If you have ever had the need to seek the advice and services of an attorney in Florida, you may have wondered how to effectively select a lawyer. One of the concerns people sometimes have when they need to hire a lawyer is how they can find a professional that will properly represent them and who will not end up causing them more harm than good by making negligent mistakes. However, it is important to understand that not every error that an attorney makes may necessarily be considered legal malpractice.
As explained by the American Bar Association, if a person suspects, believes or even knows for a fact that an attorney has made a mistake, the client should evaluate a few different factors before they decide the mistake falls into the category of malpractice. One of the factors that a person should assess is what type of harm did they experience due to the mistake, if any harm at all. The damage should ideally be financial and able to be calculated and supported by the facts of the case.
Another important element to review is whether or not the attorney’s actions, or lack thereof, were truly negligent or if the actions were the result of the facts that were known at the time.
This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to help residents in Florida get a better understanding of what type of actions may or may not be considered legal malpractice, and how to assess potential errors to make the right choice about how to proceed in the face of these events.