Professional negligence is when a person that is employed in a professional capacity (such as a doctor or a lawyer) perform actions that fall short of those which are expected from another profesional in the same instance. Professional negligence is built upon the legal standard of common negligence. That is when a person does not act to a standard that is deemed normal and common by the situation. When a person is employed in a professional capacity, there is an expectation that they will act and get the similar result of another professional in that industry. This creates a common standard between professionals in each sector.
Professionals are liable for their actions if their performance does not result in producing a similar result as would be achieved by a similar professional if paid by the client. They could be sued for financial compensation because of their professional negligence. This is professionals get professional liability insurance coverage to pay out on any instance of professional negligence that is asserted. If a professional is convicted of negligence more than once, they could have their license to practice rescinded.