Coroner’s Inquests – Writing a Statement

Written by: Jade Nicolson

Reviewed by a Medico-Legal Expert

Last Reviewed:
May 2026

Coroner’s Inquests – Writing a Statement

A Coroner Inquest is an investigation into a death due to unknown, violent or unnatural causes; it is a fact-finding inquiry, not a trial. The inquiry is led by a Coroner, and seeks to investigate and explain who died, when and where they died and how they came about their death.

The role of a witness in a Coroner’s inquest is to assist the coroner in the conduct of the investigation, this might need to be in person or via a written statement.

A witness statement provides the coroner with important evidence to consider as part of their investigation. A thorough and well written witness statement means you will be better prepared to attend the inquest hearing, and it will be of greater assistance to the coroner.

When you might be asked to write a statement:

If you were involved in treating a patient whose death is being investigated by the Coroner, you may be asked to provide a witness statement to assist the investigation. Clinicians can be requested to write a statement for various reasons:

To detail your own direct involvement with the patient.
To provide an overview of the care and treatment provided to the patient. This may require you to detail reviews of the patient that you didn’t personally carry out. You should document these factually, taking the information from the medical records.
To address family concerns.
To summarise any organisational learning that has taken place following the individual’s death.

Writing a Statement

A statement prepared for a Coronial Inquest is a formal legal document and should always be written in a professional and reflective manner.

When writing your statement, remember that it will reflect your professional judgement, conduct, and credibility in relation to the events being investigated. A clear, factual, and well-written statement demonstrates professionalism and transparency. It also shows that you understand your responsibilities and are willing to engage openly with the inquest process.

Healthcare professionals are expected to act with honesty and integrity in all professional communications, as outlined in Good Medical Practice published by the General Medical Council. Statements must therefore be truthful, accurate, and written with care.

Before writing your statement, it is important to review all relevant information you have access to, to ensure accuracy. This may include medical records, clinical notes, observation charts and any relevant documentation. Preparing a timeline from the records can help present events clearly and logically.

Remember that being asked to provide a statement for a Coroners Inquest does not mean you have done anything wrong. In most cases, statements are requested simply to help the Coroner understand the circumstances surrounding a death.

Content and style of a Coroner statement

Statements are usually typed and on headed paper, and it’s important to note that your Trust or organisation may have a preferred structure, so it might be worth checking with the appropriate department if that is the case. In general, in a statement one should:

Clearly state the capacity in which you are providing evidence at the beginning of your statement. Most healthcare professionals give evidence as a professional witness (witness of fact), meaning you are describing what you personally saw, did, or said, rather than offering expert opinion.
Include the date in which you wrote the statement. Coroner statements should always be dated.
Focus on your own actions and observations. Avoid hearsay and second-hand information. The statement should factually describe the events, not trying to determine why they occurred. Determining the cause and circumstances of death is the role of the Coroner during the inquest.
Do NOT stray outside your area of expertise. Comments on areas which are not within your expertise can open you up to difficult questions in court.

Write clearly and concisely. Good practice includes avoiding unnecessary jargon, explaining medical terminology and writing in a way that can be understood by a non-medical audience.
Mention If something was not done, or where documentation is incomplete. Being open and transparent about the circumstances is important for maintaining professional credibility, and will ultimately aid the inquest, which is the main aim of this exercise. The GMC’s Good Medical Practice also states that healthcare professionals must be open and truthful in all formal reports and statements.
Include a “statement of truth”. This is a signed declaration confirming that the facts you have provided in your account are true to the best of your knowledge.
Keep a copy of the statement and any notes you made while writing it. Inquests can sometimes take place long after the events occurred.

Writing a statement for a Coroner can feel daunting, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the process. Here are some additional suggestions on the style and language one might expect in such a statement.

Use precise and factual language. Expressions such as “I think” or “probably” can create uncertainty. Being as precise as possible helps avoid confusion during the inquest and prevents the rise of further questions.
Be sensitive and empathetic. For example, refer to the subject of the inquiry by name, rather than as “the deceased” or “the patient”.
Write facts in chronological order, as they occurred. Use a format that is easy to follow, with numbered paragraphs, for example.

A well thought and written statement helps everyone

A badly written report risks the misinterpretation of events. If a statement is unclear, poorly structured, or missing key details, the coroner may misunderstand what actually happened. This could ultimately lead to incorrect conclusions about the circumstances of the death.

Incomplete or unclear statements may require clarification, amendments, or further questions. It might also mean that you could be summoned to give evidence in person to offer clarifications and for questioning.

This can unnecessarily slow down the inquest process and prolong the process for everybody included.