When Death Strikes: Dealing with A Loved One’s Wrongful Death
Reverence is often shown for the deceased, with ceremonies and tributes and such, depending on cultural practices. However, equal attention often needs to be given to the friends and family of the deceased, as they struggle to move on after losing someone they loved dearly.
When a wrongful death occurs, this pain can be felt even more acutely. Guilt, regret, and a lack of closure can haunt those that were close to the victim. According to Merriam Webster, wrongful death is defined as a death caused by the negligent, willful, or wrongful act, neglect, omission, or default of another. These can be caused by accidents, such as car accidents, or negligence in facilities such as nursing homes. While finding the right wrongful death lawyer is an important step to help seek justice for your loved one, below are other important ways to help loved one’s cope.
Bond with Family And Friends
Isolation is all too common amongst those dealing with grief. Deviation from the normal can be difficult, and those affected can retreat into themselves, cutting off interactions with even the closest of friends. This, however, is detrimental to their mental health and only slows the grieving process.
Regular association with loved ones and friends, especially those who also had a close relationship with the deceased, can ease feelings of loneliness. This can also help close family members begin to establish new routines and traditions. During holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays, memories and emotions can be overwhelming, so additional support should be sought after and offered around these occasions.
Consider Grief Counseling or Therapy
Grief counseling is becoming an increasingly popular option for those beginning or struggling to work through their grieving periods. Between funeral arrangements, finding a wrongful death attorney, and legal matters, stress can become a roadblock to moving past the event.
Counseling and therapy can help loved ones deal with the stress that comes with these arrangements as well as feelings of regret, guilt, or depression. Discussing emotions that often cannot be shared with others can help the grieving person process and deal with those emotions more effectively. Therapists, psychiatrists, and counselors will also know how to help the affected parties implement healthy grieving habits and offer suggestions to ‘walk’ a person through the stages of grief.
Honor Your Loved One’s Memory
While repression may be the first inclination of a grieving party, it’s not the healthiest option. Burying memories, items, and emotions related to the person you loved will only lengthen the grieving process and increase the pain of loss. Acknowledge the life that was lived and celebrate it.
Funerals, wakes, and viewings are traditional in some countries, but those are not the only ways to honor the memory of a loved one. Putting pictures in plain sight, commemorating special days such as anniversaries, and even speaking about the loved one to others honors their memory and gives value to their life. It will put emphasis on fond memories and help the bereaved become accustomed to remembering and discussing the past.
Seek Legal Advice
The wrongful death of a loved one is a painful experience. While no sum of money or court ruling will be able to regain that life that was lost, a wrongful death case can give solace and a sense of closure. A favorable ruling will give friends and family the ending that may be a crucial step to moving on. In Pueblo, Colorado, Alhasoon, Glidden & Glidden is a leading law firm in delivering justice for wrongful death victims and their families. Contact us today for a personalized consultation about your case.
