Berwick Solicitors LLP recently successfully represented a Plaintiff in a case of professional negligence against his former accountant. Our client engaged a firm of accountants to file tax returns on his behalf and to provide general tax advice. Due to our client’s heavy workload in an alternative area of employment, he relied upon the advice provided to him by his accountant. Unfortunately for our client, the advice provided to him failed to reach the standard of an accountant with equivalent status and skill.
Our client was contacted by revenue several years after first retaining the accountancy firm. It was only then that he realised revenue was underpaid for several years. Our client immediately contacted his accountant. He was concerned about the impending revenue audit. He was advised by his accountant not to be concerned and that they would deal with revenue on his behalf. Unfortunately, the work undertaken by his accountant thereafter with revenue again failed to reach the standard to be expected of an accountant with equivalent status and skill.
Thereafter followed by a challenging few years for our client due to large tax bills, interests, penalties and publication as a tax defaulter none of which should have occurred. Upon receiving instructions, Berwick Solicitors LLP set about obtaining an expert report to prove a breach of duty of care. Recently, after several years of difficult litigation, we reached a successful result for our client in which he recovered compensation for his interests, penalties
in full and general damages for publication. Costs were also recovered against the Defendant.
