The legal process
Your step by step guide
If you have lost a loved one or have been injured or affected as the result of a road traffic accident, it can be very difficult to deal with legal matters at such an emotionally distressing time.
A specialist lawyer can guide and support you through the process. Please call us on 0330 013 0244 or 01704 546919.
Increase in Statutory Bereavement Award
The Statutory Bereavement Award is a fixed sum which is paid to parents of a child under 18 or to the widow or widower following the death of their married spouse or civil partner. This has increased to £15,210 thanks to The Damages for Bereavement (Variation of Sum) (England and Wales) Order 2020.
It only applies to deaths which occur after on or after 1st May 2020. Put another way, it is NOT retrospective so does not apply to deaths which occur before that date.
This fixed sum is separate from any other claims for financial losses which your Solicitor can advise you about.
Legal process
There are three legal aspects that cover a death in sudden circumstances.
1 Criminal proceedings
2 The inquest
3 The civil claim for compensation which may follow
It is vitally important that you always employ a lawyer that is appropriate to your needs. Always make sure that any firm you approach is accomplished in dealing with personal injury claims and specifically those involving serious or fatal injuries – this may also be referred to as a ‘PI lawyer’. Do not be afraid to ask for references and examples of work they have successfully presented.
Although SCARD does not recommend solicitors, we have extensive experience of working closely with Fletchers Solicitors and Natalie Mousavi an expert in fatal and serious injuries.
Thinking about how to pay for legal advice at a time when you least need the additional stress can be daunting. For this reason the civil side of the legal process can be funded through a No Win, No Fee agreement which means there is no financial risk to you and if you lose your case there is nothing to pay.
The Statutory Bereavement Award which is paid to parents of a child under 18 or to the widow or widower following the death of their married spouse has increased to £15,210 thanks to The Damages for Bereavement (Variation of Sum) (England and Wales) Order 2020. The previous award was £12,980 when the death occurred after 1st April 2013.
It only applies to deaths which occur after on or after 1st May 2020. Put another way, it is NOT retrospective so does not apply to deaths which occur before that date.
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We receive no funding and rely completely on the generosity of public donations. There 3,000+ people killed on the roads of the UK every year, and over 30,000 seriously injured. The bereaved and those who have been injured would greatly value your support in helping us to help them.
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