Racism campaigners call for police watchdog to be abolished – The Guardian

‘Black families in the UK whose loved ones have died in incidents involving the police have called for the abolition of the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which investigates the police, and the immediate suspension of officers involved in deaths as part of a new plan to address systemic racism and unlawful killings.’

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The Guardian, 14th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Matt Hancock faces legal action from daughter of Covid-19 care home victim – The Guardian

‘Matt Hancock is facing legal action from the daughter of a man who died from Covid-19 in a care home in which the health secretary is accused of a “litany of failures” and misleading the public with his claim to have “thrown a protective ring” around care homes.’

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The Guardian, 12th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Appeal allowed against Strike out of Secondary Victim claims arising out of Clinical Negligence – St John’s Chambers

‘In November 2019 Master Cook had struck out the secondary victim claims brought by the Claimants as a result of witnessing the heart attack and subsequent death of their father some 14 ½ months after the alleged negligent omission of the Defendant Trust. This was on the basis that the claims were bound to fail on a strict application of binding authorities including Taylor -v- A. Novo [2014] QB 150 because the shocking event in question was not proximate in time to the breach of duty. In Taylor v A. Novo the Court of Appeal had dismissed a secondary victim claim where the claimant’s mother had been injured by a falling stack of boards due to the negligence of a colleague at work and had subsequently collapsed and died at home as result of deep vein thrombosis secondary to the accident. The claimant witnessed her mother collapsing at home but not the accident itself. Her claim failed on proximity because the death of the claimant’s mother was not the relevant shocking “event”, which was the accident itself, and so the control mechanisms were not satisfied.’

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St John's Chambers, 4th June 2020

Source: www.stjohnschambers.co.uk

Neville Lawrence: black people still second-class citizens in Britain – The Guardian

‘Father of Stephen Lawrence says police’s promises to change have not been met.’

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The Guardian, 9th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Belly Mujinga: CPS to review Covid-19 death of station worker – BBC News

Posted June 8th, 2020 in assault, bereavement, coronavirus, Crown Prosecution Service, families, news by sally

‘The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been asked to review evidence into the death of a railway worker who was reportedly spat at by a man claiming to have coronavirus.’

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BBC News, 5th June 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government facing legal action over policies on care homes during COVID-19 crisis – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 5th, 2020 in bereavement, coronavirus, government departments, health & safety, news by sally

‘A daughter whose father died of suspected COVID-19 in a care home is to launch a legal action “to hold the government to account”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th June 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Fatal Accident Claims by Jayne Adams QC – Ropewalk Chambers

‘The area of fatal accident claims is a wide one and, on occasion, a very complicated one. This handout and indeed the lecture which it accompanies is not intended to cover every aspect of such claims. To do so would take too much time and would, in any event, fail to cover every eventuality.’

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Ropewalk Chambers, 19th May 2020

Source: www.ropewalk.co.uk

Indefinite Leave to Remain as a Bereaved Partner – Richmond Chambers

Posted June 2nd, 2020 in bereavement, coronavirus, immigration, married persons, news by sally

‘Daily reports of death during the Covid-19 pandemic has made many of us think about loved ones, how to protect them and the implications of life without them. If your leave to enter or remain is dependent on a relationship, what does happen if a partner passes away? The Immigration Rules in fact provide a route for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) as a bereaved partner. In this post we look at the requirements.’

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Richmond Chambers, 22nd May 2020

Source: immigrationbarrister.co.uk

Family of Harry Dunn to bring private prosecution against Dominic Raab – The Guardian

‘The family of Harry Dunn, the 19-year-old killed on 27 August last year after being hit by a car driven by the wife of a US intelligence officer, intends to bring a private criminal prosecution against the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, the Guardian has learned.’

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The Guardian, 28th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Dealing with estate administration – Family Law

‘It is the job of Executors (appointed under a Will) or Administrators (entitled by law where there is no Will) to deal with administering the estate of someone who has died.’

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Family Law, 22nd May 2020

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Bereaved families seek ‘justice’ for UK victims of coronavirus – The Guardian

Posted May 12th, 2020 in bereavement, coronavirus, families, ministers' powers and duties, news by sally

‘Bereaved British families whose relatives died because of Covid-19 have formed a group to campaign for justice, demanding that the government accepts its failures may have contributed to their deaths.’

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The Guardian, 11th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Dying surrounded by family ‘a fundamental right’ says UK judge – The Guardian

‘Being allowed to die surrounded by your nearest relatives is a fundamental part “of any right to private or family life”, a senior judge has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 5th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Make bedside oral wills legal during pandemic, UK campaigners urge – The Guardian

‘Oral wills should be made legal during the coronavirus pandemic in the same way that they are permitted in times of war, say campaigners.’

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The Guardian, 2nd May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Errol Graham death: Judicial review move over DWP policy – BBC News

‘The family of a mentally ill man who starved to death after his benefits were cut have applied for a judicial review of government policy.’

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BBC News, 1st May 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Yousef Makki death: inquiry into Greater Manchester police dropped – The Guardian

‘A watchdog has dropped its misconduct investigation into Greater Manchester police’s handling of a case involving the death of a schoolboy in Cheshire.’

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The Guardian, 30th April 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Health Records and the Deceased – Panopticon

Posted April 23rd, 2020 in bereavement, confidentiality, data protection, families, medical records, news by sally

‘The Access to Health Records Act 1990 is an oft-overlooked member of the information rights family, but it can have a useful role to play. In the case of Re AB [2020] EWHC 691 (Fam) (Re AB) it was important because the applicant was the personal representative seeking the health records of a deceased sibling; precisely the sort of territory to which data protection law does not apply.’

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Panopticon, 23rd April 2020

Source: panopticonblog.com

Baby deaths scandal ‘could be one of largest in history of NHS’ – The Guardian

‘Hundreds more cases of baby deaths, stillbirths and brain damage raising “very serious” concerns have been uncovered in a scandal that now threatens to be one of the worst in the history of the NHS.’

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The Guardian, 21st April 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Met police face legal action over death of PC Keith Palmer – The Guardian

Posted April 21st, 2020 in bereavement, codes of practice, families, inquests, negligence, news, police, terrorism by sally

‘The Metropolitan police are facing legal action over the death of PC Keith Palmer, murdered during a terrorist attack on parliament.’

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The Guardian, 20th April 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Grenfell Tower inquiry could resume by Zoom videolink – The Guardian

‘The public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower disaster could resume in virtual form with evidence taken by Zoom videolink, its senior legal adviser has told bereaved people and survivors.’

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The Guardian, 21st April 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Unmarried partners still missing bereavement payments – BBC News

‘Means-tested payments of up to £10,000 are made to parents whose husband, wife or civil partner has died.’

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BBC News, 3rd March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk