{"id":358047,"date":"2016-04-04T10:46:22","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/hirealawyer\/choosing-the-right-lawyer\/professional-malpractice.html"},"modified":"2023-09-18T13:03:45","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T18:03:45","slug":"professional-malpractice","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/hirealawyer\/choosing-the-right-lawyer\/professional-malpractice.html","title":{"rendered":"What Is Professional Malpractice?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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What Is Professional Malpractice?<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Malpractice is when a professional breaches their legal duty, causing harm to their client or patient. Professionals are workers with a higher occupational standard, such as lawyers, doctors, dentists, and financial advisors. Injuries due to professional malpractice may be physical, like internal bleeding. Other cases may involve property damage or other financial losses.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

When putting your life in the hands of others, you are giving them your trust.\u00a0Doctors, lawyers, and other professionals should carry out their duties with the highest\u00a0standard of care<\/a>. Professionals must perform their duties at a higher level than the average worker. Most professionals do their jobs with this higher expectation in mind.<\/p>\n

Doctors answer to the American Medical Association (AMA). Attorneys must follow the American Bar Association (ABA) and the\u00a0Rules of Professional Conduct<\/a>. They should take time to develop a good professional-client relationship. Unfortunately, not all of them do.<\/p>\n

When a professional breaches their client’s trust, the betrayed client is angry, frustrated, and maybe even injured by the professional misconduct. Below, learn what you can do if you suffered consequences from professional negligence. For personalized advice, you can speak with a lawyer<\/a> about your bad experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Definition of Professional Malpractice<\/h2>\n

Most people are familiar with medical malpractice claims. These occur when negligence or misconduct of a healthcare provider injures a patient. However, many other professionals are held to similar standards of care.\u00a0Attorneys<\/a>, engineers, and anyone who owes a heightened duty of care to their client is liable for breaching that duty if an injury results.<\/p>\n

Professional malpractice, whether medical malpractice or any other kind, consists of these elements:<\/p>\n