Browse our Inquests & Fatal Accidents Services
When a loved-ones dies unexpectedly, it can be extremely difficult for families to cope with the legal procedures and court hearings that follow. We have considerable expertise in representing families from the earliest stages of involvement with the Coroner’s Office, to undertaking the advocacy at Inquest hearings.
Coronial Law is a specialist field of legal expertise and we have lawyers who can guide you through the Inquest process.
Our approach is to handle this difficult time for families in a sensitive and practical way. You may have some specific questions that you require answering, or you may even be asked to be a witness at an Inquest hearing. This can all be very daunting particularly as you may also be grieving.
If the death of your loved-one has promoted media interest, we work alongside media professionals to provide advice and support to handle the situation to ensure that any intrusion is kept to a minimum.
What is an Inquest?
An inquest is a legal investigation to establish the circumstances of a person’s death including how, when and why the death occurred. They take place in situations where a death was sudden or unnatural, or the cause of death is still unknown after a post-mortem.
Inquests are very different to criminal or civil trials as they don’t try to establish blame. This can often be difficult for relatives to deal with, as an Inquest is usually the first time a family gets to hear all the facts and evidence about a loved-one’s death.
Why should I be legal represented at Inquest hearings?
Whilst a Coroner is prohibited from apportioning any blame for a person’s death, the evidence which a Coroner will obtain as part of his or her investigation, and the conclusions reached as to how a person died, are usually relevant to the civil proceedings which arise from the death.
If a claim for negligence is anticipated, either following an accident or because of medical negligence, it is important that a solicitor is involved at the Inquest stage because this enables important facts about the circumstances of the death to be understood which could support the compensation claim.
Examples of Inquest expertise
• Deaths arising from road traffic accidents or workplace accidents
• Medical negligence resulting in death
• Deaths in custody
• Death that takes place in care home or other institutions
Our areas of expertise include
Key Contacts
