Clinincal Negligence

Inquests

What happens if a member of your family dies?

If someone dies in hospital, or at a time when they are receiving medical treatment, an Inquest may be arranged and a Coroner will become involved.

The Inquest process is currently undergoing review and the proposed changes may allow relatives to become more closely involved in the process.

The purpose of the Inquest is to find out how and why the death happened. That may be very important for bereaved relatives and it can also be important if the relatives find they have to make a compensation claim or are thinking about doing so.

In the event of a death caused by fault on the part of someone else, the following damages may be recovered depending upon the facts of the case: -

  • Damages for pain and suffering
  • A bereavement award
  • Dependency claim
  • Damages for loss of earnings
  • Expenses connected with a funeral
  • Damages for time spent in providing care

Our experienced team of advisors will be able to advise you fully about the Inquest and explain what is likely to happen.