Professional Negligence Claims Against Trade Unions

If mistakes by your trade union have caused you financial losses in an employment dispute, you may be able to make a professional negligence claim against them.

Employment disputes can be bewildering, and having the support of your trade union can be a great help. But if your trade union makes mistakes, or their help is provided without the appropriate care or skill, it can end up doing more harm than good – and you could lose out financially.

If this has happened to you, it is important to look into your legal rights to compensation.

Truth Legal is ideally equipped to help you. We have specialist expertise in professional negligence claims and our solicitors work closely with our employment law team, who can provide an expert assessment of the actions your trade union took (or should have taken).

Get in touch with us today to see how we can help you.

Examples of trade union professional negligence

There are a number of ways in which a trade union representative could be negligent. Some common mistakes are:

Giving bad legal advice (or bad advice which had the appearance of legal advice)
Missing deadlines and timescales in employment tribunal actions
Failing to take or follow your instructions

Trade union professional negligence FAQ

Do I have a professional negligence claim against my trade union?Katherine Swinn2023-06-14T10:37:51+01:00

Do I have a professional negligence claim against my trade union?

Trade unions owe their members a duty of care and they can be held legally responsible if they fail in this duty and cause a member financial loss as a result.

This means, for a professional negligence claim against your trade union to succeed, you must prove that the assistance and/or advice that they gave you was below the required standards of reasonable care and skill.

If it can be proved that your trade union or its representatives breached their duty of care, it must then be shown that:

you suffered a loss; and
this loss was caused by your trade union’s breach of their duty

For example, a trade union representative might be advising you on a potential discrimination claim against your employer. The representative’s advice on the time limit for your claim is incorrect, stating that you have several years in which to make your claim. Because of this, you do not submit your claim within the actual time limit and you are prevented from making it. Had the trade union representative exercised reasonable care and skill in their duties, they would have given you the correct advice, and you would have been able to make your claim. They have therefore breached their duty of care, and this has caused you to suffer a loss – the compensation which would have been awarded in the discrimination claim.

What are the time limits for making a claim against my trade union?Katherine Swinn2023-06-14T10:38:37+01:00

What are the time limits for making a claim against my trade union?

With professional negligence claims, you must begin your claim within 6 years of the date on which the negligence occurred. Otherwise, you may be prevented from making the claim at all.

However, if you were unaware of the professional negligence at the time, the time limit will run from the date when you found out about it.

Also, there are other rules which can change the time limit that applies in your case. So, if you are thinking of bringing a professional negligence claim, or are worried that you may have left matters too long, it is best to contact us as soon as possible so that we can advise you fully.

How can I fund my professional negligence claim?Katherine Swinn2023-07-14T11:07:42+01:00

How can I fund my professional negligence claim?

If you’ve had a personal injury claim affected by professional negligence, it is completely understandable that you might be wary of starting any new legal matters.

At Truth Legal, we recognise this and offer a range of funding options. By doing so, we aim to give you peace of mind and to limit the possibility of you incurring any further expenses. We are often able to conduct matters on the basis of a ‘No Win, No Fee’ agreement, where, in the vast majority of situations, you do not have to pay our fees if we are unsuccessful in recovering compensation for you.

Funding arrangements will always be explained to you fully before you start your professional negligence claim. And we are more than willing to answer any questions you may have.

A recent success story

Professional Negligence Claim Against a Trade Union Leads to £11,000.00 in Compensation

Read This Success Story

£11,000 Compensation

Why should I claim with Truth Legal?

Truth Legal has teams of solicitors with a wealth of experience in both professional negligence law and employment law. This means you can be assured of comprehensive legal support when holding your trade union to account.

Our experts pride themselves on providing a top-quality legal service and receive exceptional reviews from our clients on Trustpilot and reviewsolicitors.

We offer:

A free initial consultation – to discuss your circumstances.
Specialist technical knowledge and experience – so you can rest assured that your case is in the best hands.
Practical advice – tailored to your situation.
Strong representation – fighting for the compensation and outcome you deserve.
Support and compassion – friendly, knowledgeable professionals on your side through a difficult time.

Make An Enquiry

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Meet some of the team

Katherine Swinn

Head of General Litigation

Louis MacWilliam

Head of Immigration – Solicitor – Director – Owner

Navya Shekhar

Head of Employment Law – Director – Solicitor – Owner

Tim Robinson

Solicitor

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Professional Negligence Claims Against Trade Unions

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0330 314 1300

Professional Negligence Claims Against Trade Unions

Examples of trade union professional negligence

Trade union professional negligence FAQ

Do I have a professional negligence claim against my trade union?

What are the time limits for making a claim against my trade union?

How can I fund my professional negligence claim?

A recent success story

Why should I claim with Truth Legal?

Make An Enquiry

Meet some of the team

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