Suicide Liability

[tklahn79]

This happened in New York. In April of 2011, my Father attempted to slit his wrist but changed his mind and got to the hospital in time. He then had to go to the psychiatric ward. My parents were in the midst of a divorce, mother leaving father. My Mother made it appear that she would be there for my father and that convinced the people there so he was released. In May, she went to their camp site and my father was home. Apparently they were texting during the day. He sent her this: Signing off, God help me, I Love you. She didn't respond, no call to him or anyone, no attempt to check on him. Around 2pm he made sure his garage was air tight, got in his truck, turned on his ipod and left this world. He set it up where his coworker would find him at 6am, the truck was still running. There would be no closer or open casket due to the state my father was in. Is she liable at all for his death?

 

[ShyCat]

Is she liable at all for his death?

Short answer: No.

 

[Shadowbunny]

I am so very sorry for your loss -- I can't begin to imagine the depth of your grief, especially with those circumstances.

As painful as it is, you must understand that someone who is determined to kill themselves will find a way to do so. You would be better served getting therapy rather than trying to hold your mother accountable.

 

[Taxing Matters]

He sent her this: Signing off, God help me, I Love you.

That text could mean a lot of things. Sure, in hindsight it's clear he was "signing off" of life, rather than just the conversation, but at the time he sent it she may not have known that.

In any event, she wasn't responsible for his death. He was responsible for that. He is the one who took his own life. Those close to people who commit suicide often have trouble grabbling with the idea that their loved one felt despair enough to want to die and it is not unsual for them to try to find some other person to pin blame on for what happened. But the reality is that it was his choice. Understanding that is the first step towards acceptance and moving past it. Counseling may be very helpful to you in doing that.

It would be impossible for his estate or for any family member to sue her over this anyway since it happened almost 8 years ago and the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit has passed.

 

[JulioGeorge]

I think no. She isn't liable for his death. Because she might have not paid that much attention to his message or she was tired to do all this, to stop him from dying. It was his choice! We can also see that the other way round that if she loved him and cared for him enough he wouldn't have thought of this in the first place. There are many ways to see this. But now it doesn't' matter. I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[Ohiogal]

I think no. She isn't liable for his death. Because she might have not paid that much attention to his message or she was tired to do all this, to stop him from dying. It was his choice! We can also see that the other way round that if she loved him and cared for him enough he wouldn't have thought of this in the first place. There are many ways to see this. But now it doesn't' matter. I am so sorry for your loss.

Wrong . If he was suicidal love would not stop him because it did not stop him.

 

[Just Blue]

I think no. She isn't liable for his death. Because she might have not paid that much attention to his message or she was tired to do all this, to stop him from dying. It was his choice! We can also see that the other way round that if she loved him and cared for him enough he wouldn't have thought of this in the first place. There are many ways to see this. But now it doesn't' matter. I am so sorry for your loss.

What an ignorant thing to state!! What kind of uneducated, butt-backwards, third-world country are you in that blames the surviving family because their loved-one choose to kill themself??! "If you had only loved him more he would still be alive!" What crap. Suicide is a selfish action made by someone with no regard to the loved ones left behind.