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Home , Autopsy

Most asked Questions:

1. You may obtain a copy of the police report WELD COUNTY MORTUARIES

from the agency investigating department: Police Report case #: ______Evans Moser & Services 970-330-6824 2. To obtain medical records please call the hospital or clinic where your loved one was Fort Lupton seen and ask what is needed to obtain those Erlinger & Cremation Service 303-452-3133 records. This varies from place to place.

3. You may file for Social Security benefits by Greeley contacting the Social Security Administration Adamson Memorial Chapels 970-353-1212 at: 1800-772-1213//www.ssa.gov or the Social Allnutt Funeral & Cremation Services 970-352-3366 Security office in Greeley at 970-353-2192. Northern Colorado Crematory 970-351-0130 Segura Funeral Sevices 970-308-1140 Stoddard 970-330-7301 4. If the person who died was a veteran, contact the Veterans Administration at 1800-827- 1000///www.va.gov or Weld County Veterans Windsor OFFICE OF THE Service Office @ Mark’s Funeral & Cremation Services 970-686-9525 www.co.weld.co.us/departments/veterans. WELD COUNTY NEIGHBORING MORTUARIES 5. Weld County Victim Compensation Program:

970-356-4010. Brighton ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY 6. Notify the insurance agent and the bank of the Tabor-Rice Funeral Home 303-654-0112 person who died. ASKED QUESTIONS Fort Collins 7. The Weld County Coroner’s Office can Allnutt – Drake Chapel 970-482-3208 provide a proof of letter to show that Bohlender Funeral Chapel 970-482-4244 your love one is officially deceased, prior to Goes Funeral Care 970-482-2221 Mark J. Ward the release of the final . Resthaven Funeral Home 970-667-0202 Coroner ** Note that it takes varying amounts of time to Vessey Funeral & Cremation 970-382-5065 obtain death certificates, medical records, and /police reports. Ask officials when you may Longmont th expect them. Ahlberg Funeral & Crematory 303-776-2313 915 10 Street Carrol-Lewellen Funeral & Cremation 303-776-4477 Greeley, Colorado 80631 Howe Mort. & Cremation Services 303-776-2434 Phone: 970-392-4545 Loveland Fax: 970-392-4546 Allnutt-Hunter Chapel 970-667-1121 Kibbey-Fishburn Funeral Home 970-667-5885

Viegut Funeral Home 970-679-4669

We trust that the advice and counseling provided by your and the CLEANING SERVICES: WEBSITE: information provided in this pamphlet will be http://www.co.weld.co.us/departments/coroner/index.html of help. However, should you need additional Aftermath 1-800-366-9923 assistance, please telephone our office at 970- Bio-Clean of Colorado 392-4545. 970-686-5015 or Emerg. 970-215-2540 BioHarzard Cleaning Services 970-371-0396 or 24/hrs. 970-669-4911 Brandecon 970-531-1904

Q WHAT IS MY NEXT STEP? evidence of a pre-existing illness or medical by the doctor with the family’s permission, and be condition, an autopsy may not be necessary. done by the Pathologist of your choice. You should be A You should select a funeral home to make final However, if there is any question that the death may aware that the financial responsibility falls upon the arrangements. The funeral home representative and be due to “other than natural causes”, an autopsy will requesting party. the Office of the Weld County Coroner/Medical be performed. In an obviously traumatic death, the Examiner will coordinate with each other in order to of death may appear obvious; however, there Q WHAT ABOUT / facilitate these arrangements and to eliminate may be contributing, underlying factors. Again, the possible delays. DONATION? insurance companies may deny benefits until they receive the autopsy results. A The approval of the Coroner’s/’s Q WHICH MUST BE Office is required for tissue/ for deaths EXAMINED? Q WILL AUTOPSY REPORTS BE that are under the auspices of the coroner’s jurisdiction. Only the valves, skin, long bones A The Coroner/Medical Examiner is required by AVAILABLE? and corneas can be donated after a person has died. law to investigate all deaths A Yes. On-line request Persons on life support may be eligible for more 1) That occurs outside a physician’s care. http://www.co.weld.co.us/departments/coron extensive tissue procurement. With next of kin 2) That is sudden or unexpected. consent, the family’s wishes for donation will be 3) That cannot be ascertained to be a natural death er/coroner_contact.cfm or by submitting a written request to the Weld evaluated on a case by case basis. by documented medical history and circumstances. County Coroner’s Office, 905 10th Street, Greeley, The involvement of the Coroner/Medical Examiner CO, 80631. (You may also fax the request to 970- does not mean that an autopsy will automatically be Q WILL I BE CHARGED FOR OTHER 392-4546). Please include the decedent’s name as performed. CORONER SERVICES? well as your name, address and relationship. One

courtesy copy is given to family. All others A The Office of the Weld County Coroner/Medical Q IF SOMEONE’S DEATH APPEARS TO requisites must pre-pay at a rate of $.25 per page. Examiner does not assess any fees, other than those BE NATURAL, WHY IS THE for processing requested autopsy reports and other documents. CORONER/MEDICAL EXAMINER Q WHAT IF I DISAGREE WITH THE

INVOLVED? CORONER’S/MEDICAL EXAMINER’S Q HOW DO I OBTAIN THE CLOTHING, DECISION TO DO OR NOT TO DO AN A The Coroner/Medical Examiner may take PERSONAL EFFECTS AND OTHER jurisdiction over an apparently natural death if AUTOPSY? (1) the death was unexpected and no medical cause ITEMS TAKEN INTO EVIDENCE? A Colorado law (CRS 30-10-606) provides the can be determined; (2) the decedent was not under All personal property is released with the body to authority for the Coroner/Medical Examiner to A the care of a physician, and/or there is no prior the funeral home to be given back to the family perform an autopsy as part of an investigation. documented medical history to explain the death; following an autopsy. The exceptions are as follows: (3) the death might be a public health hazard; (4) 1) If the Coroner/Medical Examiner deems it 1) In , if a weapon is involved, separate there are extenuating and/or suspicious necessary to perform an autopsy as part of the arrangements for its release must be made through the circumstances associated with the death. investigation, the law grants us the ability to take Coroner/Medical Examiner. jurisdiction of the body to perform the autopsy. Q WHAT IS AN AUTOPSY AND IS IT There is no charge for an autopsy conducted under 2) If a crime was committed by or against the decedent these circumstances. (), all clothing and personal effects are REALLY NECESSARY? generally retained as evidence by the investigating law 2) If you or your family should disagree with our A An autopsy is the examination of the body to enforcement agency. decision to perform an autopsy in spite of the determine cause and . It is similar benefits and the questions it will answer, you must to a surgical procedure. Often, an autopsy can obtain a Court Order through your attorney to Q WHERE DO I OBTAIN THE DEATH reveal an undiagnosed process or prevent the autopsy from taking place. All legal CERTIFICATE? abnormality. It may also detect a genetic disorder financial obligations incurred are your responsibility. that could be inherited by surviving family A Death certificates are filed by the funeral director at members. In an , the question of 3) If the autopsy is deemed unnecessary for the the county health department in the county where how a disease process contributed to the accident (if investigation, it will not be performed. By law, an death was pronounced. Should you require certified at all) must be answered. Often insurance autopsy cannot be performed by the Coroner/medical copies, they may be ordered from the funeral director. companies will deny payment of benefits until the examiner solely for “medical curiosity”. If the family Copies may also be obtained from the County or State autopsy results are available. If the death is due to or doctor would like a medical curiosity autopsy to Department of Vital Statistics. apparent natural causes and there is sufficient be performed, it must be arranged by the family or