So maybe we were watching the same episode after all. I agree there was doubt and hard work, but... so what? I'd say it supports my point that transporter accident victims aren't automatically presumed dead.
As for when the ordeal ends, that comes either with a clear fatality (a corpse, lost signal, etc.) or when the reset button has firmly been pressed. The rematerialization of anything other than the original people hasn't signaled a closure, at least not that I can recall.
This X a billion.