When a loved one passes away unexpectedly as a result of someone’s negligence, we not only miss the person who has left us but also seek justice for potential wrongdoing. If you decide to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit, the culpable person or individual can be held accountable from a judicial standpoint. However, filing a lawsuit and moving through the legal process can be time-consuming and stressful, especially while you combat your own grief. Here are a few tips that may help ease you through the process.
Collect Relevant Documentation
Get copies of any records, reports, and documents that help to clarify what happened. Witness statements may be needed, along with medical forms, employment records, and other types of documents that may be related to the wrongful death incident. Official copies are best, which means you may have to pay a small copying fee for certain types of records.
Get Legal Advice
Contact a personal injury attorney about your concerns. Explain what happened, and bring any legal reports or documents that help to clarify the facts. Depending on the situation, these might include a police report, medical records, a summary of lost wages, and other relevant information. With help from the attorney, decide who might be liable for the person’s injuries or death, even unintentionally, and what should be done about it. An insurance settlement or similar arrangement may be possible to resolve the issues fairly for all involved. Your attorney can explain your legal options.
Seek Professional Counseling
You will need to deal with personal grief and mourning as well as the legal repercussions of the incident. A licensed counselor can help you work through the various issues and begin the healing process as well as resume regular activities while dealing with prospective legal proceedings. You may want to schedule an appointment with a therapist or a grief counselor to discuss your feelings and plans as soon as possible.
Establish a Support System
Talk to friends, relatives, and possibly a community support group about aspects of your loss and aspects of legal proceedings that you are allowed by law to divulge. Having others around you who understands the pain you are going through and the legal tensions you may be confronting can help to make things a little easier to bear.
Losing someone you care about is never easy. Facing a wrongful death action as a result of someone’s negligence makes it harder. Consider steps like these to get the help you need for the best possible outcome.
Author information: Anita Ginsburg is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.
