What to do when Someone Dies

What to do when Someone Dies:

The majority of deaths occur in a hospital or a nursing home and within these facilities there are support networks that will assist families in supplying the required documentation.

If a death occurs outside these facilities, the deceased doctor will need to be called to ensure that they are willing to provide a medical death certificate. If the doctor is willing to provide a Medical Death certificate, a funeral director can bring a deceased person into their care providing they have a Verification of death or the Medical Death Certificate.

If the doctor is not prepared to issue the medical death certificate the police will need to be notified and the death becomes reportable and is referred to the Victorian coroners Court.

Reportable deaths are unexpected or accidental deaths. The Victorian Coroners Court is engaged to determine the cause of death.

It is a requirement by law to have a death certificate signed by a doctor or coroner before a funeral director can take the deceased into their care.

No matter what the time may be when a death occurs, Handley Funeral Services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you, please contact us.