Is it all change for bereavement damages?

It’s an unfair fact of life, but in the eyes of the law a married couple has far more protection than a cohabiting, unmarried partnership.

However, the case of Jakki Smith from Chorley in Lancashire has hopefully paved the way for a review of current legislation in relation to Bereavement Damages awarded to unmarried individuals. Currently, a fixed sum of £12,980 is paid out if a person dies as a result of negligence – but only to spouses or civil partners. Jakki Smith took the government to court for breaching her human rights in denying her bereavement damages after she had lived with her partner John Bulloch for 16 years. John died aged 66 in 2011 after an infection was missed by medics.

For more information about the case, visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-42152782