Silence or Delay Can Be a Sign of Legal Malpractice
Clients occasionally complain that their attorneys stop communicating with them when a problem arises in a lawsuit the attorney is handling, or when a dispute arises with respect to a legal document drafted by the attorney. Unfortunately, when some attorneys believe they have committed legal malpractice, they react by avoiding the problem, as opposed to disclosing the error to their client.
For example, an Atlanta attorney who has committed malpractice may try to delay the problem in the hopes that it will simply go away with time, the client will not discover the attorney’s error, or the statute of limitations on the client’s Georgia legal malpractice claim will expire. An attorney who takes this approach of avoiding the problem has not only potentially committed legal malpractice, but may also have breached a duty to inform the client of the attorney’s error and may have a conflict of interest with the client if the attorney’s personal interest in avoiding liability is at odds with the client’s best interests.
Regardless of the reason for the attorney’s avoidance of the problem, delay can exacerbate damages to the client caused by the attorney’s error. When an error is discovered, it may not be too late to fix the problem if it is addressed immediately. Even if it is too late to fix the attorney’s error, the client may be able to minimize his damages if informed of the error sooner rather than later. If the statute of limitations for the client’s claims against the attorney expires, the client may be left paying for the attorney’s error with no recourse against the attorney. A client who is kept in the dark by his attorney is at a serious disadvantage, which is why it is important to contact an experienced Atlanta legal malpractice attorney as soon as you suspect there may be lawyer negligence in your case.
Contact Law Firm for Help with Legal Malpractice
The experienced attorneys at Schklar & Heim, LLC have handled some of the most complex legal malpractice cases in Georgia over the past several years. We represent individuals and companies throughout the state, including cities such as Albany, Marietta, Decatur, and Atlanta. If you suspect your attorney has committed malpractice, call our office today at (404) 888-0100.