When an unexpected death occurs, the family and loved ones are caught off guard. Not knowing what to do or where to turn can fuel the fire of grief and confusion. We have accumulated critical information for the families that are dealing with the passing of a loved one, to help you through the process.

An unexpected death brings uncertainty and often requires an autopsy to determine the cause of death. When an autopsy is preformed, it will usually take place on the same day or the day after.

Viewing the body of the deceased before an autopsy may be possible in certain circumstances, yet there are times when the family is not able to until after the autopsy has taken place for forensic purposes. If this is the case, the body will be released to the funeral home after the autopsy.

While this process can be frustrating, it is a necessary action that needs to take place in the event of an unexpected death. Take comfort in knowing that the funeral home and funeral director will work through this process with you to help heal the pain and sadness during this difficult time.

When a loved one dies, life suddenly becomes very confusing and frustrating. On top of the grief, emotions and sadness, you now are in the process of planning and arranging a funeral service. This time may be extremely overwhelming, and often times many issues might be overlooked because of the rush.

We are here to help. We have outlined a few topics that are very important when it comes to a sudden death by the way of  automobile accidents.

When a fatality has occurred in a car accident, an incident report is created by officials. It will contain very important information.

Some of the details included will be:

• Case Number
• Date and Time of Incident
• Name of Information of the Investigating Officer
• Officer notifying family members
• Coroner’s Information
• The location of the deceased
• Police hold and location of vehicle

You will be given information about the location of your loved one. Depending on the severity of the situation, there are different routes that might be taken.

Typically the body is transported to the coroner who was at the scene. If an autopsy is necessary, the body of the deceased may be transported to a pathologist.

If an autopsy is necessary, the coroner or county attorney will be able to make arrangements for the family members to view the deceased body before the autopsy. Once the arrangements and autopsy are preformed, the body is then transported to the funeral home.

When dealing with an automobile accident, the vehicle will probably contain personal belongings. The towing company can remove them for you, or a family member might be able to retrieve them. If  law enforcement has put a hold on the vehicle, there might be  a delay in the process.

Continue reading “How to Handle an Automobile Casualty” »

A great sense of grief and loss occurs over the death of a loved one, whether that death is sudden or expected. Experiencing an expected death doesn’t make things easier, but it does generally make the planning for the funeral less difficult.

The list of responsibilities and decisions when someone dies is large and can be overwhelming, but often times when a death is expected, the decedent may have had time to make their own wishes known, either vocally or in writing though a pre-planned will or estate; thus making it easier for the family.

Once the family has chosen a funeral Home, the funeral director will help you plan the arrangements for the service.

They will need basic information about the deceased and the family; working with you to ensure a beautiful and respectful service to honor your loved one.

This is generally not one of the first things that someone in mourning will think of. In many cases the family and and friends do not want their loved one’s profile on Facebook floating around in cyberspace. In this article we will walk you through the process of deleting, memorializing, or deactivating their profile.

Memorializing Your Loved One On Facebook

If you wish to memorialize the account you will be required to fill out a form that has information with their name, date of birth, email address associated with the account, and proof of death. Proof of death can be an obituary or newspaper article. (Find the form here.)

Memorializing the account removes some of the more sensitive information like status updates and restricts access to the confirmed “friends” only.

Deleting Your Loved Ones Facebook

If  the family decides it would be best to delete the Facebook account completely this can be done by simply removing the account so that no one can view it. (If account is removed – Facebook will not restore the account or provide any information about it unless required to do so by law)

If you have any other questions or concerns regarding Facebook accounts, refer to the “Help” section of Facebook.