Unfortunately, when there is a chance to make money people will take advantage of it, even if their way of doing so is unscrupulous and takes advantage of the most vulnerable among us. Cemetery fraud is becoming increasingly common, with funeral homes, cemeteries and morgues failing to fulfill their responsibilities and treating the deceased carelessly and with disrespect. In other instances of cemetery and funeral fraud, people take advantage of senior citizens and sell them elaborate funeral arrangements and expensive caskets, then do not deliver upon their promises when death occurs. If you or someone you love has been a victim of funeral or cemetery fraud, you do not have to face the problem alone. The experienced, empathetic attorneys at Bochetto & Lentz are dedicated to helping those who have been taken advantage of in this way. We will fight to correct the wrong that has been done and to get you compensation for the harm that you and your loved one suffered.
Cemetery fraud can take many forms. Graves can be desecrated and plots can be sold to more than one family. Contracted care of cemetery plots may go undelivered and cemeteries can be completely abandoned, with those who were paid for their services pocketing the money and disappearing. These are just a few examples — others are far more painful, with the bodies of the deceased being misplaced, sold for organs or parts, incorrectly cremated, or even discarded or abandoned in public dumps. Personal effects that are buried with the deceased may be stolen and graves desecrated in order to make room for additional bodies. At its most basic level these actions represent consumer fraud or negligence, but because they involve the bodies of deceased individuals the impact is much, much more painful and disturbing.
There are a number of reasons why cemetery fraud and negligence occur. In some cases, too little money is put into the funds designated to provide maintenance for plots in cemeteries, or cemetery owners may use the funds for personal expenses. In other cases, unethical funeral home operators put pressure on grieving loved ones to spend exorbitant amounts of money that they cannot afford, and then do not deliver the services or goods that were promised. Because the cemetery business is largely unregulated, these types of fraudulent activities are difficult to track and often go undiscovered.
Funeral and cemetery scams are among the top scams perpetrated on the elderly, with unethical funeral homes or cemeteries playing on the emotions of the family to pay far more than the usual fees for services and caskets. Beyond these actions, the disrespectful behavior shown to the bodies placed in their car is an outrage. If you or someone you love has been the victim of cemetery fraud, you may have the right to pursue legal action against those who have done you harm. The cemetery fraud attorneys at Bochetto & Lentz understand your pain and frustration and will work as powerful advocates to make sure that you get justice. Call us today to set up an appointment.
Learn more about Cemetery Fraud HERE.