This guide will explain finding a fatal accident solicitor to handle your fatal injury claim. If you have lost a loved one as a result of negligence, then you could be entitled to claim compensation.
Fatal accident solicitor guide
If someone passes away due to negligence, then a claim could be made for the pain and suffering that they experienced. Furthermore, a claim could consider the way that the death has impacted the surviving relatives.
Examples of fatal accidents that could be grounds for a claim could include:
- A fatal accident at work
- Fatal road traffic accidents
- Fatal accidents in public places
Why Choose A Fatal Accident Solicitor?
If we appoint a solicitor from our panel to work on your claim, they can value it accurately. The fatal injury solicitor will act on your behalf to ensure you receive the right compensation. So please get in contact to see if you can start.
- Call 0333 000 0729 to speak with an advisor
- Make an online enquiry
- Use the Live Support widget to ask about claiming
Select A Section
- What Is A Fatal Accident Solicitor?
- Should I Choose A Specialist Fatal Accident Solicitor?
- Who Could Make A Fatal Accident Claim?
- Should I Choose A Solicitor Close To Me?
- How Much Could Be Claimed For A Fatal Accident?
- Talk To Our Expert Team About Choosing A Fatal Accident Solicitor
What Is A Fatal Accident Solicitor?
If someone dies because of an accident another party caused as a result of a breach of duty of care, then this could be grounds for a compensation claim. For example, in order to claim for a fatal accident at work, you would need to show that he death happened as a result of a breach of duty of care.
The Law Reform Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1934 allows a deceased person’s estate to make a fatal accident claim for the pain and suffering they experienced before they died. Moreover, the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 (FAA 1976) allows the dependants of the deceased to make a claim for the way the death has affected them. This could include a bereavement award, for example.
If we appoint a solicitor from our panel to work on your claim, they may be able to offer you a No Win No Fee agreement. This is a kind of agreement that could allow you to access their services without any upfront payments.
In order for you to claim compensation, you will need to show that the incident occurred because of negligence. Negligence is when someone breaches the duty of care that they owe you, and this causes you to be injured. The duty of care you are owed could vary depending on the circumstances you’re in.
If you would like to see whether you have a valid case, speak with a member of our team. If you do, then you could be connected with a No Win No Fee fatal accident solicitor from our panel.
Should I Choose A Specialist Fatal Accident Solicitor?
A specialist fatal accident solicitor will have an understanding of all the factors that could affect your case. For this reason, working with one could be beneficial as they will be able to make sure that all aspects of the claim are covered.
Below, we look at some of the payments that could be included in a fatal accident claim:
- Compensation for the pain and suffering of the deceased. The estate of the deceased can claim for the pain and suffering the deceased experienced. They can also claim compensation for the dependants; in fact, for the first 6 months, they are the only party that can do this. If 6 months pass and a claim has not been started by the estate, then the dependents can pursue their own claim for how the death has impacted them.
- Dependency payments. This could include financial dependency where you experience a loss of the deceased’s financial contributions, loss of services if you depended on the deceased to carry out services (for example, DIY or picking children up from school)
- Loss of consortium. This can also be referred to as “loss of a special person”. It can take into account factors such as the loss of companionship, love, support and sexual relationships.
If you would like to know if you have a valid claim and, if so, how much it could be worth, speak with a member of our team today. You could be connected with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel.
Who Could Make A Fatal Accident Claim?
According to the Fatal Accidents Act, only certain relatives are entitled to make a claim for how the death of the deceased has affected them. These parties are known as dependents.
A dependant could include a:
- Husband or wife (or former husband or wife)
- Civil partner (or former civil partner)
- Anyone who was living with the deceased as a spouse before their death and had been doing so for 2 years prior to the death
- A parent or other ascendant of the deceased, or anyone the deceased treated as their parent
- A child of the deceased or someone that the deceased treated as their child (including stepchildren and ex-stepchildren)
If you would like to know your eligibility to claim, chat with someone on our team today. They could provide you with a fatal accident solicitor from our panel.
Should I Choose A Solicitor Close To Me?
If you pursue a claim, you do not have to use the services of fatal accident solicitors near you. Because your solicitor can handle your claim remotely, you don’t have to meet in person. One of the skilled solicitors from our panel can offer a nationwide service in relation to managing claims.
If you would like to claim compensation after losing a loved one, please contact us today to enquire. If you do have a valid claim, you could be connected with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel.
How Much Could Be Claimed For A Fatal Accident?
We have included compensation brackets in the table below, based on guidelines provided by the Judicial College. . These guidelines are used to value physical and psychological injuries in personal injury claims. They can also be used to value fatal accident payments for the pain and suffering of the deceased. Please use the table below to see how much fatal injury compensation you could claim.
| Injury Or Harm Causes | Payout Amount | Notes On This Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Death - with add-on | Up to £550,000 or more | The figure could include compensation for suffering and pain suffered by the deceased before their death. Could also include dependents' losses. |
| Brain Damage/ Head Injury | £282,010 to £403,990 | Severe brain damage which leaves the person with little to no meaningful response to their environment. The person will require full time care. |
| Brain Damage/ Head Injury | £291,070 to £282,010 | Moderately Severe - Brain damage and injuries leaving the person with a serious disability. They are dependent on care from other people. |
| Tetraplegia (Paraplegia) | £323,600 to £403,990 | Compensation could include damages for factors such as how old they are, how long they will live and what pain they experienced. |
| Paraplegia | £219,070 to £284,260 | The person has become dependent on how old this person is and how independent they are. |
| Psychiatric Damage - Severe | £54,830 to £115,730 | The person will experience serious levels of disability. The person faces problems with work, education and relationships. |
In addition, you could be eligible to receive the following payments:
- A dependency payment.
- A bereavement award, which is £15,120; this can only be awarded to certain qualifying relatives. This will be divided if more than one eligible party claims this amount.
- Payment for the deceased’s funeral costs.
Claims for wrongful death can be complex. This means that if your claim does succeed, the compensation payment you receive may vary or include different payments than the ones outlined above. Please call our helpline to talk to a team member for a free assessment of your case.
Talk To Our Expert Team About Choosing A Fatal Accident Solicitor
If you choose to work with a fatal accident solicitor from our expert panel, you could be offered a No Win No Fee agreement. Working with a solicitor under a No Win No Fee agreement can offer benefits, including generally not having to pay a solicitor’s fee before or during the claims process.
Furthermore, with this kind of agreement in place, you won’t have to pay your solicitor for the work they have done at the end of the claim if you’re not awarded compensation. If you do receive a settlement, then your lawyer will take a legally capped percentage of your compensation.
Please call Legal Helpline today to see if you can claim. If you meet the criteria to pursue a valid compensation claim, we will assign an experienced solicitor from our panel to work on your claim.
- Speak to an advisor, call 0333 000 0729
- Complete our online enquiry form
- Chat with our team using the live support widget.
Related Fatal Injury And Accident Claims
You may find the following relevant information if you wish to claim fatal injury compensation.
Hospital negligence resulting in death claims guide
Death and fatal motorbike accidents claims guide
Claiming for wrongful death caused by medical negligence
A government guide to registering a death
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Please get in touch with Legal Helpline today to ask us about finding a fatal accident solicitor to help you.
Written by HC
Edited by FS
