When it comes to fatal accident claims there are a number of possible avenues you can go down to claim the compensation and support you deserve following the death of a loved one. It can be quite challenging knowing what you can do amidst the pain of a bereavement as well as the uncertainty around legal terms which is why we have created this article to explain several options.
Here are some of the options available to you for making a fatal accident claim…
The Options for a Fatal Accident Claim
The term ‘fatal accident claim’ may seem like a simple claim option but it is in fact a complex process of receiving compensation. Every fatal accident is different and so are the options for making a claim. There are a number of different factors that determine what claims can be pursued and how much is awarded. For example, some types of fatal accident claims can only be awarded if the claimant had a particular relation to the deceased at the time of their death. Regardless of these factors, any such claim is reliant on whether the claimant was a dependent of the deceased and only if the accident was a result of error or negligence on the part of another person.
When you first approach a solicitors firm to discuss your case, they will explore the circumstances surrounding the death, your relationship to the deceased, and why compensation would be a suitable and supportive acknowledgement of your unlawful loss. Information such as this is important for establishing what options are available and what options are not possible.
One of the first options to consider is how much pain and suffering has been caused as a result of the accident and how it affected their quality of life. For instance, if the deceased received an asbestos-related disease, this compensation option would take into account the pain and suffering during their lifetime with the disease.
Compensation is not just about providing claimants with justice but it’s also extremely helpful in easing the financial burden, which brings us on to the next claim option. If the death didn’t occur suddenly but rather after a sustained period of time, then certain fees will have been affected by this. Compensation may be awarded to cover medical costs, cost of care and loss of earnings. It will also award other amounts where reasonable expenses may have been required as a result of the accident.
The next option to think about is the bereavement award, a statutory compensation claim that we have long believed to be outdated and unjust. The award is only eligible for spouses or parents of the deceased, which means that there are too many unfair situations of people being unable to claim. The award currently provides damages of £12,980 no matter how the death came to be.
Similar to one of our previous points, there are other expenses that can be aided with a successful compensation claim. When a death has suddenly occurred with no prior warning, funeral expenses can be even more difficult to manage. It’s possible to claim back these expenses with a fatal accident claim.
The last option we would like to mention is a dependency claim. This type of claim highlights how impacted a person has been as a result of the loss of life. It provides compensation damages to claimants who were dependent on the deceased in various aspects of their life. The damages are calculated based on a number of elements including loss of income, loss of pension provision and loss of contribution to household activities.
Get Advice from Experienced Solicitors
If you feel you would be eligible for one of the above options or would like to know more about the help you can receive following a fatal accident, you can get in touch with a qualified law firm. We are an experienced team of solicitors who specialise in fatal accident claims. We can offer free advice no matter how small or large your query is and we can attend an inquest hearing on your behalf. Contact us today to find out more about the support that is available to you.