What to Do After Experiencing the Sudden Death of a Loved One
Experiencing the sudden death of a loved one is one of the most traumatic events a person or family can go through. Regardless of the circumstances, losing a family member is incredibly difficult. When it happens, the survivors often left wondering what they should do next.
If you find yourself dealing with the unexpected loss of a loved one, it’s important to understand what to expect. You’ll want to know what steps to take to and who to call immediately following the loss, as well as what to do in the coming days and weeks. If you believe your loved one lost their life as a result of someone else’s negligent actions, you may also want to consider filing a wrongful death claim so you can secure your family’s future.
Steps to Take After Unexpectedly Losing a Loved One
If you’re faced with closing out on your loved one’s life, it’s understandable to be overwhelmed and even scared. Knowing the steps you should take will ease the process and ensure that your loved one’s wishes are carried out.
Steps to Take Immediately
Depending on your circumstances, you may need to arrange for a legal pronouncement of death. This can be sometimes be done by paramedics; however, it’s likely a doctor will need to make the declaration. If this happens in the hospital, it will be taken care of for you.
Then, you’ll want to contact the immediate family. While this difficult news is often best given in person, that’s not always possible. If immediate relatives live states away, you may need to bring everyone together by phone or electronically. This will give you an opportunity to share information, make important decisions, and comfort each other.
In that early conversation, you’ll need to discuss funeral preparations. If your loved one had a will this may be easier. If there are no advance instructions, you’ll want to consider what they would want, what you can afford, and what will help your family the most.
Steps to Take Within a Few Days
Once funeral preparations have been agreed upon, you’ll want to arrange for cremation or burial. It’s important to keep an eye on your loved one’s house, belongings, and vehicle. Secure anything valuable and notify the post office. At this point, you’ll want to notify friends and extended family members.
Before the funeral, there will be a number of tasks to complete. Some include preparing the obituary, arranging the headstone, and organizing a post-funeral gathering – depending on your family’s traditions.
Steps to Take Within a Month
After the funeral or memorial service takes place, you’ll want to ensure you have multiple copies of the death certificate. You may need this to complete other tasks. You’ll want to terminate health insurance coverage, look into employee benefits, end any other insurance policies, make a list of important bills, and contact financial institutions like banks or credit agencies. Credit cards, their driver’s license, and memberships need to be canceled. Enlist help from your family members to send thank-you notes and acknowledgments.
Through all the commotion and grief, remember to take time for yourself and take care of your own needs.
How Filing a Wrongful Death in Nebraska Claim Can Help Your Family
If you believe your loved one’s death should have been prevented, you may have grounds to file a wrongful death claim through our personal injury lawyers. When a loved one dies suddenly, the family wants answers as to what happened. We can look into your loved one’s passing and determine the cause. If someone else’s negligence caused it, filing a claim and pursuing legal action against the responsible party can help your family recover money that could pay for funeral and burial expenses, lost wages, and outstanding medical bills. You may also be eligible for compensation for your pain and suffering, loss of companionship or guidance, and more.
If you lost your loved one in a car accident, as a result of a doctor’s mistake, from injuries related to a work accident, or in any situation that resulted from negligence, filing a wrongful death claim in Omaha with the lawyer from Welsh & Welsh PC, LLO is often the best way to ensure your family’s monetary needs are taken care of. We understand that you may be suffering economically in addition to emotionally, which is why we’ll handle the difficult legal work for you. To learn more about how we can help your family find peace, schedule a free consultation with us today.
