Inquest advice and legal representation for social care providers
Inquests can be very daunting for you and your team, particularly where staff are called to give evidence in the hearing.
A tailor made approach to inquest advice and legal representation
As a social care provider you may well become involved in inquest proceedings, whether directly in relation to the circumstances of the death or in giving evidence on wider issues.
Inquests can be very daunting for you and your team, particularly where staff are called to give evidence in the hearing. Issues are commonly raised which are potentially harmful to the reputation of your business. These issues require careful handling. You and your team will want guidance and reassurance, as well as clear legal advice.
Our inquest specialist can provide expert advice on all aspects of the inquest process and can offer support and pragmatic advice, whether you would like preliminary guidance on drafting witness statements for staff or legal representation in the hearing itself.
Tailoring our approach
We know that one size doesn’t fit all. We appreciate that some experienced providers may feel confident handling certain aspects of the process themselves. Others will request a more comprehensive service, guiding them through the inquest proceedings from start to finish.
We will tailor our service and fees to meet your needs.
How we can help you
We have experience in a wide variety of inquests, including complex Art II inquest hearings, and we can advise you on any aspect of the inquest process.
These are examples of typical areas we can help with:
- Advising on requests for disclosure of evidence
- Preparation of witness statement evidence
- Attending any pre-inquest review hearings to make preparations for the inquest hearing
- Offering guidance and support to you and your staff throughout the inquest process, which can otherwise be an unnerving and complex process
- Reviewing internal investigations and devising action plans and recommendations
- Advising witnesses in relation to attending an inquest
- Representation in the inquest hearing itself; advocacy in court, making submissions on your behalf, questioning witnesses
- Advising on Coroner’s Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) reports and making counter arguments to resist them being drafted, or to advise you on the reply to such a report.
- Advising on any related reports/inspections, e.g. CQC
- Guidance on dealing with the media
With some inquests it may not be necessary for you to have formal representation, such as if your business is not directly associated with the circumstances of the death. However, legal representation is strongly recommended for inquests where the hearing is likely to be lengthy or complex, or where the standard of care is in question.
As no two inquests are the same we would always suggest seeking specialist advice at an early stage so that you can be fully informed as to the steps you take from there.
We can do as little or as much as you need us to. In some cases you may require guidance on specific aspects, such as preparing witness statements for the coroner, or advice on your obligations to disclose certain documents. Alternatively, we can guide you through the whole process including the inquest hearing itself and undertaking the advocacy on your behalf.
The work involved will vary greatly depending on how you would like us to help.
We offer inquest advice packages, where we can speak to your team and explain what they can expect from the inquest process, from £450 +VAT.
Pricing for full inquest representation varies to reflect the complexity, length of inquest, volume of disclosure, number of witnesses, etc.
We will always tailor our fees to meet your needs and provide you with a transparent pricing structure so that you can choose the option that suits you best.
