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Businesses 'should document everything' to avoid claims
12/12/2007
Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland may be able to defend more businesses against professional negligence claims if only firms documented all the advice they give.
Northern Ireland solicitors are best served to assist clients in professional indemnity cases when everything has been placed in writing, experts have claimed.
Solicitors in Northern Ireland and the rest of Britain already know the legal value of this recommendation, being in the business of advising clients, but Business Link is now advising other professionals to clarify services in writing.
Denis Palmer, senior manager at Business Link London, said businesses can lessen the impact of a claim made against them.
"Document absolutely everything. Literally get everything in writing," Mr Palmer said. "If you're providing a service, make it very clear in writing what the limitation of what you are providing is. So you're setting the expectation of the client at the earliest possible stage.
"If you're providing them with a general service, just outline as broadly as possible the limits that you're working in: 'I'll do this', 'I'll go this far', 'this is what the quote covers', etc."
He added: "It's much more important where it's a less tangible product, where it's a service. The main thing is to cover themselves as much as possible.
"[With] freelance business advisers; people working in the private sector who are advising business... if the advice that is given is perhaps not followed and something goes dramatically wrong and the business fails, then you could have a very significant claim."
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Northern Ireland solicitors are best served to assist clients in professional indemnity cases when everything has been placed in writing, experts have claimed.
Solicitors in Northern Ireland and the rest of Britain already know the legal value of this recommendation, being in the business of advising clients, but Business Link is now advising other professionals to clarify services in writing.
Denis Palmer, senior manager at Business Link London, said businesses can lessen the impact of a claim made against them.
"Document absolutely everything. Literally get everything in writing," Mr Palmer said. "If you're providing a service, make it very clear in writing what the limitation of what you are providing is. So you're setting the expectation of the client at the earliest possible stage.
"If you're providing them with a general service, just outline as broadly as possible the limits that you're working in: 'I'll do this', 'I'll go this far', 'this is what the quote covers', etc."
He added: "It's much more important where it's a less tangible product, where it's a service. The main thing is to cover themselves as much as possible.
"[With] freelance business advisers; people working in the private sector who are advising business... if the advice that is given is perhaps not followed and something goes dramatically wrong and the business fails, then you could have a very significant claim."
Contact us for legal advice
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