Inquest Solicitors

What is the purpose of an Inquest?

An Inquest is held where there has been:

• A violent or unnatural death
• An unknown cause or death
• A death in custody or state detection

The Coroner has four questions to decide:

• Who died?
• When they died?
• Where they died?
• How they died?

Do I need a solicitor?

Coroners' courts are unique to the court system in that it is run by the Coroner and it is the Coroner who decides what evidence to call and it is the Coroner who initially asks the witness questions. As a result, solicitors are not always required.

However, if the intention is to sue for compensation then the assistance of a solicitor can be essential.  An Inquest is an opportunity to test the evidence and an opportunity to examine witnesses directly. This is essential if you are going to take a difficult case further.

Funding and Costs

We like to have an initial discussion over the telephone. If we both feel that there is a potential claim then we will undertake the Inquest on a "no win, no fee" basis with the only cost to you being incidental expenses, usually travel, but could include expert fees.

If there is no potential claim then we will give you a fixed fee estimate once we know how many witnesses there are and what documents need to be considered.