• 01616 966 229
  • Request a callback
Stephensons Solicitors LLP Banner Image

Services
People
News and Events
Other
Blogs

Ex-England cricketer loses High Court case against solicitors

  • Posted

The High Court at the end of yesterday confirmed that Geoffrey Boycott’s case against his solicitors for professional negligence could not continue and was struck out.

According to the Daily Mail, he was reportedly criticised by a judge for giving ‘three completely different answers to the same question’. The claim to sue his solicitors for giving him bad advice when purchasing a property in 1996, was dismissed, and Geoffrey now likely faces a very high legal bill from not only his own solicitors, but from the solicitors acting for the firm who the claim was issued against. 

His solicitors have denied any liability throughout the case, and at a hearing yesterday, had asked the Court to make a decision on whether his claim had been issued past the deadline for professional negligence cases. Normally, claims for professional negligence have to be started in Court within 6 years of the date of the negligence, or within 3 years of the date that you discover the negligence. This is usually referred to as the “limitation date”

The judge yesterday agreed with the solicitors, concluding that Geoffrey knew there was a problem in around July 2007, when his partner severed the tenancy. He therefore knew of the “negligence” on this date, and therefore should have started his claim in Court within three years, by July 2010. However, he left it until August 2010, and was therefore out of time.

This decision by the Court shows that with cases such as this, you need to act quickly, and obtain specialist legal advice as soon as you become aware of the problem. If you think you may have a potential professional negligence claim against a firm of solicitors, then contact our specialist litigation team on 01942 777777.  If you are of limited financial means, you may even be entitled to Legal Aid, and we can advise you of this quickly over the phone. We also offer a range of other funding options, if you are not eligible.

The High Court at the end of yesterday confirmed that Geoffrey Boycott’s case against his solicitors for professional negligence could not continue and was struck out.

According to the Daily Mail, he was reportedly criticised by a judge for giving ‘three completely different answers to the same question’. The claim to sue his solicitors for giving him bad advice when purchasing a property in 1996, was dismissed, and Geoffrey now likely faces a very high legal bill from not only his own solicitors, but from the solicitors acting for the firm who the claim was issued against. 

His solicitors have denied any liability throughout the case, and at a hearing yesterday, had asked the Court to make a decision on whether his claim had been issued past the deadline for professional negligence cases. Normally, claims for professional negligence have to be started in Court within 6 years of the date of the negligence, or within 3 years of the date that you discover the negligence. This is usually referred to as the “limitation date”

The judge yesterday agreed with the solicitors, concluding that Geoffrey knew there was a problem in around July 2007, when his partner severed the tenancy. He therefore knew of the “negligence” on this date, and therefore should have started his claim in Court within three years, by July 2010. However, he left it until August 2010, and was therefore out of time.

This decision by the Court shows that with cases such as this, you need to act quickly, and obtain specialist legal advice as soon as you become aware of the problem. If you think you may have a potential professional negligence claim against a firm of solicitors, then contact our specialist litigation team on 01942 777777.  If you are of limited financial means, you may even be entitled to Legal Aid, and we can advise you of this quickly over the phone. We also offer a range of other funding options, if you are not eligible.

By consumer solicitor, Heather Korwin Szymanowska 


 

Comments