Family member wants to be transported from funeral home to cemetary in the back of her dad's truck. Can't find a straight up answer. Doctors gave her about 4 more days... I will do anything I can to see that her wants are met, but I literally have NO idea about the legality of this. Funeral director doesn't even know. Not crossing state/county lines. She has made most of her arrangements, but this is the one we're having trouble with. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Surprised the funeral director doesn't know if there is a county/city ordinance regarding this matter. Of if there is a State law.
4. Am I allowed to transport my loved one in my personal
vehicle or do the laws require that I pay a funeral home or
crematory for transportation?
That depends. There is not a simple answer to this question. When not using entities that are specifically licensed and regulated to perform these tasks, the burden of complying with state laws and regulations, local ordinances and institutional policies falls to the private individuals who must take responsibility for finding all the applicable laws, regulations, ordinances and policies and ensuring that each requirement must be met. The consequences for failure could result in:
difficulties in obtaining a pronouncement of death, without which obtaining a death certificate would be impossible;
being left with the remains of a loved one indefinitely because no cemetery or crematory will accept the remains;
risking the premature assumption of death when, in fact, life could be sustained;
legal questions as to the cause of death that could result in criminal investigations; and
risk to health and safety of general public if public health emergency exists.
Because this is such an important question, Mr. Kenneth E. Bramlett, MPA, Director, State Registrar & Custodian of Vital Records, in the Georgia Department of Community Health's Division of Public Health, has agreed to accept specific questions related to this subject. He can be reached at (404)
679-0559. (After July 1, 2011, the state agency name will be the Georgia Department of Public Health.)
An additional Georgia resource for general information is:
The Georgia State Board of Funeral Service at 478-207-2440.
www.agingcare.com/questions/what-do-i-need-to-transport-dad-to-cemetery-myself-189633.htm