Ashtons Legal specialist asbestos team has collectively been acting for people with asbestos-related diseases for over 20 years. We have the expertise to deal with your case quickly and efficiently.
This means you can concentrate on the important things whilst we deal with your legal claim, safe in the knowledge that we are working to secure the compensation you deserve.
Some of our clients require specialist palliative care in our local hospices in the East Anglian region and further afield, and we always seek to recover these hospice fees as part of a successful civil legal claim.
If you are pursuing a legal claim with Ashtons Legal and you have been in receipt of day therapy in your local hospice, or you are pursuing a claim on behalf of a loved one who has spent time in a hospice receiving palliative and end-of-life care, then these costs may be recovered.
What do I have to do?
In order for your solicitor to recover these sums as part of the legal claim, you will need to let them know where treatment was provided, and we will write to the finance director at the hospice seeking details of the costs.
The financial details will then be included within the Schedule of Loss, and upon successful conclusion of the claim, a separate cheque will be provided to you or to your family to present to the hospice that cared for you or for your loved one.
Mesothelioma can be a debilitating illness, which is hard to treat and manage pain. It can therefore mean that palliative care at home or within a hospice setting is necessary in order to ensure quality of life and effective pain management.
Most UK hospices rely solely on charitable donations and since a leading case, Drake v Foster Wheeler Ltd [2010 EWHC 2010], all claimant solicitors who pursue mesothelioma claims seek to include within the legal claim an element of hospice fee recovery.
Usually, hospice care is provided in the hospice setting, but outpatient/hospice at-home treatment and therapies, including holistic therapy such as reflexology, aromatherapy and counselling, can be recovered as part of the hospice fee recovery.
In the last 12 months, our asbestos team have recovered over £20,000 in hospice fees.
Is there a cap on how much a hospice can recover?
Thankfully the courts have not disputed any of the sums claimed to date. There is currently no cap on the amount which can be claimed, but as with all claims, the claim must be reasonable and documented.
Can full hospice costs be recovered?
Unfortunately not. Most hospices are funded in part by the NHS. Only the non-NHS element of the funding, i.e. the charitable donation, can be recovered back for the benefit of the hospital.
Why would I want to recover hospice fees?
Many of our families and patients have decided that giving something back to the hospice is high on their agenda, especially when the care has been vital to the patient‘s comfort and wellbeing at the end of life.
Can a claim be brought if the hospice receives all of its funding from the NHS?
No, only the claim costs which are not funded by the NHS can be recovered.
On occasion, we have been unable to recover the cost where it is an NHS hospice providing care, but we will always seek to find out how each hospice is funded in every individual claim.
Can a claim be brought independently for a patient?
No. The claim can only be made by the person who suffered from mesothelioma or another asbestos disease or their representatives. The hospice cannot make a claim independently.
Will the solicitors contact the hospice when dealing with the claim?
Yes, all of our asbestos team are in regular communication with our local hospices and are active fundraisers throughout the year. In addition to our fundraising, we always seek to recover hospice fees whenever possible. Our team will deal with the requests and any paperwork taking away any worry for you or your family.
What do you need from me?
All we need is a signed authority, including the hospice name, and we will obtain all of the other information required.
Contact our asbestos disease and mesothelioma solicitors today
If you have any questions about recovering hospice fees or you would like to enquire about your hospice receiving training from our asbestos team, please enquire here.