My husband died seven years ago and his father has now died. Do I and my son have a claim on my father-in-law’s estate?

You as daughter-in-law don’t have an automatic claim on your father-in-law’s estate. Indeed by the time of his death you were/are no longer an in-law anyway as your spouse’s death ended your marriage. But your son, assuming he is the blood descendant of your late husband’s father, does have a claim as he represents his dad’s claim as son. Now it may be that the claim is worth a lot or a little, depending on various things such as the size of the estate, the number of surviving offspring of the grandfather, and whether there was a will made or not, but fundamentally your son would likely have a legal share of the grandfather’s estate.

I was injured at work when a metal tube was run accidentally into my shoulder. I was off work but got back after about four months, though I still have disability and an ache. I was asked by the employer not to make a claim and they would pay my wages while off. They did so, but I now am being told by friends I should claim compensation.

I think you should. As well as any loss of earnings from being off injured, a claimant - assuming they can prove negligence – is entitled to general damages, called solatium, which is a payment based on established legal scales to pay for the pain and suffering endured. If the work was careless enough to let you be injured, they (or their insurers) ought to pay up.

I started working a month ago as a fitter in a factory. I have not received anything in writing to confirm I have a contract. I asked management but they have just fobbed me off each time and are making me feel as if I am a nuisance.

You are fully entitled to a written statement of the terms and conditions of your employment within two months of starting. If you don’t get it, the employment tribunal can award compensation of several weeks wages to you.

I am thinking of entering a civil partnership with my domestic partner. I have a daughter and son from a marriage that ended some years ago. Will my new status change my rights to have my children visit me at my home?

Not at all, and you won’t need to go back to court or change any written agreement. Child contact is based on the best interests of the child, and as long as there is a loving and positive relationship between you and your kids, nothing else matters.