Connecticut Legal Malpractice Claims and Coronavirus (COVID-19)
It is reasonable to close access by clients to a physical office.
It is not reasonable to use this as an excuse to abandon a client amid the Coronavirus pandemic.
You should expect your lawyer to do the following during this national crisis:
- Continue to be available as reasonably needed
- Remain in communication,
- Change means of communication as necessary,
- Advise and continue to be diligent in working for you; and
- File documents with courts and other reasonably available places.
Is your lawyer failing to meet these standards? If so, you may have a legal malpractice claim. Reach out to our experienced legal malpractice lawyers if you have any questions or need assistance.
Court Calendars and Filing Deadlines May Change
The Courts and Governments are changing many rules on things such as court calendars and filing deadlines.
Your lawyer must take reasonable steps to comply with all of these.
For example to the extent a filing must be made at a municipality, electronic fillings are authorized in many instances by State emergency orders along with longer filing deadlines.
A prime example is the extension until July 15, 2020 for income tax payment and filing.
Law Firms and Lawyers Moving to Virtual Meetings During COVID-19 Outbreak
Attorneys are utilizing electronic meeting technology like conference calling to review documents with clients in real time, using screen sharing and other features. Email usage is expected to increase as in-person meetings become more difficult.
Your lawyer should also assist their business clients with conducting director or owners meetings electronically as permitted by the bylaws and member agreements.
Your attorney should be aware that the Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed an executive order on Saturday March 21st, allowing such meetings even if not otherwise allowed in its governance documents.
Is Your Lawyer Failing to Handle Your Legal Case Properly Amid the Pandemic?
Advances in technology allow and require lawyers to take reasonable steps to uphold the same legal standard and reasonably act from anywhere they can communicate from.
If you are substantially damaged by your lawyers failure to do so, contact us today.
We sue lawyers who screw up.