Of the
thousands of lawyers who practice across the United States,
it is estimated that only 60 percent have malpractice insurance.
Unlike physicians who are required to be financially responsible
for their mistakes, lawyers are not. And, lawyers are under
no obligation to have malpractice insurance or to discuss
the lack of it with clients. Further, even if a lawyer does
have insurance, his/her policy likely will not cover fraud,
theft, or any other intentional act.
Clients
who have suffered damages at the hands of their lawyers have
no practical recourse when the lawyer has no malpractice insurance.
Even though it may be uncomfortable, the client should ask
his/her lawyer at the beginning of the relationship if he
has malpractice insurance and the amount of the coverage.
If there
is insurance coverage when the client files suit, typically
two things will happen. 1) The insurance company will assign
a law firm to defend the client's former lawyer against the
claims; and, 2) the insurance company will allocate money
to pay the client if the accused lawyer and insurer aren't
successful. The amount of money set aside is typically the
"value" of the client's case as assessed by the
insurer.
If you
believe you have suffered damages as a result of your lawyer's
wrongdoing, feel free to contact Lance Christopher Kassab,
P.C. to arrange a time to discuss your case. Telephone
713-522-7400
or complete and submit our Legal
Malpractice Questionnaire or fax it to 713-522-7410.
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