We trust professionals for some of the biggest decisions in life—whether it’s a doctor diagnosing an illness, a lawyer handling a case or a financial advisor managing investments. But what happens when they get it wrong and cost you money, harm your health or damage your reputation?
In some cases, you can sue and get compensation. But not every mistake is negligence and not every professional is accountable. So, who can you actually sue? Let’s break it down.
Who Can I Submit a Professional Negligence Claim Against?
Some professionals you can sue for negligence include:
Medical Professionals
Healthcare professionals—doctors, surgeons, nurses, dentists and other medical practitioners—owe you a duty of care. They can be held responsible if they make mistakes that hurt or worsen your health.
Some examples of medical negligence include:
Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis
Lisa, 45, went to the doctor multiple times in a year with stomach pain. Each time, she was told it was just acid reflux. She was given antacids. Frustrated, she finally went to a second opinion, only to be diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. If proper testing had been done earlier, the cancer could have been caught in its early stages and she would have had better treatment options and a higher chance of survival.
Surgical Errors
Michael went in for knee surgery. He was told he would have his torn ligament repaired. When he woke up, he came to know that the surgeon operated on the wrong knee. Now, he has to go through the original surgery all over again and deal with the pain, recovery and rehabilitation for a procedure that was not necessary.
Prescription Mistakes
After a routine check-up, James was prescribed heart medication by his doctor. But at the pharmacy, the pharmacist misread the doctor’s handwriting and gave him a dose ten times higher than intended. Within hours, James was experiencing severe heart palpitations and collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital, where they stabilized him, but the overdose left him with permanent heart damage and anxiety about his health.
Lack of Proper Aftercare
After spinal surgery, Robert was sent home with no aftercare instructions. The hospital also didn’t schedule follow-up appointments to monitor his recovery. A few weeks later, he developed a serious infection at the surgical site, which spread and caused nerve damage. What could have been a routine recovery has now left him with permanent mobility issues and changed his life.
Legal Professionals
Lawyers and solicitors are supposed to act in your best interests. When they make mistakes that cause financial loss or legal trouble, you may have a case against them.
Some examples of legal negligence:
Missing Deadlines That Get Your Case Dismissed
Sarah gets in a car accident and hires a lawyer to file a personal injury lawsuit. She trusts them to handle everything, but they miss the statute of limitations deadline and the case gets dismissed. Now, Sarah can’t get compensation for her medical bills, lost wages or pain and suffering—all because of her lawyer’s mistake.
Giving Bad Advice That Causes Financial Loss
Business owner Mark is advised by his corporate lawyer to merge with another company. He trusts the advice and moves forward without realizing the lawyer didn’t do proper due diligence. Months later, it turns out the acquired company had massive hidden debts. Mark’s company struggles under the financial burden, goes bankrupt and has to lay off employees.
Not Following Your Instructions That Results in Losses
Emma is in the middle of a business dispute and gets a settlement offer she’s happy with. She tells her lawyer to take it, but the lawyer thinks they can negotiate a better deal and declines the offer without telling her. The other side withdraws the offer, and the case goes to court—where Emma loses. Now, instead of walking away with a fair settlement, she’s stuck with huge legal fees and damages that are way more than the original offer.
Breach of Confidentiality That Causes Reputational Damage
David is a celebrity who hires a high-profile divorce lawyer to handle his separation. The lawyer accidentally sends sensitive financial and personal documents to the wrong email—and they get leaked to the press. Overnight, David’s private life becomes a public scandal. He loses major endorsement deals and gets hounded by the media, suffering serious damage to his reputation—all because of his lawyer’s mistake.
Financial Advisors and Accountants
Financial professionals—investment advisors, accountants and tax consultants—handle your finances. They can be sued for professional negligence if they act carelessly and cause financial loss.
Some examples of financial negligence:
Bad Advice That Means Losses
John, a retired teacher, goes to a financial advisor to manage his life savings. Instead of recommending safe investments for his low risk tolerance, the advisor convinces him to put everything into a high-risk stock portfolio. When the market crashes, he loses almost all his savings. Now, he’s not enjoying retirement; he’s struggling to pay bills and has to go back to work.
Misrepresenting Risk in Financial Planning
Sarah and Mike are excited to buy their first home. Their financial planner tells them an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) is a safe and affordable option, downplaying the risk of rate increases. A few years later, rates skyrocket and their payments are unaffordable. They can’t keep up and lose their home to foreclosure, devastating their finances and credit score.
Accounting Errors That Mean Tax Penalties or Fines
A small business owner relies on their accountant to do their taxes. But the accountant miscalculates the company’s income and they underpay their taxes. When the IRS audits the business, they find the mistake and hit them with big fines and penalties. The unexpected hit to the budget forces them to lay off employees and damage their reputation with clients.
Not Detecting Fraud That Means Financial Loss
A company’s internal auditor misses the signs of fraud in the financial statements, and a senior employee has been embezzling for years. Millions of dollars are gone before the fraud is discovered. By then, it’s too late; the company goes bankrupt, employees are out of a job, and investors have big losses.
Architects, Engineers, and Construction Professionals
When you hire professionals for construction projects, you expect them to meet industry standards. If they fail in their responsibilities, the consequences can be costly—and even dangerous.
Some examples of this negligence:
Design Flaws That Cause Structural Problems
An architect designs a high-end skyscraper with an innovative but untested design. A few years later, cracks appear in the foundation, and the building starts to shift. Engineers found out the design didn’t account for the soil conditions. Residents have to evacuate, and the whole building needs costly repairs or demolition. The architect and construction company are being sued by the displaced residents and investors.
Not Following Safety Regulations That Causes Accidents
An engineer forgets to include fire escape requirements in a mall design. Years later, a fire breaks out in the food court and panicked shoppers can’t find an exit because the emergency routes don’t meet safety standards. Several people get burned and suffer from smoke inhalation injuries. The building owner gets sued, and authorities impose heavy fines for not following fire safety regulations.
Using Substandard Materials That Causes Damage to Property
To save costs, a construction company uses low-quality concrete in a major highway project. Five years later, the concrete starts to crack and deteriorate, making the bridge unsafe. Engineers declare it structurally unsound, and it’s shut down for emergency repairs. The closure causes massive traffic jams and economic losses to local businesses. The contractor gets sued and potentially charged for negligence.
Project Mismanagement That Causes Financial Loss or Litigation
A real estate developer hires a project manager for a large office building. But due to poor planning and a lack of coordination with subcontractors, the project experiences multiple delays and cost overruns. The developer misses deadlines for lease agreements, causing financial losses. Investors pull out, and the company gets sued for breach of contract, putting the project in jeopardy.
Real Estate Agents and Property Valuers
Buying or selling property is a big financial decision, and we rely on real estate professionals to provide accurate information and fair advice. When they fail to do so, the financial consequences can be severe.
Some examples of real estate negligence:
Overvalued Homes That Cost You Money
A first-time homebuyer trusts a property appraiser’s valuation, which puts a house at $500,000. They buy the home—only to find out later it’s really worth $400,000. When they try to sell, they can’t get back what they paid. Stuck with an overpriced property, they lose tens of thousands of dollars.
Hidden Defects That Cost You Big Time
A real estate agent knows about major foundation cracks and plumbing issues in a home, but doesn’t tell the buyer. After moving in, the new homeowner starts to notice strange leaks and sinking floors. A contractor estimates repairs at $50,000—an expense they never budgeted for. Angry and overwhelmed, the buyer sues both the agent and the seller for not disclosing the defects.
Misleading Buyers About Zoning and Use
An investor buys a commercial property thinking it’s zoned for retail use—just like the developer told them. After the deal closes, they find out the zoning only allows for residential use. Stuck with a property they can’t use as planned, they face a long and costly legal battle to rezone or sell at a loss.
Conflicts of Interest That Hurt Buyers
A real estate agent tells a buyer to bid aggressively on a property because it’s a great deal. But what the buyer doesn’t know? The agent has a personal relationship with the seller. Instead of negotiating in the buyer’s best interest, the agent pushes them to overpay. When the truth comes out, the buyer realizes they could have bought the home for much less—and sues.
Start a Claim with a Professional Negligence Lawyer
If a professional has harmed you, the first step is to contact an expert lawyer to be more sure about your claim.
At Wyatts, our professional negligence lawyers personally review every case to understand the context of the negligence and then proceed with the claim. The general process is:
- Gathering Evidence – We collect documents, emails, contracts and financial records to support your claim.
- Assessing the Situation – We assess if negligence occurred.
- Attempting Resolution – We contact the professional or their company to try to resolve before escalating.
- Filing a Legal Claim – If necessary, we take legal action to get you compensation for your losses.
Don’t wait to get legal help against any injustice done to you by a professional. Contact our professional negligence lawyers at 1800 773 880 today to get what you’re owed!
