Whether you live in a small town or a big city and you’ve had to attend more than a couple of funerals, there’s a good chance that you’re familiar with the more reputable funeral homes in your area. They’re generally family run and have often been handed down from generation to generation.
In times of grief, there is a certain level of comfort in knowing that the people handling burial arrangements have been doing it for a long time, and that they are, and have been, an integral part of the community for many years.
Unfortunately, in recent years, funerals and death-related suppliers have gone from being small operations to big business. Large publicly traded companies have been purchasing everything from casket companies to cemeteries, and though there are some who assume that this means greater quality control, anecdotal evidence is pointing to a rise in incidents of funeral home negligence.
It is a sad sign of the times that death has come to be viewed as just another potential for profit. Though nobody expected the families operating local funeral homes to provide their services for free, there was always a sense that there was true compassion behind all of the services that were being provided, and that loved ones would be treated with the level of gravitas and dignity that comes from years of providing the unique and invaluable service that funeral home directors and their staff members provide.
According to recent media reports by respected outlets including Time, US News and World Report and “60 Minutes,” the funeral business has been taken over by large companies that may appear to operate on a small scale, but are clearly driven by profit, focusing on marketing ploys and pricing schemes rather than on the proper treatment of the body and the bereaved.
In the worst cases, victims of funeral home negligence have recounted stories of having funeral home representatives entirely focused on sales contracts and the extra services that they could provide, only later to find that loved ones’ bodies have been misplaced, buried in the wrong plots, or in some other way handled haphazardly and without the proper level of attention and care that they deserve.
If funeral home negligence has happened to you, you may be able to pursue legal action against the company that you entrusted with your loved one’s care. Contact us today to set up an appointment and learn more about how we can help.