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Miss B and her two sisters were the daughters of Mrs P who had passed away. Mrs P’s Will left small gifts of money to her two executors and the remainder of her estate to charity. The Will was accompanied with a Statement under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, setting out Mrs P’s reasons for excluding Miss B and her sisters.
Miss B and her sisters had very real concerns about the circumstances in which their mother had executed her Will as it was during a period when she was very unwell and refusing to eat. They consulted us about challenging the Will on the grounds of lack of testamentary capacity and undue influence. They also wanted to make an inheritance claim under the 1975 Act.
Medical evidence was obtained which supported the fact that Mrs P had not been eating, suffered from anxiety and depression and had a tendency of blocking out her family members at such times.
There was also evidence that the Inheritance Act statements accompanying the Will were false and were unreasonably relied upon in excluding Miss B and her sisters, who had spent considerable time caring for their mother and trying to ensure she stayed well.
It was not necessary for us to commence court proceedings as a settlement was reached in negotiations.
Miss B and her sisters agreed to accept a global settlement which equated to roughly 25% of the net value of the estate.
This case underlines the importance of trying to negotiate a settlement of an inheritance dispute before commencing court proceedings, particularly where an estate has a modest value and could be consumed by legal costs.
It is also a further illustration of a successful Inheritance Act claim by adult children against their parent’s estate where those children have been specifically excluded from the will in favour of a charity.
If you are a son or daughter wishing to make an inheritance claim against mother’s estate then call us for a free case review on 0333 888 0409 or drop us an email.