Fort Lauderdale is a coastal city in Florida that is home to over 180,000 people. The scenic inland waterways in the city have earned it the nickname “Venice of America,” however, no matter how scenic a place is, tragedies do happen. When someone dies suddenly and unfairly in Fort Lauderdale, especially due to someone else’s actions or negligence, the impact on the family is devastating.
The sorrow is usually compounded by the knowledge that the death didn’t have to happen. That anger, frustration, and helplessness can make the grieving process for everyone even harder. The family members of a wrongful death victim in Fort Lauderdale often struggle with depression, anxiety, and even physical symptoms like exhaustion and headaches.
It’s hard to sleep, hard to eat, and hard to think clearly. All of this can get worse if you try to push it down or ignore it. That’s why families in these situations often hire a wrongful death attorney in Fort Lauderdale, not just for justice, but also to find a way to start rebuilding their lives.
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Ways to Overcome Emotional Loss After a Wrongful Death
If you’ve lost someone due to another person’s negligence, here are a few ways you can move on and overcome the grief:
Getting Help from a Support System
When someone close to you dies because of another person’s actions, it can have a ripple effect on your entire being. Your mind, heart, and body will all be affected. You might find it hard to sleep or eat. You could have headaches, fatigue, and trouble focusing.
Some days might feel too heavy to get through. And those feelings are normal, even if they’re painful.
You may also feel guilt, especially if you think you should’ve done something differently. Or anger, because this didn’t have to happen. Many families experience the same emotional rollercoaster, especially when the death was avoidable.
That’s why it’s okay to get support when you need it. Talking to a therapist or counselor can make a big difference. They can help you understand what you’re feeling and how to cope with it, step by step.
Using the Law as a Tool to Heal
Filing a wrongful death claim can feel like too much when you’re already trying to keep it together emotionally. One of the ways you can handle grief and move on is by hiring a lawyer to help you get justice and put your mind at ease.
You don’t need to figure it all out on your own. A good attorney will guide the family members through the process step by step so each member can heal individually and as a group too.
Florida has a law (which Fort Lauderdale abides by), Section 768.19, that allows the deceased person’s estate to take legal action when this happens.
Filing a wrongful death claim also doesn’t depend on whether or not someone was charged criminally. Even if the person who caused the death isn’t facing jail time, you can still file a claim. And the burden of proof in these cases is lower.
You don’t have to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, like in criminal court. You just need to show that it’s more likely than not that the person’s actions caused the death.
In Florida, you only have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit. That might sound like a long time, but it really isn’t, especially when you consider how long it takes to gather evidence, track down witnesses, and build a solid case. The longer you wait, the harder it gets to guarantee your chances of success and justice.
Teaching Yourself to Let Go
It’s not uncommon for surviving family members to feel guilt or blame themselves for what happened. But the truth is, this wasn’t your fault. When someone else’s negligence causes a death, the responsibility lies with them, not with you. Letting go of guilt is a step toward emotional freedom.
And just because you’re moving on doesn’t mean you’re forgetting. Not at all. You’re just trying to create a life that allows both remembrance and peace to exist.
Over time, the pain won’t disappear, but it will become more manageable. You’ll learn how to live with it and, eventually, how to live fully again.
