for what reasons can an attorney be sued in texas

by Wilburn Schaefer 9 min read

You should always discuss potential risks or questions with an experienced real estate agent liability attorney in Texas, but understanding the top three reasons you may face a lawsuit goes a long way to protecting yourself. 1. Unauthorized Practice of Law

The Texas Supreme Court allowed the clients to sue the attorney for his breach of fiduciary duties. Breaches of fiduciary duty also arise in business transactions. These may arise when an attorney has a history with one of the parties in the transaction.

Full Answer

What happens if you’re sued in civil court in Texas?

May 24, 2021 · Texas Lawyers Can Be Sued for Libel for Press Releases About Complaints, even if the press release accurately summarizes the Complaint; the rule is different in some states, such as California.

Do I need a lawyer to handle a lawsuit?

Aug 05, 2014 · Depending on the conduct of the lawyer, the client may have several different claims against the lawyer. These claims may include negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, fraud, violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade …

Can I file a wrongful termination lawsuit in Texas?

May 29, 2018 · But with 1,374,060 new civil cases in Texas courts in 2016, it happens quite a bit. If you’re being sued in Texas, you need to know what to do, what not to do and who to call. Fortunately for Texas Legal members, if you’re sued in …

What happens when a lawsuit goes to court?

Dec 15, 2020 · If your contract states reasons for which you may be fired, your employer can only fire you for those reasons. Wrongful Termination Attorney in Texas. Being terminated from your job is never a pleasant experience. But being fired for an unlawful reason adds insult to injury. If you believe your employer fired you for unlawful reasons, you may be able to fight it. Contact …

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Can you sue an attorney Texas?

Unfortunately, most people do not understand the circumstances that must exist to sue a lawyer successfully in Texas. ... A legal-malpractice claim in Texas requires four elements: (1) a duty by the attorney to the plaintiff, (2) the attorney's breach of that duty, (3) proximate cause, and (4) damages.Sep 15, 2020

Can you sue a lawyer for negligence in Texas?

i) A non-client may sue a lawyer for negligence if, under the circumstances, the lawyer should have reasonably expected that the non-client would believe the lawyer represented him, and the lawyer failed to advise of the non-representation.

What is unethical for a lawyer?

Attorney misconduct may include: conflict of interest, overbilling, refusing to represent a client for political or professional motives, false or misleading statements, knowingly accepting worthless lawsuits, hiding evidence, abandoning a client, failing to disclose all relevant facts, arguing a position while ...

What can you sue for in Texas?

Under the Act, an individual may sue the state or a local state government for personal injury, death, or property damage caused by an act of negligence, omission, or other wrongful act committed by a public employee and occurred within that public employee's scope of employment.Feb 23, 2021

Can you sue a lawyer?

Lawyers may make mistakes from time to time. A claim of malpractice may exist if your lawyer exhibited negligence in your representation. If your lawyer's negligence caused you to suffer harm or a less advantageous outcome or settlement in your case, you may have a claim to sue your lawyer for professional negligence.Feb 12, 2022

Can you sue Texas?

Under common law, an individual has no right to sue the state. The state has sovereign immunity. In order to sue the government for any reason, you must have the government's permission.

What is professional misconduct for a lawyer?

The expression professional misconduct in the simple sense means improper conduct. In law profession misconduct means an act done willfully with a wrong intention by the people engaged in the profession. It means any activity or behaviour of an advocate in violation of professional ethics for his selfish ends.

Can I sue a lawyer for lying?

The rules of legal ethics in most states require attorneys to be honest and to be able to do their job at a certain level of competence. If you feel that your legal representative has lied or misled you, or is performing their duties at a level below that of a competent attorney, you may want to file a lawsuit.May 8, 2020

What are examples of ethics violations?

Ethics violations such as discrimination, safety violations, poor working conditions and releasing proprietary information are other examples. Situations such as bribery, forgery and theft, while certainly ethically improper, cross over into criminal activity and are often dealt with outside the company.Aug 14, 2015

What happens when you get a Judgement against you in Texas?

When a creditor gets a judgment against a debtor, the creditor has to take steps to get the judgment paid. This is called execution. This usually means that an officer of the law comes to the debtor's home or work place to take things owned by the debtor. The things that are taken are sold to pay the judgment.

What happens if you lose a lawsuit and can't pay in Texas?

If you are sued and can't pay, the creditor can get a judgment in court against you for the money you owe, plus interest. Being “judgment proof” means that your property and income can't be seized by creditors, because it is “exempt” by law from the creditor's claims.

What is a civil lawsuit in Texas?

What is civil law? By contrast, civil law doesn't involve criminal activities but rather allows individuals or entities to claim payment for financial damages illegally inflicted on them by a defendant. They do this by filing a civil lawsuit with help from their personal attorney.

Why do lawyers get sued?

Here are five common reasons lawyers get sued along with real-life cases of lawyers who have encountered such lawsuits. 1. Claims of negligence. It’s not uncommon for clients to feel their lawyer was negligent or breached their contract or fiduciary duty—especially when they don’t win their case.

Who sued Craig Robinson?

Craig Robinson, a Philadelphia lawyer-turned-reality TV star, was recently sued for malpractice by ex-clients Luis and Migdalia Santiago, who alleged that Robinson “neglected and abandoned” them after he was cast as a contestant on The Bachelorette in 2010, according to LawyersAndSettlements.com. The Santiagos also sued Robinson’s former firm, Haggerty, Goldberg, Schleifer & Kupersmith, alleging that it assigned them a different lawyer who was ill-prepared to handle their personal injury case.

What did the Santiagos sue?

2. Breach of confidentiality.

Why did Guillermo de la Garza sue Randal Mack Hall?

Houston divorce attorney Guillermo De La Garza and his firm Bill De La Garza & Associates PC were sued in 2009 for $50,000 by former client Randal Mack Hall, who claimed that De La Garza poorly managed the paperwork, among several other claims, according to The Southeast Texas Record.

Who was the lawyer who killed Isiah Callaway?

The co-defendant, Tavon Davis, had Callaway killed soon after Feldman disclosed that information to him, the lawsuit claims. Callaway’s family members sought more than $40 million in damages, according to The Baltimore Sun.

Who is the lawyer for the Hendricks case?

Hendricks alleged that her lawyer, Timothy L. Eves, filed her lawsuit two weeks after the two-year statute of limitations, according to The West Virginia Record. A judge had dismissed Hendricks personal injury lawsuit due to the missed deadline. 5. Professional misconduct.

Who is the DWI dude?

San Antonio lawyer and attorney general candidate Jamie Balagia—who calls himself “The DWI Dude”—was sued in May for professional misconduct by the State Bar of Texas’ disciplinary unit. Balagia was accused of keeping $50,000 that was seized by law enforcement from his client Jill McKeown, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

Can a real estate agent be sued in Texas?

Slight mistakes or compliance issues not only cost you money, time, and stress, but they can also impact your reputation. You should always discuss potential risks or questions with an experienced real estate agent liability attorney in Texas, but understanding the top three reasons you may face a lawsuit goes a long way to protecting yourself.

Can a real estate agent be unauthorized?

It probably comes as no surprise that unauthorized practice of law makes the list; as many of your daily tasks as a real estate agent have legal implications. Still, even answering a quick question asked by a seller or prospective buyer can get you into trouble with the Texas Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee. Err on the side of caution when discussing tax matters, contractual provisions, or issues that border on legal advice.

Step One: Gather Information

Before you call an attorney or meet a lawyer for a consultation, gather all the information you can on your case, including any documents you have.

Step Two: Find the Right Attorney

Although there are a lot of folks who attempt to handle a lawsuit on their own, Gall advises at least speaking with an attorney about your case, even if you don’t hire one to represent you.

Step Three: Let Your Attorney Handle It

Although you might be tempted to reach out to the other party, Gall advises against it.

Step Four: Anticipate the Outcome

Although some lawsuits do go to court, Gall says the majority of lawsuits end up with a settlement. That’s usually best for clients, who want things resolved quickly and inexpensively, without a long drawn-out court battle.

Step Five: Take a Deep Breath

Although most people panic over the idea of a getting sued, Gall reminds clients not to get too stressed.

What is the statute of limitations for a Texas worker?

In most cases, the statute of limitations is 180 from the date of termination for filing a claim. If you work in Texas, you would file a claim with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).

How long do you have to file a lawsuit after termination?

After filing a claim with the appropriate agency, you can file a lawsuit against your employer. You must file your lawsuit within two years.

What is the statute of limitations for wrongful termination?

A statute of limitations is the amount of time a plaintiff has to file a lawsuit after they suffered harm. Statutes of limitations often depend on the nature of the claim.

What is a termination called when an employer terminates an employee?

If an employer terminates an employee for an unlawful reason, the termination is often called a “wrongful termination. ”. There are many reasons that the law considers a termination wrongful. For example, wrongful terminations can include:

What is it called when an employer fires an employee?

If the employer fires their employee for an unlawful reason, this is called wrongful termination. Many states, including Texas, are “employment at-will” states. In general, employment at-will means that an employer can legally terminate an employee for any lawful reason at any time. However, this does not allow an employer to fire an employee ...

What does an employment attorney do?

An employment law attorney will help you gather the necessary evidence. This will be necessary to prove the elements of a wrongful termination lawsuit. An employment attorney will ensure you file the necessary documents with the correct government agency. Additionally, employment attorneys negotiate on your behalf.

What are the illegal areas of termination?

Some less clear-cut areas that are nonetheless illegal include: Firing in retaliation for being a whistleblower. Retaliation against an employee filing or reporting a complaint about a violation of the law.

Compensation for Pharmacy Negligence

Any time you suffer damages from someone else’s negligence, you’re entitled to file a claim to recover for your losses.

Civil Litigation Attorneys in Texas

If you believe you may be a victim of pharmacy negligence and need to know how to move forward, the experienced attorneys at The Weycer Law Firm can help.

What to do if you believe your termination is wrongful?

After you have hired a wrongful termination lawyer to begin your case, you will need to partner with them to ensure that your case is viable by being up front, honest, and detailed about your termination as possible.

What is the title of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964’s Title VII lists certain protected personal categories or “classes” that are protected by law from being used as a reason for termination. These classes include:

Can you be fired for wearing a red clown nose?

In Employment Law terms, Texas is what is called an “at-will” employment state, meaning an employer can terminate an employee for a variety of reasons or even no reason at all. Often times, the comical example used to demonstrate this is that in Texas, you can be fired for coming into work wearing a red clown nose.

What does Title VII protect?

Title VII laws extend to protect not only if the victim of discrimination files a complaint and gets fired, but also protects those who AREN’T the victim of discrimination and who are fired for filing a complaint.

Can an employer terminate an employee for illegal reasons?

ANSWER: No. “At-will” employment DOES NOT allow employers to terminate employees for any illegal reasons. Here are, virtually, the ONLY scenarios in which you can potentially file a wrongful termination lawsuit in Texas:

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Claims of Negligence.

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It’s not uncommon for clients to feel their lawyer was negligent or breached their contract or fiduciary duty—especially when they don’t win their case. Craig Robinson, a Philadelphia lawyer-turned-reality TV star, was recently sued for malpractice by ex-clients Luis and Migdalia Santiago, who alleged that Robinson “…
See more on sba.thehartford.com

Breach of Confidentiality.

  • Maryland lawyer Larry J. Feldman was sued by the family of a client, Isiah Callaway, who was killed after family members allege that Feldman told a co-defendant on a rent-check fraud scheme case that federal authorities wanted to speak with Callaway. The co-defendant, Tavon Davis, had Callaway killed soon after Feldman disclosed that information to him, the lawsuit claims. Callaw…
See more on sba.thehartford.com

Administrative errors.

  • Lost documents and paperwork, errors and other administrative problems are common reasons clients sue. Houston divorce attorney Guillermo De La Garza and his firm Bill De La Garza & Associates PC were sued in 2009 for $50,000 by former client Randal Mack Hall, who claimed that De La Garza poorly managed the paperwork, among several other claims, according to The Sout…
See more on sba.thehartford.com

Missing Filing deadlines.

  • Calendaring errors account for a large portion of malpractice claims. Amye Hendricks of Lavallette, West Virginia sued her lawyer and his law firm for an undisclosed sum in 2011, alleging that he missed the deadline for filing her personal injury lawsuit. Hendricks alleged that her lawyer, Timothy L. Eves, filed her lawsuit two weeks after the two-year statute of limitations, acc…
See more on sba.thehartford.com

Professional misconduct.

  • San Antonio lawyer and attorney general candidate Jamie Balagia—who calls himself “The DWI Dude”—was sued in May for professional misconduct by the State Bar of Texas’ disciplinary unit. Balagia was accused of keeping $50,000 that was seized by law enforcement from his client Jill McKeown, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Lawyers and their practices can help mi…
See more on sba.thehartford.com

Unauthorized Practice of Law

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It probably comes as no surprise that unauthorized practice of law makes the list; as many of your daily tasks as a real estate agent have legal implications. Still, even answering a quick question asked by a seller or prospective buyer can get you into trouble with theTexas Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee. Err on the si…
See more on cllegal.com

Failure to Disclose Defects

  • A buyer’s joy when purchasing a new home can quickly turn to disappointment upon discovery of defects – and the real estate agent that handled the transaction is the first person he or she will blame. In addition to an official inspection, do your own walk through and document every defect or bit of damage you find related to the property’s four primary systems: the HVAC, roof, plumbin…
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Discuss Your Situation with An Experienced Real Estate Agent Liability Lawyer

  • The job of a real estate agent in Texas is rewarding, but there are pitfalls that could lead to litigation if you do not take action to protect yourself. Knowing the top reasons people in your profession get sued is effective, but it does not replace the advice and counsel a knowledgeable attorney can provide. For more information on real estate agent liability or to schedule a consult…
See more on cllegal.com