Corporate Manslaughter Defence Solicitors - Manchester

If a fatal accident has occurred within your business, this can represent an extremely difficult and challenging time for your business and employees, particularly if you are facing charges for the incident. At Draycott Browne, our specialist team of Corporate Manslaughter Solicitors are able to provide you with specialist advice and are here to help minimise stress during the investigations and throughout any subsequent proceedings.

The consequences of corporate manslaughter can be serious for both individuals and businesses alike. Therefore, we advise any business facing changes of corporate manslaughter to seek legal advice from expert business crime solicitors as soon as possible.

Cases such as these can be extremely complex, and should only be faced with an experienced team of experts behind you. Our solicitors, specialising in corporate manslaughter, will draw on their extensive knowledge and expertise in this area to access the situation, provide you with expert advice and insights, and utilise all the information to compile a strong defence.

We have a proven track record in helping clients avoid prosecution so if you have had a fatality at work and are under investigation for corporate manslaughter, do not hesitate to seek legal advice from Draycott Browne. Call us today on +44 (0)161 228 2244.

What is corporate manslaughter?

As of 2007, The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act established a new offence that would hold companies responsible for fatalities at work. This is known as corporate manslaughter.

A fatality at work is considered corporate manslaughter when an individual has died due to an accident that could have been prevented, provided the correct health and safety features were put in place by management.

Cases of corporate manslaughter are investigated by the police in partnership with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Investigations will look closely at senior management and whether a lack of health and safety measures contributed to the fatality.

Interviews will be carried out and witness statements taken, to try and determine how well health and safety procedures have been implemented within your company and whether the fatality was as a result of any negligence or failings. Investigations will often focus on senior management and whether the company’s policies, or lack of them, were a contributory factor.

There is also the risk of individual prosecution, for example in cases of owner managed companies, where the defendant is involved in the daily running of the business.

Punishments for corporate manslaughter

The penalties for corporate manslaughter are varied and wide-ranging. They include:

• Unlimited fines - typically ranging from £180,000 up to £20 million pounds depending on the size of the business and the level of culpability. Companies now also have to provide their financial information so that any fine received has a real and tangible impact. Fines often go so far as to put a company out of business to stress the need for safe working environments.
• A remedial order - requiring the company to address and fix the cause of the fatality
• A publicity order - requiring a company to publicise its conviction and its terms to customers, shareholders and the general public

These penalties can be given to an individual or a company as a whole. Due to the seriousness of the above penalties, it is imperative that you and your business seek advice and representation from experienced solicitors as soon as possible.

How we can help

Our solicitors pride themselves on dedicating their time to provide clients with the best possible advice and representation. We will help you throughout the following processes:

• Receiving enforcement notices
• Attending interviews
• Responding to disclosure requests
• On-site investigations
• Inquests into the case
• Court proceedings

We will employ our significant technical expertise, not only to ensure you have the best defence possible, but also to provide advice and guidance of health and safety issues and your responsibilities as an employer. We can help you to ensure that your business is operating in compliance with the law to prevent further accidents or fatalities.

We have the experience and comprehensive knowledge to represent you and have a proven track record in this area. We will provide you with in-depth legal advice and take great pride in our dedication to working towards a successful conclusion for all our clients. We will work diligently on your behalf to secure the best result.