Can I Claim Compensation If Someone I Knew Took Actos?

Getting compensation on someone else’s behalf can be difficult in some cases. It will depend on the individual circumstance. If they have passed away then this could be easier as they will obviously not be able to make the claim themselves. Any money that is awarded would be added to the estate of that person if they have died and will have to be distributed. If they are still alive, then they would have to claim the compensation themselves unless they were incapable of doing so. This may apply if they were a child or too unwell to make a claim. It may also be able to be done in the case of an elderly person.

Compensation for Yourself

If someone close to you such as a spouse, parent or child has passed away from an illness that you feel was caused by Actos, then you could claim compensation for them. You may be able to claim back medical expenses, other costs and loss of earnings. You could not claim compensation for their suffering but you may be able to claim it for yours.

If the person is still alive, then any compensation will go to them rather than you. Even if you have suffered as a result of their illness, you would not normally be able to claim any compensation for yourself. If you are close to that person then they may want you to have some money, but it would be up to them to distribute it to you once it was given to them.

Compensation for them

If a person is unable to make a compensation claim themselves, then it is possible for someone to do it for them. This could perhaps be a child, who will probably still have to have a medical examination. It would be unlikely that you would be seeking compensation for a child in an Actos case though, but you could be doing so for someone who is elderly or too unwell to proceed themselves. In these cases they will need to have a medical examination and they may also need to make a statement. If the case went to court, they may have to attend the hearing. Any compensation would be paid to them and not you though.

So it is possible to claim compensation on someone else’s behalf. This would usually only happen if they were too unwell to make the claim themselves, deceased or under the age of 18. If they were deceased the compensation would go in to their estate and if they were not then they would get the money, rather than the person making the claim.

It is best to discuss this sort of thing with a lawyer. They will be able to tell you whether you are entitled to make a compensation claim, how much you might get, the chances of winning and who the money would be paid to. You will then be able to decide if it is worth while.