What is Construction Negligence?
All residential, commercial, or industrial construction or redevelopment projects require the input of a number of professionals each of whom have a different role to play in the process, from design to construction.
At each and every stage of the project, there is a risk that something may go
wrong, as a result of the negligence of one or more of those involved.
Construction negligence occurs when mistakes are made by construction
professionals such as civil engineers and surveyors that result in
significant financial loss.
Whether you are an individual or a business, such mistakes can cause you
considerable emotional stress and can have a significant financial impact.
Professional negligence in the construction industry may be seen in the initial design stage of a construction project, right through to the construction work itself.
While every project can have its headaches, when things go wrong you may have grounds for a professional negligence claim. Each case depends on whether the professional involved owed you a duty of care. If they are in breach of that duty of care then you may be able to sue the professional responsible.
The construction industry has many different professionals working within it, all of whom could be held accountable for negligence. These include:
- Surveyors
- Engineers
Cases of professional negligence in the construction industry can be difficult to prove due to the complexity of the building project, as it’s not often clear who’s directly responsible when something goes wrong.
It is important to appreciate that not all professional errors are negligent.
Whilst all professionals who work within the construction industry have a duty to exercise reasonable care and skill, the standard is that of a reasonably competent professional of the same discipline – it is not the highest standard attainable in that discipline.
When things go wrong, and the duty of care has been breached due to negligence on the part of a construction industry professional, then you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation.
For a professional negligence claim to be successful, there are four elements that must be proven:
- That the professional had a duty of care
- That the professional breached that duty of care
- That the client suffered loss
- That the loss was the direct result of the breach on the part of the
construction industry professional
We consider all cases on a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), also known as a No Win No Fee agreement. This means that if you are not successful in pursuing your claim, we will not charge you any of our legal fees unless the claim is deemed fraudulent or you have failed to comply with our reasonable requests to pursue the case. We also guarantee that there will be no upfront legal fees.
Time limitations can vary but the general rule is six years from breach of contract or six years from when negligence caused damage.
If you are unsure of the time limit that applies in your case, please don’t hesitate to call us; by delaying, you may jeopardise your chance to claim.
Contact us today
Call our expert legal team today:
0800 955 0055
If you think you have suffered a financial loss due to the negligent actions of a construction professional, you can contact our expert legal team by telephone or by email or via our enquiry form.
Our initial telephone contact service is available 24/7 and all enquiries are free of charge.
We are dedicated to providing our clients outstanding service and achieving the most positive outcome and maximum compensation. We have a depth of experience and expertise of dealing with construction negligence that is unparalleled.