Fatal & inquest claims

When medical negligence results the death of a loved one, we provide a caring service and practical advice. We have a long history of representing families at inquests and recovering compensation in fatal accident claims. Contact one of our specialist lawyers for a free initial consultation to find out if we can investigate your case with the financial security of a ‘no win, no fee’ agreement.

What happens at an inquest?

An inquest is a public hearing held by a coroner when the circumstances of the death are unclear, as happens in some cases of medical negligence. The coroner will hear the evidence and reach a verdict as to the cause of death. The inquest is not about apportioning blame.

Inquests can also occur as a result of a fatal accident or industrial disease.

Legal representation at an inquest into medical negligence

As a member of the family of the deceased, you are entitled to ask questions at the inquest or be represented by a lawyer. Many relatives are daunted by the prospect of standing up at an inquest. We often represent them.

In preparing for the inquest we:

• Obtain copies of the deceased’s medical records
• Discuss any concerns you or other family members have relating to the death
• Prepare questions to be put to any witnesses giving evidence.

In cases of clinical negligence, the medical team who treated the deceased will be asked to give evidence and to be subject to cross-examination. If poor medical care is suspected before the inquest then it is important for you to be represented by a lawyer who is experienced in both clinical negligence and attending inquests. Information can come to light during the course of the inquest that can be of use in a subsequent medical negligence compensation claim.

Our expertise representing families at inquests

Our Clinical Negligence team regularly advises and represents families at inquests into deaths where medical negligence is suspected. We are usually able to provide initial advice and represent you at the inquest free of charge.

Examples of inquests where we have represented the family and subsequently succeeded in a clinical negligence claim are:

• A psychiatric patient who committed suicide by throwing himself under a train
• A mother suffering from postnatal depression who hung herself whilst being treated at a mother and baby unit
• A man who choked to death in a care home despite clear signage not to feed him solid food
• A wife who died as a result of an untreated ruptured aortic aneurysm
• A small child who died as a result of being given too much IV fluid
• A six month old baby who died from untreated meningitis
• A husband who died from untreated post-operative complications
• A husband subjected to experimental prostate cancer treatment (HiFU) without his consent, by a surgeon later struck off for providing HiFU cancer treatment for financial gain.

Clinical negligence investigation and compensation claims following an inquest

If the deceased died when receiving medical treatment and there are concerns that the treatment caused or contributed to the death, a clinical negligence claim may follow the inquest.

Our lawyers act particularly sensitively because of the stressful nature of bringing a medical negligence claim after the loss of a loved one. We make the process as easy as possible for you and to guide you through each stage of the investigation as the case progresses.

We have one of the longest established and experienced clinical negligence teams in the country. Our lawyers have a reputation for winning complex medical negligence cases and we have helped thousands of people claim compensation. The size of our clinical negligence team, and our breadth of our knowledge, means we are likely to have already succeeded in recovering compensation for clinical negligence claim that is similar in nature to yours.

• Our overriding aim is to protect your interests and achieve the most advantageous outcome for the long term
• We will make sure your case is fully investigated
• We will focus on your individual requirements. Giving a personal service and acting with sensitivity are important to us
• We will create a team of specialist independent medical experts and a barrister with expertise in dealing with cases similar to your case
• We will make things as easy as possible and guide you through each stage of the process
• We can help you find out why the hospital or GP surgery failed your loved one and ensure that the same thing does not happen to somebody else.

Useful links
The Coroners’ Society
Bereavement advice centre

Our accreditations

Our team has long been recognised and highly ranked by two of the most prestigious, independent guides to the legal profession ‘Chambers UK’ and ‘The Legal 500’.

We are also members of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and affiliated to Action against Medical Accidents.

A number of your team members have individual accreditations and recognition in the legal directories which you can view on their profiles.

Free initial consultation

Contact one of our team of specialist lawyers for a free, no obligation consultation. We will listen to the circumstances of your medical treatment and give you clear advice on the chances of your receiving compensation in a clinical negligence claim. If we think you have a claim, we can investigate your case using the financial security of a ‘no win no fee’ agreement.

Call us or fill in our short enquiry form and we will assess your potential claim.

We are highly ranked by two of the most prestigious, independent guides to the legal profession ‘Chambers UK’ and ‘The Legal 500’.

We can also help you find out why the system failed you and your loved one and prevent the same thing happening to somebody else.