Coping with the unexpected death of a loved one
The unexpected death of a friend or family member is very difficult to comprehend. The feelings of shock and denial are overwhelming. The circumstances surrounding the unexpected death of a loved one have a profound effect on how you process it and handle your grief.
According to psychologist and author, Dr. Therese Rando, Ph.D., the circumstances of your loved one’s death can have a profound influence on you. When a death happens unexpectedly, it results in a kind of personal traumatization, and you’re temporarily unable to process the reality of what has occurred.
This is especially true in cases of wrongful death. Wrongful death occurs when somebody is killed because of another person or entity’s negligence or misconduct. Getting that notification that your friend or family member has died unexpectedly due to negligence on the part of another greatly compounds your grief.
The grieving process
Coping with the loss of a good friend or family member may be one of the most difficult challenges that you’ll face, but especially so if that death is unexpected. While everyone reacts differently to death and uses their own coping mechanisms to deal with their grief, the stages of grief and mourning are universal.
After getting over the initial shock, denial with respect to the reality of the situation is a common defense mechanism that buffers the immediate shock of your loss and carries you through the first feelings of pain.
As the effects of denial and isolation begin to fade, they’re replaced by anger as the reality and pain of the unexpected death re-emerge. Your anger may be directed towards friends, family, complete strangers, or even at your deceased friend or family member. You feel anger and resentment at losing the relationship that you had with them.
This is especially true in cases of wrongful death. Your anger and resentment are often directed to the person responsible for the death of your loved one due to their negligence or misconduct. One way to deal with this anger and stress is to consider legal action through a wrongful death lawsuit. While it won’t bring back your loved one, it may be the only way to get justice for the deceased as well as ensure that the same thing doesn’t happen to someone else.
Being strong where it’s needed
There are some strategies that you can use to help you get through your grief:
- Take time to care for yourself
- Reach out to others who are also grieving
- Acknowledge your grief and loss
- Talk about what happened
- Honor the deceased’s memory
If you’re considering taking legal action, you need to talk to a personal injury attorney who specializes in wrongful death cases. Gregory Yates, wrongful death case attorney, has had significant success litigating wrongful death cases in his over 40 years of practicing personal injury law.
While no amount of money will ever make up for your loss, Greg Yates can work to get much-needed compensation to help you move forward with your life and take care of your economic losses. Contact our office to schedule a consultation today.