15 Year Old Girl Left Traumatised

Mum takes legal action after 15 year old girl is left traumatised by Glenbrook Funerals.

Nottingham law firm, Nelsons is acting on behalf of Miss Ria Boyington, now 16 years old of St Annes, Nottingham, in a claim for psychological injury against Aspley-based Glenbrook Funerals Limited after she witnessed the smell of her father’s decaying body which had been left in a room without refrigeration for three days.

The firm received instruction to act for Ria by her mother, Mrs Susan Paul, and started pre-action proceedings by sending a letter of claim to Glenbrook Funerals Limited on 21st January 2008.  Representing Ria in the case, partner and personal injury specialist at Nelsons, Lisa Preece says:

“Ria was left severely traumatised by her experience and as a result has suffered a severe psychological reaction which has resulted in physical as well as psychological symptoms.  She is receiving on-going counselling and is suffering with headaches, weight loss and sleeplessness.” 

Ria’s father, John Boyington died on 29th September 2006 of a heart attack. Susan Paul made appropriate funeral arrangements for her husband with Glenbrook Funeral parlour.  Mr Boyington was laid out and on Friday 6th October, various family members visited the body to pay their last respects.

Other family members also wanted to visit the body but because they were told that the parlour would not be open at the weekend, arrangements were made for Ria, her 18 year old brother Jamie and other relatives to visit the premises at 1pm on Monday 9th October.  They entered the reception area and were immediately met by what they describe as an appalling stench.  Ria was advised by a representative of the funeral parlour not to view the body but Jamie and other family members did.  They were horrified to see that skin was coming off Mr Boyington’s face, there was fluid leakage from his neck, his eyes were black and the body was in effect rotting. 

Mrs Preece continues:  “It was clear to the family that the body had not been refrigerated and this was later acknowledged by both an employee (at the time) and a director of Glenbrook.  Various family members witnessed these admissions but no formal liability has yet been admitted.

“We allege that Glenbrook Funerals Limited’s directors and employees breached their duty of care to the relatives and caused Ria’s injuries.   It would have been reasonably foreseeable that given the decaying state of the body, Ria and her relatives would fall victim to psychiatric injury by visiting the funeral parlour that day to pay their last respects. Consequently, Ria has a strong case to claim for damages and we will be actively pursuing the directors of Glenbrook on her behalf.  In addition, Jamie and other family members may also have a case to claim for personal injury.”

Commenting on the case, Susan Paul says:  “My daughter and son have suffered an horrendous experience that has left them severely traumatised.  Ria can’t get the putrid smell out of her head.  While Glenbrook funeral parlour has acknowledged that they left my husband’s body laid out over the weekend when it should have refrigerated, we have not received an apology or an admission of liability.

“The directors of this home should be made to accept responsibility for their negligence and the suffering it has brought my family.  At the very least, they should have the decency to apologise for their mistake.  And without a doubt, they should be made to ensure that this never happens again.”