100 years + of collective legal malpractice experience

Florida Auto Accidents And Legal Conflicts Of Interest

When you hire an attorney for a car accident claim, you expect them to act in your best interests. However, some lawyers attempt to represent different clients from the same crash, potentially creating conflicts of interest. When this happens, you may have grounds for a legal malpractice lawsuit.

Auto accidents often involve multiple parties. One driver may be at fault, while others seek compensation for their injuries. If an attorney represents both parties, their ability to provide fair representation may be compromised. At St. Denis & Davey, P.A., we have years of experience righting the wrongs caused by legal malpractice in Jacksonville and other Florida locations.

Conflicts Of Interest In Auto Accident Cases

Under Florida legal ethics rules, attorneys must avoid conflicts that harm their clients. A lawyer representing the at-fault driver and an injured victim may struggle to advocate fully for either. This breach of duty can result in legal malpractice if it leads to financial losses.

Here is how attorney negligence that creates a conflict of interest can harm your accident claim:

Unfair settlements from pressure to resolve the case quickly
Failure to investigate fault properly, reducing potential compensation
Neglecting key evidence that could strengthen a client’s case
Prioritizing one client’s interests over another’s.

Florida law requires attorneys to disclose conflicts and obtain informed consent from clients. If your previous lawyer failed to do this and a conflict of interest harmed you, you may be able to file a legal malpractice lawsuit.