Dealing with the Death of a Loved One
No doubt, the death of someone you are close to is a painful experience, but it is an experience everyone will deal with at some time in their lifetime.
There are five stages of grief one usually goes through after a death, which generally occur in this order: denial,
anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. These are based upon the Kübler-Rossmodel.
Legal Considerations
From a legal perspective, there are
certain legal issues that unfortunately should be addressed while you are still grieving. Most
important of these is dealing with the estate of the deceased. Whether that person had a will or trust or nothing at all,
their estate should be probated, even if there are little to no assets. This will often help to wipe out certain debts. A probate attorney can handle this process.
If thedeath was wrongful from a legal standpoint, then dealing with a wrongful death lawsuit cannot
be put off indefinitely. Not only are there statutes of limitations in play, but if the
wrongful party was a government entity, then a tort claim notice has to be
filed within 180 days (about six months). Stevens & Legal can handle these
cases for you.
Helping Yourself
The
last topic to discuss are some ways you can help yourself while dealing with the emotional
issues of the death of your loved one. First, there are many free support groups out there to help
you discuss the death and your relationship with that person, whereby you can gain empathy from others in similar circumstances. Even
if you are not a talker, one of the most effective ways to deal with grief is
through talking with others who have also dealt with this or are dealing with it. You can also connect with your family, as death can often
bring families back together after years apart. Another option is to find
a good book on dealing with death and read it. Also, professional counseling can
help, and your health insurance may pay for some sessions. Lastly,
do not be afraid to cry.
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