My son was riding his bike along a dedicated cycle path, came around a bend and was thrown over the handlebars by an extended dog lead stretched out across the path. The lead was attached to a large dog halfway up an embankment, whilst its owner was sauntering along on the other side of the path. My son sustained a fractured collarbone and considerable damage to his bike. He is a self-employed gardener and is now unable to work due to his injuries. Can he get compensation from anywhere?

As couples get older it is likely that their financial landscape will change. They may have children and grandchildren, make plans for the future and share dreams for their retirement. All of those things will have a bearing on their finances, which they will want to safeguard as much as possible from the outset.

My wife and I are retired. We both have private pensions and we spent a great deal of time looking at the best way to finance our retirement and ensure we could still leave our children and grandchildren something when we pass. We didn’t think we would ever need to update our Wills again, but are now wondering whether we may need to look at this again, following the news that pension pot residue will be affected by the government’s alterations to inheritance tax legislation?

Sadly, my husband and I are separating. Even more sadly we have three children who are completely torn between their loyalty towards each of us. One day they want to live with me, the next day they want to live with their dad. We have even talked about them spending equal time with both of us and living between two homes. But can we even make that decision, or will the divorce court make the decision on our behalf about where the children live and how much time they spend with each of us?

Due to unfortunate circumstances my son had to be placed in Local Authority care. I miss him terribly and I know for sure that he will be missing me too, but I have not seen him for coming up to a year now. I have made enquiries several times with the Local Authority to ask if I can see him, but all my requests have gone unanswered. I am now desperate to arrange a visit to see him and it is affecting my mental health. What can I do?

Just over two months ago my car was hit from behind by another vehicle as I slowed at a roundabout. There was very little damage to my car, and as the young driver who hit me was in a state of anxiety, I agreed not to make a claim – though we exchanged insurance details etc. 

My daughter, who lives with me, is currently subject to a Final Care Order. I recognise that in the past I suffered from mental health problems that affected my parenting skills, but I have had treatment and am now in a much better place and more in control of my life. My daughter was desperate to have a holiday abroad this summer as all her friends were going on overseas holidays with their parents, so I have booked for us to go on an overseas holiday later in the year. Now the Social Worker has told me that I cannot take my daughter with me. Can the Local Authority really stop me taking her on holiday?

My wife and I are getting divorced. Everything is perfectly amicable as we have just drifted apart due to work commitments, different interests etc, and have virtually been living separate lives for the past two years. We plan to sell our home and just split everything down the middle, but my brother says we should still get a formal financial order from the court. Is this really necessary?

My aunt always told me she had left me ‘a good sum’ in her Will. I was her only niece, and we were extremely close as my mum, her sister, died when I was five. She had no children of her own and I spent every school holiday and many weekends with her. Her first husband died leaving her well provided for. Then she met a man on a cruise seven years ago and quickly married him. I never liked him and I felt he’d married her for her money. Now she has died and I have been left nothing in her Will, which was made recently and leaves everything to her husband. I am sure this is not what she intended. Can I challenge the Will?

My wife of 20 years has recently died. She did not leave a Will, but as we held all our accounts jointly, her estate passed to me. When she was alive, my wife and I endlessly discussed what we wanted to happen at our funerals, and when she died, I made sure that her/our wishes were specifically followed. When my time comes, I want my funeral to replicate hers as much as possible. The problem is that when my wife died, I was able to oversee her funeral arrangements, but as we do not have children or any close relatives, how can I be sure my funeral will be held in accordance with my wishes. Is there anything I can do?