You have an 80 percent chance of a malpractice suit, according to the ABA. Find out how to beat the odds.
Have you ever awoken in the middle of the night in a cold sweat because you were worried you might have blown a statute of limitations date?
If you have, that’s a solid indication that you’re in the right field, says Nerino Petro, Esq., technology co-editor for the ABA “GP|Solo Magazine.”
“This should be something that keeps you up at night,” he insists.
That’s because a missed deadline could very well derail even the most solid case, and can put you on the fast track to a malpractice suit.
The Most Common Trigger for Malpractice Claims
It’s no wonder that missed deadlines are one of the most common instigators of malpractice claims, according to Minnesota Lawyers Mutual. Such cases are typically black and white — there’s no denying a deadline was missed. The only way to defend it is to prove the case had no merit anyway. (Of course, if it had no merit, then the attorney would then have to explain why they accepted the case at all, and put their reputation in further jeopardy.)
It’s a very slippery slope that you don’t want to ever want to experience, but unfortunately, too many attorneys will. After all, if ABA statistics are any indication, you have an 80 percent chance of being sued at some point in your career. The ABA says four out of five attorneys will be hit with a malpractice case.
The odds are even scarier if you are a solo attorney or work in a small law firm, because 70 percent of malpractice claims are filed against firms with up to five attorneys.
If you don’t want to be among these statistics, you’ll definitely want to check out this free webinar: “4 Tips to Avoid Missed Deadlines and Malpractice Claims.” You can watch it whenever is most convenient for you. You’ll gain must-have information to ensure you have confidence in your legal deadline calculations.
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