Fatal Accident Claims — Dependency and Bereavement Compensation
Last reviewed: June 2026 · EA Personal Injury Solicitors
If a family member has died as a result of an accident caused by another party's negligence — at work, on the road, or elsewhere — you may be entitled to bring a fatal accident claim. Compensation covers the dependency losses of close relatives (financial and non-financial), the statutory bereavement award, and any losses of the estate. We handle fatal accident claims with sensitivity and professionalism.
TL;DR — Quick Summary
Key Points
- Fatal accident claims are brought under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 and Law Reform Act 1934.
- Dependants can claim for loss of financial support and services the deceased provided.
- The statutory bereavement award is currently £15,120 (spouse/civil partner or parents of minor).
- Three-year limitation period from date of death or date of knowledge.
- Claims can be brought by family members even if also pursuing an inquest.
- No win, no fee is available for eligible fatal accident claims.
The Legal Framework
Fatal accident claims are governed by two pieces of legislation, which are usually pursued together:
- Fatal Accidents Act 1976: Allows dependants to claim compensation for the losses they have personally suffered as a result of the death — the dependency claim and the bereavement award.
- Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1934: Allows the deceased's estate to pursue any cause of action the deceased would have had — including pain, suffering and loss of amenity experienced before death, and financial losses of the estate such as loss of earnings during the period between injury and death.
Who Can Claim?
Under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976, dependants who can bring a claim include:
- Spouse or civil partner
- Former spouse or civil partner (in some cases)
- Cohabitee who lived with the deceased for at least two years before the death as husband/wife/civil partner
- Children and other lineal descendants
- Parents and other ascendants
- Siblings, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews
The Dependency Claim
The dependency claim compensates dependants for what they have lost as a result of the death. This includes:
- Financial dependency: The net income the deceased would have contributed to the family over their expected remaining working life, minus the amount they would have spent on themselves (the "cross-check").
- Services dependency: The value of services the deceased provided — childcare, cooking, cleaning, DIY, gardening — that will now need to be paid for or provided by another family member.
Quantifying dependency requires actuarial evidence, employment evidence, and sometimes expert evidence on household services. We instruct appropriate experts to ensure the dependency is fully valued.
The Inquest
Where a death occurs in circumstances that may involve negligence, there will often be a Coroner's inquest. An inquest does not establish civil liability, but it can produce crucial evidence about the circumstances of the death. We can represent the family at the inquest — an important step in many cases — and ensure the evidence gathered supports the civil claim.
Instruct Us Promptly
Early investigation is important in fatal accident cases to preserve evidence, identify witnesses, secure CCTV footage, and obtain the accident report and medical records before they are lost or destroyed. We treat families with the utmost sensitivity throughout.