By Chris Gillott, Sheffield Hallam Law Student
Attending an inquest for a loved one is difficult. We have the necessary resources to make sure you and your family get all the answers at this unfortunate time. SHU Law is here to help in circumstances where you may be already overwhelmed by what is happening and need assistance in navigating the inquest process.
What is an inquest?
An inquest is a formal investigation with the purpose of identifying the facts around someone’s death. This includes the deceased identity and facts amounting to their death. An inquest will be launched when there is reasonable cause to suspect that the death was due to anything other than natural causes and was violent or unnatural.
At the end of the inquest, a verdict will be decided. This essentially summarizes the death in one word. Amongst others, some examples may be accident, neglect, natural causes, or suicide. There may also be a narrative verdict where more explanation is required.
An Interested Person is someone who has the right to actively participate in the inquest proceedings, whether by virtue of relationship to the deceased, involvement in the circumstances of the death or at the discretion of the coroner. Family members are always interested persons, however non-family members may also be interested persons.
If you qualify as an interested party, we can.
If you are unsure whether you are an interested party or not, we can assess this with you.
You may qualify for legal aid, in the form of exceptional case funding. If you are unsure whether you are entitled, we can discuss this with you. However, SHU Law will represent and advise a properly interested person on a pro bono basis only asking that any third party expenses are paid for.
If you have any questions regarding an inquest or are interested in this service, please do not hesitate to get in touch. The earlier you reach out, the better. Please contact our offices on 0114 2256666 or email enquiries@shulaw.co.uk.