What is professional negligence?

Professional negligence is a broad category that generally involves financial loss or suffering because of a trusted professional’s bad advice, mismanagement of accounts or simple ignorance.

For example, an architect provided a flawed design that requires costly reconstruction. A financial advisor offered bad investment advice, causing significant losses. A surveyor failed to identify a sink hole on your property, which led to problems that could have been prevented, had you known of its existence. A realtor failed to tell buyers that their new property is in a historic area with restrictions on renovations. Regardless of the cause, the end result is the same: hardship, financial loss and potential injury.

Professional negligence disputes can be complicated cases involving not just the injured party and the accused, but insurance representatives, as well. Mediation often provides a more streamlined, simpler resolution than going straight to court, settling claims faster and with less stress.

Why mediation?

In addition to avoiding court costs and potential negative publicity, mediation cuts through red tape and official divides to bring the parties face to face, so that disputes can be resolved on a more personal level. In fact, mediation has proven to be more effective than court cases.

Showing a willingness to mediate prior to going to court often leads to a swifter, more amenable verdict for claimants should court prove unavoidable.