If the cause of death is fairly clear and the doctor had attended the deceased throughout their last illness he or she will give you these:
• a medical certificate that shows the cause of death (this is free of charge and will be in a sealed envelope addressed to the registrar)
• a formal notice which states that the doctor has signed the medical certificate and tells you how to get the death registered.
You should contact the company that holds the deceased’s last will and testament; it should be held in safe storage.
If cremation is the choice, the doctor will arrange for the signature of a second doctor necessary to complete the cremation certificate. Doctors charge fees for providing cremation certificates. In some cases, the doctor might report the death to the coroner.
If it was the wish of the dead person that the body or organs should be donated for transplant or medical research purposes, the doctor will have to be contacted quickly. Organs cannot usually be used when death occurs at home, but the body can still be donated to medical science.
If you’ve purchased a pre-paid funeral plan, you should now call the person/company named on your guaranteed funeral plan certificate. They will arrange almost everything for you.
You may wish to contact the deceased’s minister of religion if you have not already done so. Arrangements for laying out the body and organising the funeral can be made by a funeral director.
Filed under: Legal Advice
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