People and companies in New York who must hire lawyers need to know that once in a while, a lawyer will fail to act in the best interests of a client in some manner. People also deserve to know that they have some potential recourse if this happens to them. One insurance company based in Germany had to learn this the hard way and today is seeking compensation for what it claims to be a clear act of legal malpractice that had significant financial repercussions.
Reports indicate that the case began several years ago in relation to a claim made after a motor vehicle accident. A law firm based in Greenwich was hired by the insurer based in Germany. When an initial settlement offer of $10 million was proposed, the insurance company ultimately rejected it. This rejection is said to have been based on input and details provided by the attorney handling the case.
References have been made to subsequent acts of negligence although no details are known about those. In the end, the insurance company ended up settling the case for an amount significantly greater than the initial $10 million. Compensation for legal costs, damages and interest are part of the current law suit against the New York firm.
When a legal professional fails to provide accurate and honest counsel to a client in New York, those harmed by the actions might find talking to another trusted lawyer a good way of learning their options.
Source: Westfair Online, “Greenwich law firm sued for legal malpractice by German insurer,” Phil Hall, December 29, 2017