Grieving process after a wrongful death
Posted by
John DemasAugust 02, 2012 2:37 PM
The sudden death of a loved one is a devastating experience regardless of the cause, but when a family is stricken with wrongful or intentional death, there is an additional element of anger and confusion added to their bereavement. The Greenwich Village for Separation and Loss finds that those left behind in such situations can suffer from complicated bereavement, or the inability to move through the constructive processes of grief and emerge with a different but acceptable experience of ‘normal’ life. In such situations, the normal grieving process can be complicated by the following factors, many of which factor into cases of wrongful death.
1. Natural vs. human-caused disasters - If a loss was caused by human hostility, negligence, violence or other non-natural situations, those left behind are often faced with intense anger at the person or persons responsible.
2. Intentionality - When death occurs as the result of an accident, survivors don’t wrestle with the burden of blame. However, in wrongful deaths intentionality is frequently a factor that adds additional emotional weight and difficulty to the grieving process.
3. Preventability - When deaths are perceived as preventable, there may be a tendency for survivors to get stuck for long periods of time pondering the “what-if’s” of the situation. Could they have affected the outcome, potentially saving their loved one.
4. Suffering - Knowing that a loved one has suffered before their death adds tremendous pain to the loss, sometimes causing obsessive thoughts and memories that invade daily tasks and make healing and the return to everyday life extraordinarily difficult.
5. Expectedness – Even in cases of wrongful death there can be a degree of preparation. If a loved one lingers in illness resulting from medical malpractice, for instance, a family may have time to say goodbyes. Some cases, however, are so sudden and irrevocable that the survivors are robbed of the time to prepare themselves at all. This further complicates the grieving process and can lead to feelings of fear for one’s own security and safety, in a world that is suddenly perceived as dangerous.
The bereavement process is much more difficult to navigate for families and loved ones of the victims of wrongful death, and one of the additional considerations that they face is the possibility of seeking damages. In many cases, the victim leaves behind a position of responsibility within the family, and the loss of that person’s income or contribution to the family’s survival can be catastrophic.
There are many reasons why the survivors of a wrongful death may wish to consider legal remedy for their losses. If you are faced with the tragic and wrongful loss of a loved one, it is part of your responsibility to your family to consult with a qualified legal professional, so that you can be assured that your family receives all of the support and resources it will need to survive.
The Demas Law Group, P.C. is a team of Sacramento wrongful death attorneys and staff who work together dedicating themselves to providing legal representation to individuals and families who have been injured because of the negligence of others. The Sacramento firm handles legal matters including auto injuries, pedestrian injuries, catastrophic injuries, DUI accident injuries, defective products injuries, medical malpractice, defective medications, nursing home abuse, general negligence and wrongful death cases. For over 20 years, the founder of the Demas Law Group, P.C., John N. Demas, has successfully handled a broad range of personal injury cases, and has prevailed against some of the largest insurance companies and corporations in America.
Contact Info
Demas Law Group, P.C.
701 Howe Avenue, Suite A-1
Sacramento, CA 95825
916.444.0100
Email Contact: info@demaslawgroup.com