FATAL ACCIDENT LAW AND PRACTICE: SEVEN WEBINARS TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND LAW, PROCEDURE AND PRACTICE

Fatal accidents claims are often some of the most challenging areas for the litigator.  Claims have to be investigated (and defended) with great care and sensitivity.  To add to the difficulties the law relating to damages is almost wholly based on case law. These webinars are aimed to give you a detailed knowledge of the law and practicalities of this difficult area.  The areas covered include, damages, limitation, drafting schedules, avoiding problems, damages in anticipation of death and the law and practice of the Coroners’ Court.

THE WEBINARS

Understanding the Law as to Fatal Accidents 2025  11th June 2025 Booking details available here

This webinar takes you through the essential elements you have to consider before you can advise whether a claim for fatal accident damages can be brought.

It covers:-

• The basic principles of fatal claims
• When can a fatal accident claim be brought?
• Who is eligible to bring a claim?
• Who is a dependant?
• The type of financial dependency that entitles a party to claim
• The difference between a Fatal Accident Act claim and a claim on behalf of the estate

Preparing a Schedule and providing evidence in a fatal claim 2025 18th June 2025: Booking details available here 

This webinar looks at the essential elements of a claim for damages in fatal accident litigation, considering all the information necessary to draft a credible schedule in support covering:

• Basic principles of the dependency calculation
• Claims for financial dependency
• Loss of a carer – the growing importance of claims for non-financial dependency
• Multipliers and periods of loss in fatal cases
• Bereavement damages
• Claiming injuries and losses of the deceased person prior to death
• Matters that are disregarded – the significance of Section 4 of the Fatal Accidents Act
• What a witness statement should contain
• Is expert evidence necessary?

Fatal accident claims: Ensuring everything goes right 2025: 27th June 2025: Booking details available here 

This webinar, looks at the potential problem areas of fatal accident litigation and considers how best to avoid them including:

• Limitation in fatal cases
• Matters that can bar a fatal accident claim
• Procedural matters on the issue of proceedings
• Witness statements and evidence in fatal cases
• Examples of professional negligence claims in fatal cases and how to avoid those pitfall

The key cases in fatal accident damages 2025: 3rd July 2025: Booking details available here 

The means of assessment of fatal accident damages is not set out in the Fatal Accident Act, but is set out in a series of cases.

Proper representation of a claimant depends on the lawyer knowing, in some detail, how the courts approach fatal accidents dependency.

This webinar looks at the key cases on the assessment of dependency claims and covers:

• Financial dependency
• Loss of a carer
• Loss of a partner
• Will the courts award damages for dependency following loss of a child?
• The type of evidence needed
• Section 4 and what matters are ignored.

Children and fatal accident litigation 2025: 8th July 2025: Booking details available here

This webinar looks at fatal accident claims brought on behalf of children and those cases where children are killed.

It considers:

• The relevant limitation periods
• The nature of dependency for a child claimant
• The position when the child is on the only claimant
• Issues relating to apportionment and approval
• Is it possible to bring a claim for dependency when a child is killed?

Damages in anticipation of death and damages for losses prior to death 2025: 15th July 2025: Booking details available here

This webinar looks at those issues relating to losses incurred prior to death,

Issues covered include:

• What is the nature of the claim if the claimant has a reduced life expectancy?
• How does the court calculate the multiplier for someone with a reduced life expectancy?
• The “lost years” claim
• The difference between lost year claims and fatal accident claims
• The Law Reform Act claim. Who can bring a claim for pain and suffering of someone who has subsequently died?
• Human Rights Act claims and fatal accident damages
• Criticism of the law and a (currently pending) appeal to the Supreme Court, including consideration of that decision should judgment be available before the webinar.

An Introduction to the Law  of the Coroner’s Court: 17th July 2025: Booking details available here

The webinar is an introduction to the role of the coroner and coroner’s inquest aimed at the lawyer involved in personal injury and clinical negligence litigation.

• Funding the inquest – With a detailed consideration of the case law relating to the recoverability of costs at an inquest, and the recoverability of inquests costs in cases subject to the fixed costs regime
• The role of the coroner
• The role of the inquest
• Representing the family at the inquest
• Particular areas of practice
  • Road traffic accidents
  • Accidents at work
  • Industrial disease
  • Clinical negligence
• The impact of the coroner’s hearing on civil proceedings

—