Most Florida residents either know someone battling a potentially fatal illness, or someone who already died by this or some accidental injury. Although death is a natural part of life’s progression, it’s never easy when the person who dies is a close family member or friend. The best way to process your grief when a loved one passes away is something only you can discern, for no two journeys are exactly the same.
Many people try to learn all they can about common stages associated with grieving in case they ever face personal situations that involve deaths of beloved relatives or friends. It often helps to talk to others who have gone through similar experiences in the past.
Five stages of grief
Most counselors, faith leaders and psychologists agree there are five main stages involved in the average person’s grieving process. Perhaps, you’ve experienced one or more of the following emotions:
- Denial of circumstances: It’s never easy to say goodbye to someone you love. It’s not uncommon for those suffering the recent loss of a loved one to deny the reality of the situation before becoming able to begin an appropriate mourning process.
- Anger: Especially if your loved one suffered an unexpected and untimely death because of another person’s negligence, angry feelings might follow the initial shock and sorrow you experience.
- Making bargains: People of faith often find themselves offering bargains to God, saying they’ll do something on a temporary or permanent basis (stop smoking, devote their lives to service, etc.) if only their loved one’s life can be restored.
- Depressive state: Once reality sets in, most people begin to feel depressed, lonely and sad as they come to terms with their loved ones’ deaths.
Grieving takes time (some say, years) and most people go through one or more of these stages at various points along their journeys before they reach the final stage of grief, which is acceptance. It’s a challenging process even in the best of circumstances. If your loved one’s death was entirely preventable (were it not for another person’s negligence) you may have an even more difficult time navigating the emotional aftermath of the situation.
Many deaths in Florida are associated with horrific car accidents caused by drunk drivers or other negligent motorists. Such situations often lead to wrongful death lawsuits against any and all parties deemed responsible. In fact, taking a proactive stance often aids those who are grieving. An experienced personal injury attorney can investigate the events leading up to your family member’s death to help identify all possible sources of liability and determine how best to proceed to seek justice on the decedent’s behalf.
