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Browne Jacobson home

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Services

Inquests and investigations

inquests and investigations

Mock inquest are you ready to give evidence?

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Find out about our claims, advisory, inquests and regulatory services

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Find out about the services offered by our dedicated health and social care team

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Coroners’ inquests into unnatural deaths involving health and social care organisations are on the increase. They are particularly stressful for individuals called to give evidence, with the cases being held in public and often in front of family members of the deceased.

We know that every case is different and our approach is tailored to your requirements - inquests always require a combination of shrewd legal analysis and sensitive handling.

Our specialist inquest team advises on over 300 inquests per year, dealing with many complex and sensitive matters and has developed a nationally recognised expertise in the field of coronial law. Many of the witnesses we deal with are unfamiliar with the coroner’s court and have never given evidence before. We support them throughout the process, providing careful guidance on what to expect.

We have been working on behalf of public and private sector health organisations for many years, appearing before more than 50 different coroners across the country, lecturing nationally and hosting quarterly inquest and litigation forums.

what we do...

A total solution - we advise on related claims and policy issues, police investigations, Health & Safety Executive prosecutions and disciplinary action.
Review of statements to be sent to the coroner.
Advice on legal issues, disclosure of documents and likely determinations.
Advice on dealing with media and reputational issues.

Pre-inquest meetings with your people involved in the case.
Advocacy at the inquest and any pre-inquest hearings.
Assistance with responding to Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) reports.

related resources

Legal updates

EIDO healthcare consent review

Browne Jacobson are pleased to have worked in association with Eido to contribute to the Eido third edition Annual Consent Review including Supreme Court ruling in Montgomery, examine notable recent cases and discuss key learnings.

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Legal updates

Failure to cooperate with an inquest

The recent case involving Duncan Lawrence a clinical lead at Lancaster Lodge, a therapeutic community in South West London, highlights the importance of engaging with coroners and preparing well for any inquest.

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Upcoming webinars

Care Quality Commission and health & care regulatory update

Carl May-Smith will provide an update on CQC & Competitions & Markets Authority enforcement, a recent Tribunal decision on the registration of learning disability & autism services and the latest in CQC’s review of restraint, seclusion and segregation.

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Legal updates

Brexit – Workforce Implications within the Health Sector

The Health sector already has challenges with staffing shortages, with leading think tanks predicting that over the next five years, nurse and GP shortages will double and nearly treble respectively, without radical action being taken.

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View all

what our clients say....

what the directories say...

A source states: "They are both informative and thorough in providing advice on quite complex matters concerning defendant claims."

Chambers 2019

A client says: 'They deliver real added value. They don't just think about the legal problem before them but also the overall strategic issues.'

Chamber 2018

A client says: 'I wanted practical, clear advice, and that was what I got.'

Chamber 2018

Browne Jacobson LLP’s ‘knowledgeable, pragmatic and approachable’ group combines local government and social care expertise with its healthcare specialism to assist local authorities, NHS bodies, private sector providers and membership bodies for healthcare professionals with matters ranging from commercial initiatives and projects to inquests and regulatory work.

Legal 500 2017

Browne Jacobson LLP is a ‘highly competent healthcare firm that is excellent value for money’.

Legal 500 2017

They are a leading, one-stop-shop healthcare firm. They offer a whole range of services. Their out-of-hours support is very strong.

Chambers 2017

Thomas Armstrong, Ian Long and Sarah White are also recommended.

Chambers 2019

recent experience

Represented a hospital into the death of a woman from the “flesh-eating bug”, necrotising fasciitis. The patient had been admitted with intense pain in her elbow, which doctors attributed to an underlying rheumatic condition. The family alleged that an immediate diagnosis should have been made - we persuaded the coroner at the inquest that the treatment had been timely and earlier intervention could not have been possible.
We advised on an inquest involving an elderly lady in care who suffered injuries, haemorrhage and subsequent death after being dropped from a hoist by carers – we represented the care providers. The key issues related to safeguarding and a PFD implication. Whilst the policies and procedures of the care provider were scrutinised in detail, we successfully avoided a PFD notice and minimised media attention.
We advised on a high profile baby inquest in which considerable attention was placed on the medical management of the labour; multiple hospital witnesses were called to give evidence and high volumes of documentation were disclosed. The verdict was one of natural causes and critical comments via summing up by the coroner were minimised.