Fatal Accident Claims

If a loved one has died because of an accident you may also be considering seeking legal advice with respect to bringing a claim. If so it is important you choose solicitors who are experienced in this area. We know that money can never bring our loved ones back however at Waldrons our solicitors have dealt with a significant number of fatal accident cases, recovering millions of pounds on our clients behalf, giving them the necessary financial protection they need as they look to a future without their loved one.

If a relative or loved one has died because of an accident it is possible to bring a claim for compensation if it can be proven the injury which caused the death was due to the negligence of another.

What can be included as part of any fatal accident claim is complex and depends on a number of factors such as the age of the deceased, their relationship status, whether they had any children and income at the time of death. Our specialist solicitors will guide you through who can make a claim and what for.

By way of general example, if you relied on a loved one’s income you can seek to include loss of future income in any claim. Similarly, if you relied on a loved one for services they provided again loss of those services can be included.

Each claim has to be considered individually though and that’s why it’s important to get the right advice from solicitors experienced in handling such cases.

The law recognises that certain classes of people can bring what’s called ‘dependency claim’ arising out of the death of a loved one if the person was dependant on the loved one. Those who can bring a dependency claim include:

• Spouses (including those who have divorced and had their marriages annulled)
• Partners who had cohabited for at least 2 years at the time of the incident
• Civil partners or (formal civil partner)
• Children (including step children)
• Siblings
• Parents (or those treated as a parent)
• Grandparents

Our personal injury department is ranked highly in the prestigious legal directory Chambers & Partners demonstrating our expertise in this area.

If a loved one has died because of an accident it is important you receive the right advice from the outset regarding; who can bring a claim, funding, prospects of success, interim payments and potential value of any claim, so you know generally what to expect. In many fatal accident cases we work closely with experienced barristers who are also there to guide you through the process. It is important you feel comfortable with the solicitor dealing with your case and we ensure our solicitors are professional and knowledgeable but also friendly and approachable.

We know you may be worried about contacting solicitors or making a claim but please let us take some of the worry away from you so that you can try and focus on coming to terms with what happened.

We offer free initial advice and are happy to visit you at home or anywhere else you feel comfortable. Please click here if you’d like to speak to one of the team.