Professional liability

Professional liability covers claims against lawyers, doctors, architects, auditors, trustees, engineers and other specialists. In Switzerland it usually rests on contract, tort or specific professional duties. Claimants must generally show a breach of duty, damage, causation and fault, although standards vary with the profession and mandate. The required care is assessed against accepted professional practice, the complexity of the task and the information available at the time. Insurance, limitation periods and contractual risk allocation often play a decisive role.