My dad’s death is being investigated by the coroner’s office. He died on the table when he was having surgery. We have just been told there is going to be an inquest in a couple of months. I am worried because we do not really understand much about court. We want to be able to ask questions of the hospital staff to find out what happened. Do we need a lawyer to help us with this?
Lawyer Answers (1): Answers from lawyers are general preliminary responses. They are not formal legal advice and cannot taken account of all your circumstances. They do not create a lawyer–client relationship.
Answer by Pearl Beaumont, Sydney 2024 NSW
- There is no requirement for you to have a lawyer represent you at a coronial inquest. You can represent yourself at the inquest and ask questions of the witnesses.
- If you are self-represented then you can ask for help from the lawyer assisting the coroner. In most jurisdictions (states and territories) this lawyer will be at the inquest. They can give you general advice about process and what the main issues are that are being investigated. Remember that they are not there to represent your interests.
- If you feel unsure or do want someone to represent your interests at the inquest then you should speak to a lawyer. If may still be a good idea to talk to a lawyer even if you want to represent yourself. A lawyer can give you some advice about how you can prepare for the inquest and could also help you to prepare some questions for the witnesses.