Losing a loved one is always a painful experience, but if their death was someone else’s fault it can be that much harder to cope with. Feelings of shock and anger may make the grieving process more challenging.
Our solicitors have helped families whose loved ones have died because of:
- Accidents at work
- Aircraft accidents
- Accidents abroad
- Asbestos-related disease
- Medical negligence
- Military injuries
- Road traffic accidents
If someone close to you has died as a result of someone else’s mistakes, we can help you access bereavement support as well as compensation for their wrongful death. We’ve represented many bereaved families over the years and will provide the support you need while treating your case with compassion and empathy.
Financial Support For Grieving Families
In England and Wales, a Statutory Bereavement Award is a fixed amount of compensation (currently £15,120) which the Ministry of Justice gives to certain relatives of a person who has died because of someone else’s mistakes. It could provide your family with financial support and acts as way of recognising that their death was wrongful.
You can claim the bereavement award in addition to any other compensation claim you might be making, and it could help cover:
- Funeral expenses
- The return home of your loved one’s body if they were abroad when they died
- Loss of earnings
The bereavement award can only be claimed by the following relatives of someone who has died:
- Husband or wife
- Civil partner
- Parent (if their child was under 18)
We believe that a major reform of the bereavement award system (part of the Fatal Accidents Act 1976) is long overdue, which is why we support organisations like the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) in their campaign to make the law fairer.
In addition to the bereavement award, there are two kinds of benefit you might be eligible for after the death of a spouse:
In Scotland, bereavement payments work differently to England and Wales – they’re treated on a case-by-case basis and aren’t restricted to certain relatives. This means that Scottish bereavement awards are often more generous than the equivalent would be in England or Wales. Our Scottish solicitors can offer advice and support if you’ve lost a loved one.
If you need support during the application process for the Statutory Bereavement Award or benefits, we’re more than happy to help. Please call us on 0800 056 4110 for expert advice.
Emotional Help For Bereaved Families
Counselling services can be just as important as financial support if you’ve lost a loved one. Having represented many families in tragic circumstances, our lawyers are familiar with the support available to you and will be able to help you access the care you need.
You can sometimes access bereavement counselling through your GP, so it’s always worth asking them about the availability of these services.
If your loved one had been treated by a hospice, they’ll often provide an excellent counselling service with support after bereavement.
We’re proud of our partnership with Cruse, the UK’s largest bereavement charity. Our solicitors also work closely with charities like Brake and Roadpeace, who offer help to families that have been bereaved by fatal road traffic accidents.
We work several charities that can offer you valuable support. These include:
How Can Irwin Mitchell Help?
Our Support and Rehabilitation team is made up of healthcare professionals with many years of experience helping families come to terms with fatalities, serious injury and bereavement.
After the death of a loved one you may need practical help and advice dealing with services which you could be unfamiliar with, such as:
- Benefits agencies
- Coroners
- The police
- Undertakers/funeral arrangements
- Wills and probate
We’ll help you make sense of these services and explain how they work and interact with each other.
We can act as a legal advocate for the bereaved in some circumstances, as well as supporting bereaved relatives and children.
Our team have experience in dealing with the Coroner’s Office, the department which investigates unusual or violent deaths. This includes:
- The inquest process
- Communicating with the Coroner’s officers (the staff in coroner’s courts that you will have most contact with before an inquest)
- The documentation aspects of the Coroner’s Court
We help grieving families seek answers and closure after a traumatic experience, taking great pride in our caring approach.
Contact Us For More Information On Bereavement Support
We understand the important role that bereavement support plays in the grieving process. We’ve helped many families who have been affected by the death of a loved one in traumatic, unexpected circumstances.
If someone close to you has died in an accident or because of industrial illness, please phone us on 0800 056 4110 or contact us online for more information on claiming compensation and the ways we could help you access bereavement support.
Virtual Event: Dying Matters Week Exploring different ways that people require support when grieving
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