Your loved one has died… What do you do?

Whether you have spent the last days of your loved one’s life next to their side, or if you have received a 2:00 a.m. phone call, you may feel numb and bewildered, and knowing what to do next may seem daunting and overwhelming.

If your loved one dies in a hospital, hospice or nursing home, the staff will assist you in contacting a funeral home to arrange for transportation of the body. If a loved one dies at home, you need to call 911 and report the death. You should also call a close friend or family member to be with you while you deal with the first few hours or days following the death. You should also enlist the help of family and friends to spread the news of the loved one’s passing to other family and friends. If your loved one had a job, you need to contact the employer. You should also contact fraternal, service or professional organizations that your loved one belonged to.

If your loved one lived alone, you should insure that their home is safeguarded. Contact the utility company, cable and telephone providers and cancel these services. You should also cancel any newspaper subscriptions and have the mail forwarded.

Within a few days, you should locate the original Last Will and Testament. If your loved one owned assets, you should contact an attorney to discuss the appropriate probate that would need to be done.

The attorneys and staff at Pittman Law Office are here to help you in this time. Contact us today with any concerns you may have, and let us take the worry from you.