Dad’s inquest

[StickyTick]

AIBU because I can’t decide whether to attend my dad’s inquest? At 76 he was found on the floor, with a high amount of alcohol in his blood. it was this that killed him, not his heart and lung conditions or his liver cancer.
He has drunk heavily all my life with inevitable consequences for our relationship. But, because “technically” the coroner says that the level of alcohol is not a good enough explanation for his death, they have by law to hold an inquest.

My relationship with my dad was strained. But we did love each other.
The inquest will mean a miserable 2 night stay in a b&b away from my children, probably by myself, as I doubt anyone else - including my sister - will go.

We’ve not told anyone about the inquest. And, we certainly don’t want his crowds of friends from his local pub there. He would have hated that.

As this is an inquest triggered by the system, is there any point me attending? Will I regret it later if I don’t go? Does a small part of me want to go because of the drama/closure?

Anyone have advice as to whether an inquest under such circumstances will be a “valuable” necessity for me or, is this just bureaucratic box-ticking?
TIA

MY DM was killed in a car accident. Not her fault. It was complicated, a horrendous time and having been through enough neither me nor my DB went to the inquest. I didn't want to sit and listen to the details. There were people I didn't want to face. Three years on and I've never regretted it. Any unanswered questions were resolved with a copy of the proceedings I requested.

The coroner did say the inquest might bring up other issues like “why hadn’t he been offered successful AA support,” ... but, I could answer that myself

Have you provided a statement giving your take on the reasons? If not, it might be helpful to them.

My stepdad was a pedestrian who was knocked down and killed recently. He was crossing the road to go home after being in the pub.
The driver was in no way at fault. And to be honest neither was my stepdad really. It was a horrific accident. We were told my mum has to be at inquest so I went with her and my brother.
They are really sensitive. They had to say the fact he had been drinking was a cause but it is not judgmental at all. I’m glad we were there to be honest.
Good luck in whatever you choose to do xx

Surely you need to attend?

@Tonnerre thank you for replying. I wanted to send a statement bt my sister didn’t, because she didn’t want me to mention alcoholism. I felt I couldn’t write something truthful/meaningful and not mention alcoholism. The coroner didn’t ask any specific questions, so I wasn’t sure that volunteering details about AA would be helpful. I had intended to say that I felt his death was explainable, and so we didn’t want a big inquest. As it is it’s only going to be 45 minutes, with written evidence, no witnesses.

And I am truly sorry where inquests have involved the tragedy of pedestrian/car accidents, or a baby. Those are completely different to my father’s case.

@Newschapter thank you for your insight. When something is so very sad (and wrong) as a baby’s death, then it is nothing like that of a distant 76yo father. I see most of these comments as supporting a view “not to go,” yours included. Thank you x