Signs Your Former Attorney May Have Committed Legal Malpractice

When you hire an attorney, you expect them to appropriately handle your claim and help you obtain the maximum amount of compensation that you may be entitled to. However, if an attorney makes errors or mishandles your case, it can wind up costing you money. It is not fair that their mistakes cost you money, so the law allows you to sue them for legal malpractice. If you are in this position, you may wonder what some examples of legal malpractice are, or what some of the signs are that your former attorney may have committed legal malpractice. Here area few examples and signs of legal malpractice. 

The Attorney Did Not Know the Laws Applicable to Your Case

When you hire an attorney, you expect them to know the laws that are applicable in your case. However, if you later find out that the attorney had no idea about the laws or rules that affected your case, you may have a legal malpractice case. For example, if one attorney is familiar with family law, they likely know family law rules. But if they handle a criminal defense case and have no idea about the laws in regards to those types of cases, it is legal malpractice. 

The Attorney Missed Important Deadlines

Another sign that your former attorney may have committed legal malpractice is if the attorney missed important deadlines. Many types of cases, including personal injury cases, have a statute of limitations. If the case is not filed by this date, you lose the right to bring the case about and recover money. If your attorney dropped the ball and failed to file by the deadline, you have a legal malpractice case. 

The Attorney Mishandled Discovery Information

The final reason why your attorney may have committed legal malpractice is because they committed errors with discovery information. Any information that your attorney uncovers during the discovery process has to be turned over to the other party so they can do their own research on the information and defend against it. If your attorney fails to turn key information over to the other party, and you lose your case because this information could not be presented, you may have a solid legal malpractice case. 

Proving legal malpractice against an attorney who took on your case is not an easy prospect. You are fighting against someone who is familiar with the law and knows how to prove their side of the story. This is why it is always advised that you hire a legal malpractice attorney if you think you may have a legal malpractice case. The attorney can help you determine if you have a case against your former lawyer and then help to prove that case. Get in touch with a legal malpractice attorney today to learn more.