Claims arising from the death of a loved one can be the most difficult claims for us to deal with and no amount of money can compensate for such a loss.
There are limitations on the compensation which may be claimed under civil law. It will not, in most circumstances, include any element of punishment for the defendant, which is dealt with by the criminal law.
In many cases, claimants feel that they want the guilty party punished for their actions, and are disappointed when their civil claim does not have this effect, particularly if no action has been taken under criminal law.
It is important to be aware of this limitation from the outset, as it can often add to the grief and distress suffered if a claimant is bringing a claim with false hope in this regard.
There are also limitations to what can be claimed for arising from a death, and the people who can make a claim. There are essentially three types of claim which may be made:
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A claim on behalf of the deceased’s estate for losses suffered. This will include such things as funeral expenses (if paid for by the estate), damage to any property (such as a bike or car that was damaged in the incident) etc.
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Bereavement compensation. This is compensation set by statute and is a fixed sum, currently £15,120.00, which may be claimed by the wife or husband of the deceased, or the parents if the deceased was a child under 18 years of age. In 2020, a “Remedial Order” was made, also allowing a co-habiting partner the right to claim.
- Dependency: where the deceased has left people who were financially dependent upon him/her, e.g upon the deceased’s income from work or a pension.
This is only a brief summary of the things that can be claimed and it is important that your claim is discussed in depth to ensure that all of the relevant factors are taken into account.