitations associated with your case. If you miss the deadline for taking action, there’s nothing more you can do.
What should you do next?
The second you feel that your attorney is not on the right track is the second you should learn more about your options. Hopefully, no damage has been done, and you’re able to find another attorney who is more qualified to take on your case.
However, if their negligence impacts your case, it’s critical that you learn more about your legal rights. You may be able to file a legal malpractice claim against the attorney in an attempt to recover damages.