The Team Around the Client Magazine

When someone dies unexpectedly or in circumstances that raise questions or concerns, families can be left navigating unfamiliar processes at a time of profound grief. Alongside the emotional impact of loss, there may be investigations, inquests or decisions about whether a civil claim should be pursued. Accessing clear information, compassionate support and specialist advice makes a meaningful difference during an otherwise overwhelming time.

This edition of Team Around the Client brings together a collection of articles focused on supporting families and those who work alongside them after the death of a loved one.

We look at the role of the Coroner’s Court and what to expect from attending an inquest, including answering some of the most common questions families ask before the hearing. We also explore wider investigatory processes, and the vital role these can play in understanding what happened, learning lessons and preventing future deaths.

We share powerful family stories that illustrate how the inquest process can uncover failures, provide answers and, in some cases, lead to important changes in care and safety. These experiences reinforce how individual cases can raise issues of broader significance, and why families’ voices are so central to accountability and learning.

Alongside this, we consider the options available where a death has been caused by negligence, including the types of loss that may be claimed and how financial compensation can help address practical needs, provide security and support families in rebuilding their lives. We also explore wider consequences of bereavement, including employment rights following the death of a loved one, an issue that is increasingly recognised but still often a source of confusion.

As with all editions of Team Around the Client, we are committed to highlighting the importance of working collaboratively around the families we support. We are pleased to share the work of charities and support organisations who provide specialist assistance to those affected by sudden, traumatic or work-related deaths, and whose contribution is invaluable.

Every family’s experience of loss is unique. Our hope is that this edition offers reassurance, clarity and practical insight – whether you are reading as a bereaved family member or a professional supporting others.

Ali Batchelor, Partner and Guest Editor of this Edition of Team Around the Client.

Beatrice Baskett is a barrister at St John’s Chambers, specialising in clinical negligence, personal injury and inquests. In this article she explains what happens when there’s a fatal accident at work and the processes which follow to understand what happened.

Becky Randel, Senior Associate in our Inquests team, supported Grace Horton and her family at the inquest into the death of her son Declan. Read about Grace’s story below.

Attending a loved one’s inquest hearing can feel incredibly daunting. We recognise that uncertainty about what will happen, and what is expected of you, can cause additional worry to an already difficult time. In this guide, Miryam Vermaat, brings together some of the most common practical questions families ask about attending an inquest in person, so you know what to expect and can feel as prepared as possible.

In this article, Hannah Blackwell, Clinical Negligence Partner, explores the growing call for a public inquiry into sepsis care in the UK. Drawing on her experience supporting families affected by fatal and life changing failures in sepsis treatment, she examines why systemic change is urgently needed and how an inquiry could help drive meaningful reform.

The sudden death of a loved one can have far reaching consequences, profoundly affecting the lives of those closest to them.
In many cases, individuals rely on one another for financial support and for assistance with everyday responsibilities such as childcare and domestic tasks. Where a death has been caused by the fault or negligence of another party, a fatal accident claim may help to address some of these difficulties, providing a measure of reassurance when most needed. Roisin O’Dubhlaoidh, sets out the type of losses which might be recoverable in a successful claim for compensation.

In this article, Jennifer Seavor, Partner in our Respiratory Diseases team, takes us through the specific and unique circumstances of recovering the cost of hospice care when bringing a clinical negligence claim.