Coroners are independent legal officers who investigate the cause of death. They will make the necessary enquiries to find out the cause of death, which may include ordering a post-mortem examination, obtaining witness statements and medical reports.
What Is A Coroner’s Inquest?
Death inquests are not held every time someone dies but where a death has taken place in custody, was sudden, violent or unnatural or where the cause of death is uncertain.
A Coroner must investigate death in his/her jurisdiction if there is reason to suspect that:
- The death is violent or unnatural
- The cause of death is unknown
- The death occurred whilst the deceased person was in custody (such as a prison, police cell or psychiatric hospital)
There are many different situations in which a death can be reported to a coroner, for example:
- A doctor did not treat the person during their last illness
- A doctor did not see or treat the person for the condition from which they died within 28 days of death
- There is a question of negligence about the treatment of the person who died
- They died before a provisional diagnosis was made and the general practitioner is not willing to certify the cause
- The patient died as the result of the administration of an anaesthetic
What To Expect If You’ve Been Invited To Attend One
1. A Pre-Inquest Review
It may be necessary for the coroner to hold a hearing before the Inquest which the PIPs attend called a Pre-Inquest Review Hearing (PIR).
The purpose of this review is to determine problems before the inquest which will have an impact on how the hearing is held, for example, what issues the inquest will address (also known as ‘scope’).
Practical issues such as witness availability and time scale for the hearing may also be discussed. PIR hearings can be an important part of the inquest process as many of the important issues will be decided before the inquest hearing itself begins.
2. At the Inquest
The layout of Coroner’s Courts tends to look like an ordinary courtroom inside. The legal representatives will sit on benches facing the coroner who will be sat at the front of the room. Family members of the deceased will normally sit behind the legal representatives.
The Coroner will hear evidence from witnesses who attend at court and also may be read witness statements from witnesses who are not present. When a witness gives evidence the Coroner will begin by asking them questions, then the legal representatives for the PIPs are permitted to ask relevant questions to assist the Coroner’s enquiry.
Once the Coroner has heard from all of the witnesses, they can then call witnesses to address any concerns that have arisen that might give him/her cause for concern that there is a risk of additional deaths taking place in the same establishment or similar situations.
At the end of an inquest, a conclusion must be reached about the death.
Possible conclusions can include:
- natural causes
- suicide
- alcohol/ drug-related
- accident or misadventure
The inquest ends with the coroner/jury completing a Record of Inquest and reading out their conclusions, followed by the coroner giving his/her determination as to whether there will be a Report to Prevent Future Deaths.
How Our Solicitors Can Help You Prepare And Attend With You
For the relatives of someone who has died, dealing with the inquest can be stressful at an extremely difficult time.
If you have suffered the loss of a loved one, we can steer you through the Coroner’s Inquest with empathy and expertise, ensuring that you understand the Inquest process and the evidence heard so that you will come away knowing what happened to your loved one.
Our dedicated solicitors will be able to guide you every step of the way. This will involve:
- Legal representation at pre-inquest reviews and at the inquest itself
- Your lawyer liaising with the Coroner on your behalf and keeping you updated at all times
- Your lawyer keeping you informed in respect of timescales
- Your lawyer advising you about the process involved and easing any concerns or worries you may have
If you would like to learn more about the Coroner’s Inquest process and how we can help, please get in touch and let our professionals know about your medical negligence claim.
