Road Safety Week: 21st - 27th November 2011
A fatal accident is a huge problem for a family and a delicate time emotionally and often financially. So, here is out guide to claiming compensation after a fatal accident.
A fatal accident can have huge repercussions for a person’s family and their loved ones. Obviously the following period is a delicate one and the idea of compensation is one that may be far from the minds of the grieving party; however in many cases a compensation claim can be essential for financial stability and needs to be made out of necessity.
The other reason for a claim is to get to the root of what happened. This brings people comfort and to an extent closure on what happened to cause the accident and so, peace of mind. Claims should always be handled with care and all sides should be respected by solicitors during this delicate time.
After an accident you should be aware that not everyone in a family is entitled to claim after a person’s death. Dependents and close family are the only ones by law entitled to make a claim.
These are generally the wife/ husband or co-habitué of the deceased and the children, all of whom were dependent on the person’s wages or care. People who were guardians or were guarded by the deceased are also able to make a claim.
When making a claim; it is divided into two different parts, the deceased person’s claim and the dependent’s claim.
If an act of negligence is the cause of death then it is possible to claim. To claim you should get in contact with your solicitor, or a solicitor in the personal injuries claim area. These solicitors will then take some details and begin looking into the claim and whether there is a case and cause for the unfortunate fatality.
Claims can be made for suffering of the deceased, though if they died instantly or never regained consciousness this repatriation will be minimal. Hospital bills, medical costs and funeral expenses can all be claimed for, as can loss of financial support. This is the total amount of money the deceased would have supplied to the family and doesn’t include money spent by the deceased on themselves. You can also claim cost for services the deceased would have often carried out, such as for childcare, DIY and gardening.
Statutory claims can be made by parents of the deceased for things such as the cost of the funeral. However none of the above is set in stone. All claims are treated with a degree of care, though each claim is treated as an individual claim and so compensation is treated with this in mind.
People who run their own business, directors and professional persons who work for themselves may have particularly complex cases due to more complex financial dealings.
However, the first step is to call your solicitor and to get the assistance you need when dealing with such a claim.
To make people more aware of road traffic accidents and some consequences - sometimes irreversible - there is Road Safety Week which will take place at the end of November.
Some people can tell their story and the impact on their life: a complete change. Nick's story shows the consequence of a collision.
... I pay every day for taking the stupid risk of overtaking blind. My life has altered dramatically, all because of the decision I took that day...
