‘Someone has to make a stand’: widow’s battle for cohabiting couples – The Guardian
‘Siobhan McLaughlin’s case goes before supreme court as pressure grows to end legal inequality.’
The Guardian, 27th January 2018
Source: www.theguardian.com
Category: bereavement
Is the Smith case a step forward for the rights of cohabitees? – Family Law
‘The inability of long term cohabitees to claim the bereavement award in personal injury cases is incompatible with their human rights: this was the recent finding of the Court of Appeal in Smith (suing in her own right and as the surviving partner of John Bulloch, deceased) v Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and others [2017] EWCA Civ 1916.’
Family Law, 11th December 2017
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
Cohabiting partners should have same rights as spouses to claim bereavement damages – UK Human Rights Blog
‘Smith v Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust & Ors (Rev 2) [2017] EWCA Civ 1916. In a landmark decision handed down on 28th November 2017 the Court of Appeal ruled that cohabiting couples should have a right to claim bereavement damages, putting them in a position analogous to spouses and civil partners.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 30th November 2017
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Bereavement damages: Unmarried Chorley woman wins legal fight – BBC News
‘A woman has won her legal battle for better rights for unmarried people who lose their long-term partners.’
BBC Mews, 28th November 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
New right to paid leave for bereaved parents: A welcome move – Legal Futures
‘This year, like many in recent years, has seen some key changes within the employment law field, with the government, trade unions and lobbyists remaining endlessly engaged in seeking to impose their interpretation of fair balance between employers and their respective workforces.’
Legal Futures, 20th November 2017
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Official review backs ‘Hillsborough law’ proposals – The Guardian
‘An official review of the Hillsborough families’ 27-year ordeal since the 1989 disaster has recommended that bereaved families must have funding for full legal representation at inquests where public authorities are represented.’
The Guardian, 1st November 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
Connor Sparrowhawk mother attacks ‘barbaric’ treatment by tribunal – The Guardian
‘The mother of a vulnerable teenager who suffered a seizure and drowned in a bath at an NHS care unit has called for an overhaul of medical tribunals, saying she felt “retraumatised” after participating in a two-week hearing into her son’s death.’
The Guardian, 29th August 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
Underfunded and overstretched: the lawyers seeking justice for Grenfell – The Guardian
‘North Kensington Law Centre was the first in the UK to offer access to justice for the poor and vulnerable. Now fighting for financial survival, the tragedy on its doorstep has meant NKLC’s services are more in demand than ever.’
The Guardian, 24th July 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
Truth and Justice – Counsel
‘Arguably the most serious miscarriage of justice of our times – lessons must be learned from the iconic Hillsborough proceedings, writes Pete Weatherby QC.’
Counsel, November 2016
Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk
Judge bans widow from erecting gravestone saying her epitaph is “oversentimental” – Daily Telegraph
‘A judge has banned a widow from carrying out her husband’s dying wish to place a headstone at his grave saying her loving epitaph to him is “over sentimental”.
Daily Telegraph, 13th October 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Top police officer told to step down because he showed ‘unacceptable insensitivity’ to Hillsborough victims – Daily Telegraph
‘South Yorkshire’s most senior police officer was told to step down because he showed unacceptable insensitivity to Hillsborough disaster victims, his police and crime commissioner has said. PCC Alan Billings suspended Chief Constable David Crompton and on Thursday asked him to resign after he delivered a controversial statement following the Hillsborough inquest alluding to “other contributory factors” to blame for the deaths.’
Daily Telegraph, 30th September 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
How the 96 were finally given justice – Legal Voice
‘The Hillsborough inquest took two years and a million pages of evidence. Two of the lawyers involved explain that, despite the scale of the task, they were determined to put the deceased and their families at the heart of the case.’
Legal Voice, 22nd September 2016
Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk
High Court calls for change in bereavement law to benefit cohabitees – The Guardian
‘Under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 those who live together but are not married are not entitled to damages for bereavement. The High Court has found that though this did not directly engage the right to family life and privacy under Article 8, the difference in treatment between cohabitees and those who were married or in a civil partnership could not be justified and consideration should be given to reforming the law.’
The Guardian, 21st September 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Family of man who died after police Tasering receive payout – The Guardian
‘The family of a man who died after being Tasered by police while soaked in petrol have agreed to an out-of-court financial settlement.’
The Guardian, 18th August 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Housing needs and household members – Nearly Legal
‘This was a judicial review of a decision by Luton Council Housing Appeals and Review Panel not to offer Mr Jones a tenancy of the property of which Mr J’s late father was the tenant, but instead offer a one bed property.’
Nearly Legal, 7th August 2016
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Chief coroner calls for legal aid provision in state-involved inquests – The Guardian
‘Legal aid should be provided for families at inquests in which the government pays for lawyers to represent police officers or other state employees, the chief coroner has recommended.’
The Guardian, 25th July 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Grieving parents told to ‘not pick fight with the NHS’ – Daily Telegraph
‘The parents of a toddler who died after doctors missed signs of sepsis were told not to “pick a fight with the NHS, you will lose” when they questioned the quality of his care. The revelation emerged following publication of a damning report that accused the organisations responsible of being incapable of accepting their shortcomings in the case.’
Daily Telegraph, 19th July 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Baby ashes scandal prompts new crematoria laws – BBC News
‘New crematoria rules are being drafted after families were denied their baby’s ashes, the government has said.’
BBC News, 7th July 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Families hope for answers in Bristol review of hospital child deaths – The Guardian
‘The parents of young children who died on a controversial cardiac ward have spoken of their fears that they might not get the answers they crave ahead of the publication of an independent inquiry into their sons’ care.’
The Guardian, 26th June 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
