Family grief in case of unexpected loss due to work accident: A qualitative study

The present study aims to explore grief in families one of whose members died due to work accident. Particularly, this study aims to explore the relation of the bereaved families with the social justice system. The grounded theory method and a qualitative research design were used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten families who have suffered the loss of a family member due to work accident. Three themes emerged: (1) factors potentially complicating the grief process, (2) family grief dynamics: A shift in family structure and organization, and (3) the family within and as an active agent of the social justice system. For the families who lost a member due to a work accident, grief is often complicated with the tasks of seeking acknowledgement of the loss and justice. Individual or family level grief counseling seems insufficient for those cases. Results were discussed in the light of existing literature by stressing the importance of the contextual factors in grief process.