Dealing With the Death of a Loved One

Dealing with the death of a loved one is very difficult; more so if the loved one died of a wrongful death such as a car accident. However, you have to get past your grief because there are so many things that you need to do. If you have someone who can perform these tasks then good for you. If not, then you have to set aside your emotions and do what needs to be done.

Below is a quick checklist of what you need to do when someone you love dies.

Inform People Closest to You

The first thing that you need to do is to inform people, especially people closest to you. Their presence will help you deal with the loss, and you can also count on them to help you with the rest of the tasks.

Call Your Local Funeral Home

You will also need to call your local funeral home so they can pick up your loved one’s body. If the deceased has already arranged his funeral arrangements, then all that’s left for you to do is to verify them with the Funeral Director.

However, if death was sudden and no arrangements have yet been planned, then you will need to start planning the deceased’s funeral arrangements. This will include choosing the date and time of the funeral and the location of the burial. This will also include choosing the cemetery plot as well as the casket. You will also need to choose a grave marker and whether or not there’ll be a monument on his tomb. Aside from this, you’ll also need to choose between entombment and cremation. Finally, you’ll also have to plan the memorial service for the deceased.

Contact the Deceased’s Employer

Once funeral arrangements have been confirmed or made, you will then need to call the deceased’s employer. You have to inform them of what happened, and you also have to ask if the deceased still has any outstanding compensation or receivables from the company. You will also need to know if the dependents are still entitled to receive benefits, or if there is any life insurance policy made through the company.

Get in Touch with Relevant Agencies like Life Insurance Companies and Social Security Agency

Aside from the deceased’s employers, you also need to get in touch with the deceased’s life insurance companies and file claims. You also need to get in touch with Social Security and other relevant agencies. You need to know, too, if the dependents will be receiving any benefits from these agencies for the death of a loved one.

Call a Lawyer

If your loved one died due to a wrongful death like a car accident, then you need to call a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. This will not bring your loved one back, but it can help you get a compensation for his death. Remember, he would’ve been alive if not for the negligence of the person or company who caused his death, and for that, you have the right to ask for compensation for your loss. The compensation that you’ll be receiving will help you pay for the funeral expenses and for the months that will come, especially if the person who died is the breadwinner of your family.

Jennifer Dall writes for a number of personal injury lawyers, including a car accident attorney Spokane. She mostly writes about car accidents and what you need to do should a loved one die because of a vehicular accident caused by another party.