Legal advice on fatal accidents and inquests
The Coroner will hold an Inquest if for example there is reasonable cause to suspect that the deceased died an unnatural death or a sudden death of which the cause is unknown. The Coroner’s remit is however strictly limited to ascertaining the identity of the deceased and establishing when, where and how he or she came by his or her death. Nevertheless, the Inquest gives the bereaved an important chance to hear at an early stage the doctors’ account of the relevant events from the witness box.
If a patient dies there are a number of potential claims for compensation:-
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(i) On behalf of the estate:
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(a) a claim for the deceased’s pain and suffering between injury and death; and
- (b) reasonable funeral expenses
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(ii) A surviving spouse or the parent of an unmarried child under the age of 18 can claim bereavement damages (currently set at £10,000) on proof of negligence (but a child cannot claim bereavement damages for the loss of a parent).
- (iii) A dependent of the deceased may have a claim for the loss of future financial support.
It can be difficult to know whether your bereavement has been due to medical negligence. This is why we offer a completely free no obligation consultation. Please call us on 0870 609 3623 and talk to one of our medical negligence solicitors.