Has a probate mistake caused you loss?
Solicitors who specialise in estate administration generally do a very good job. However, errors do occur, sometimes with major financial consequences. So if your solicitor has made a probate mistake, what can you do about it?
Common probate mistakes
There are a number of errors commonly made by solicitors when carrying out the administration of an estate.
One typical mistake is to fail to take proper steps to locate all the beneficiaries. This is more likely to occur where all the beneficiaries are not named individually. Gifts are sometimes left to a ‘class’ of beneficiaries, in which case the executors and the solicitors must identify who the actual beneficiaries are. If reasonable steps are not taken to find all of the beneficiaries the solicitor could become liable to compensate any beneficiary who misses out as a result.
Another common error is where a solicitor fails to carry out the wishes of the testator as specified in the Will. Mistakes include paying the incorrect amount of money to a beneficiary, misreading the terms of a Will and failing to comply with a Letter of Wishes.
Solicitors sometimes cause loss to an estate by failing to identify and collect all the assets. Errors also arise when lawyers fail to obtain accurate valuations or miscalculate the tax that is due.
Making a probate mistake claim
If you suffer financial loss as a result pf a probate mistake made by a solicitor during the course of administering an estate then you may be entitled to claim compensation.
You may be a beneficiary who has lost out personally. Or you may be an executor concerned about losses caused to the estate that you are responsible for administering.
Where the loss suffered cannot be recovered and is in excess of £10,000 then you can contact us for a free case assessment. We will consider the nature of the solicitor’s error and offer guidance on recovering compensation. If we feel you have good prospects of succeeding with your claim then we will let you know if we can work on a No Win, No Fee basis.
Contact our free legal helpline today on 0808 139 1591 or simply send us an email with brief details of your claim and the financial loss you have suffered..