Losing a member of your family is one of the hardest things you will face. Losing them due to another’s negligence or intentional act makes it harder. Families go through stages of grief and emotions ranging from disbelief to shock. Anger plays a significant part in the way family members react to their loss. Some feel they may have been able to keep the accident from happening in some way, and others grieve that they were never able to say goodbye. Let’s take a look at the grieving process, the financial stress that death in the family causes and ways that family members and friends can help.
If you need immediate legal help after losing a loved one, call California Wrongful Death lawyer David Azizi 24/7 at (800) 991-5292.
The Stages of Grief
The reaction of family members to the loss of a loved one changes as they pass from one stage to another. Learning about these stages helps family members recognize that they are not alone, and others have shared their pain. There are seven stages of grief:
- Shock and denial: The first stage of grief deals with denial that the accident happened and that the person is not dead. The family members are shocked at the news of the accident and find it difficult to believe that it is true. Shock can also lead to physical symptoms, which may require medical intervention.
- Pain and guilt: In this stage, the family members may face immense emotional pain. They may miss the loved one and try to avoid places or objects that remind them of past happiness. Alternately, some people will live in the past, which they shared with the decedent. In addition to this, many people feel a sense of guilt over the loved one’s death. They may even blame themselves, thinking they could have changed the course of events leading to the accident. Family members may also feel guilty over not telling the decedent how they felt about them prior to their death.
- Bargaining and anger: Family members express anger toward those who caused their family member’s death. They may strike out at others too. Some bargain with God to bring back their family members. When it does not happen, they may feel angry at a higher power who did not hear their plea.
- Loneliness: It is not uncommon that family members will feel lonely even after the initial stages are over. They may feel disappointed that others feel they should be moving on and cannot get over their sense of being alone and depressed. Everyone faces a sudden wrongful death in their own way, and others should not impose their feelings on family members.
- Lessening grief: Although this happens at different times for each person, at some point, the immense feelings of grief start to improve. It begins in a start-and-stop fashion, and grief and acceptance compete against each other. The process follows its own path and leads to lessening grief for most people.
- Life reconstruction: Gradually, a family member might find that they are able to approach life without their loved one. This is not easy, especially if the deceased was a child or a spouse. Nevertheless, the grieving family member will begin to make choices they were unprepared to make earlier. They may also find that their thought processes are clearer.
- Acceptance and hope: In time, those who face the wrongful death of a loved one will find peace that their friend, spouse, father or mother is no longer in the world. Instead, they live on in our memory. This final stage of grief happens in its own time.
Financial Stress and a Wrongful Death
For most people, emotional and financial stress co-exist during the days, weeks and months after a wrongful death. The degree of financial difficulty may vary from one person to another, but the common denominator is that the monetary support the decedent supplied is gone. While resolving such financial difficulties with a wrongful death lawsuit in no way eradicates the grief families feel, it will reduce the financial stress of funeral and burial costs as well as household expenses.
What Can Be Done to Help Grieving Families
Friends and family members can help those facing the grief of losing a loved one. Some ways to do this are:
- Call the family or stop by to let them know you care about their loss.
- Lend your support by letting the grieving family members talk about the wrongful death.
- Do not try to provide an opinion. Just being present is of enormous help.
- Offer to do things around the house such as mowing the lawn or cleaning up.
- Offer to take children to and from school and run errands as needed.
- Bring precooked meals to the family home. Be sure to ask if there are certain meals the family cannot eat or if they have food allergies.
- Offer to take the family to the funeral parlor. This is one of the most difficult times.
- Continue to lend your support after the services are completed.
Compensation for Grief, Pain and Suffering with a Wrongful Death Law Firm
David understands the family’s need for justice and their emotional and financial pain. He works hard to help them pass through this difficult period. Call him at (800) 991-5292 to schedule a free case review. David will be there for your family every step of the way.
Call for a Free Case Review Today
David Azizi works hard to secure a just wrongful death settlement for bereaved families. He understands the fear and pain the family feels going forward. David successfully resolves 98 percent of all cases he handles. It is no small wonder that the legal ranking firm, Super Lawyers, calls him one of the top personal injury lawyers in Los Angeles. Call David at (800) 991-5292 to schedule a free case review or virtual consultation. You can also contact David by using his convenient contact us form.
