Funeral Home Negligence Attorney Minneapolis, MN

When you entrust a funeral home with your departed loved one, you expect to receive professional services rendered with care and dignity. Unfortunately, funeral providers do not always fulfill these obligations, which can leave you and your family in deep emotional turmoil and facing additional financial expense.

These circumstances are undoubtedly upsetting, but Christensen Law PLLC can help you seek justice. Our Minnesota funeral home negligence lawyers hold at-fault parties accountable and demand fair compensation on behalf of our clients. Contact us online or call today, and let’s discuss your case with compassion and understanding.

What Is Funeral Home Negligence?

Funeral home negligence occurs when a funeral home, mortuary facility, or funeral product or service provider does not uphold its professional obligations. Negligence can be directly related to the handling of a body. It can also include theft, financial misconduct, or the failure to provide agreed-upon services.

Examples of funeral home negligence include:

Mishandling remains
Improperly storing remains
Embalming and cremation errors
Embalming or cremating the wrong body
Using incorrect burial plots or gravesites
Employing unlicensed or unqualified staff
Failing to provide necessary paperwork, such as a death certificate
Failing to provide contractually obligated services
Overcharging for services or products, such as caskets and urns
Failing to follow state and federal laws that regulate funeral providers

If you believe you are the victim of funeral home negligence, our funeral home negligence lawyers serving Minnesota can give you a fair and honest case review. We can help eligible claimants seek compensation for financial losses and harm they have suffered.

What Laws Regulate Funeral Homes?

At the state level, Minnesota mortuary science laws regulate funeral homes. Mortuary science generally refers to the technical aspect of preparing a body for burial or cremation, but the laws address all aspects of the funeral business, from pricing to licensing.

Among other things, the laws state that funeral providers must:

Handle remains according to health and safety standards
Handle remains with dignity
Handle the body according to the family’s wishes
Follow the family’s instructions (as stated in contracts) regarding funeral services
Maintain proper documentation
Provide clear and accurate pricing information

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Funeral Home Rule regulates funeral providers at the federal level. The rule states that funeral homes must give consumers accurate, itemized pricing information, as well as accurate information about funeral goods and services.

Additionally, the rule prohibits funeral homes from:

Misrepresenting legal, crematory, and cemetery requirements
Embalming for a fee without permission
Requiring the purchase of a casket for cremation
Requiring the purchase of certain goods and services as a condition for providing other goods and services (i.e., forcing families to purchase a funeral package rather than select separate services)
Engaging in deceptive or unfair practices

Funeral home regulations can be complex, but our funeral home negligence lawyers in Minnesota can help you understand your rights under the law.

How To Recognize Funeral Home Negligence

It can be challenging for grieving families to identify the signs of funeral home negligence. The following could indicate a problem with your funeral provider:

Lost or missing property belonging to your loved one
Signs your loved one’s body was mishandled or not handled according to your wishes
Poor communication, rudeness, or disrespectful treatment from the funeral home staff
Lack of staff knowledge regarding mortuary procedures or funeral home services
Paperwork delays
Unexpected or unexplained charges
Unexpected fee increases
Unsafe or unsanitary funeral home conditions

You Can Seek Compensation from Negligent Funeral Providers

Our Minnesota funeral home negligence attorneys can hold funeral home providers financially accountable for taking advantage of consumers. In general, we can seek compensation for:

Funeral and burial expenses – You should not have to pay for negligent services. We can seek compensation for the fees you paid to the at-fault funeral home. We can also seek compensation for new services required to lay your loved one to rest.
Medical bills – Funeral home negligence can take an emotional and mental toll on families. We can seek compensation for therapy or health care services you need to address the harm and trauma you suffered.
Pain and suffering – We can seek compensation for stress, depression, anxiety, grief, and anguish caused by funeral home negligence.
Personal items – If your loved one’s personal items were lost or stolen, we can seek compensation for their value.
Punitive damages – In some cases involving gross negligence and intentional misconduct, a court may award a victim punitive damages. These damages are intended to punish at-fault parties and deter future wrongdoing.

What to Do If You Are the Victim of Funeral Home Negligence

You should take the following steps to protect your rights if you suspect you are the victim of funeral home negligence.

Preserve evidence – You should document everything you can for your funeral home negligence claim. Save bills and receipts from funeral home fees, take photographs of physical evidence if possible, and keep records of all of your communications with the funeral home. Do not authorize a cremation or burial until there is a thorough investigation of your case.
File a formal complaint – You can file a mortuary science complaint with the Minnesota Department of Health. You can also file Funeral Home Rule complaints with the FTC. These filings should generate investigations and reports that may be vital evidence in your negligence claim.
Explore your legal options – Our Minnesota funeral home negligence lawyers can help you pursue a legal claim. We can seek compensation for your losses through negotiations with the funeral home or through a civil lawsuit.

If you must take legal action, our litigation attorneys are prepared to take your case to court. We have experience with trial consulting and representation. You must file your lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires. We can tell you more about important deadlines and help you get started before time runs out.

Get Compassionate and Effective Legal Representation From Christensen Law PLLC

At Christensen Law PLLC, we know how difficult it can be to lose a loved one. The last thing you need to endure is more suffering due to the negligent actions of a funeral home. Our consumer law attorneys stand up for the rights of individuals across Minnesota and nationwide. We are here to represent you with the compassion and respect you deserve during a difficult time.

We strive to form genuine relationships with our clients because we care and because the better we know you, the better we can serve you. When you work with our firm, you communicate directly with your lawyer, not an office assistant or paralegal. We are here to listen and help you find solutions that meet your needs and goals.

Our funeral home negligence lawyers in Minnesota can:

Investigate your claim and help you gather evidence
File a claim against the funeral home with regulatory agencies
File a lawsuit against the negligent funeral home
Demand compensation for your losses
Communicate with involved parties and negotiate with the funeral home on your behalf
Represent you at trial if necessary

Contact Christensen Law PLLC

Christensen Law PLLC has over 15 years of legal experience that we can put to work on your case. We can help you hold negligent funeral homes responsible and seek fair compensation for your losses. Contact us online or call today to connect with a Minnesota funeral home lawyer near you.