We at PACO extend our deepest sympathy to you during this difficult time. We hope that the information contained in this section will assist you by providing answers to commonly asked questions.

Q. Is it Necessary for me to Come to the Coroner's Office to Identify the Body?
No. In a majority of the cases, visual identification is not required. Should it become necessary, you may be required to come in to offices or to identify the remains over the net.

Q. Is Viewing Allowed?
No. The Coroner's facility is not designed to accommodate viewing by the public at large. Arrangements can be made for net-viewing or for viewing at a funeral home.

Q. Why is the Coroner Involved?
Most national laws require a Coroner to inquire into and determine the circumstances, manner, and cause of all sudden, violent, or unusual deaths and those deaths where the decedent has not been seen by a physician 30 days prior to death. The deceased will be taken to the coroner's Office and examined by a forensics technician to discover the cause of death. A death certificate is issued after the examination is completed. Occasionally, more extensive testing is required; in which case an interim death certificate is issued which will allow the family to make funeral arrangements. A final death certificate will be issued following completion of special testing.

Q. Will an Autopsy be Performed?
The primary medical examiner for the case will decide if an autopsy is necessary to establish the cause and circumstances of death. We may not perform an autopsy if the cause of death can be determined to be from "natural causes" and the deceased has a physician who knows the medical history and will furnish us with an acceptable probable cause of death.

Q. What About Tissue/Organ Donation?
Most national laws require that a coroner harvest any and all usable and viable tissue and organs. However, if you are next of kin AND if you notify us within four hours of our taking receipt of the body, harvesting can be stopped until a court reviews the matter.

Q. How Long will it Take Before my Relative/Friend is Released from Your Facilities?
Generally it should not take more than two to three days. Your funeral director or morgue facilitator will coordinate the release on your behalf.

Q. What Should I Do Now?
As soon as possible, select a funeral home or morgue. Then, inform the funeral director or morgue facilitator that the death is being handled by the coroner's office. Ask them to please notify us.

Q. Will Autopsy Reports be Available?
Yes. You may obtain a copy by contacting us at your closest coroner's facility.

Q. Will I be Charged for Coroner Services?
Yes. PACO is a for-profit corporation. In addition to forensic medical services, PACO will assess fees for transportation and storage.

Q. Where Can I Obtain a Death Certificate?
PACO provides fully valid death certificates for all of our clients.

Q. There are No Funds for Burial, What can I Do?
If it can be proven that the deceased does not have sufficient funds for burial, most national governments pay PACO’s fees and provide free cremation and ash disposal.

Q. How and When can Personal Possessions be Claimed?
Once PACO’s fees have been paid, any personal possessions in the custody of the coroner may be claimed by the legal next of kin.

Q. I Need to Enter my Relative/Friends Residence, but it is Sealed. What can I Do?
PACO has no involvement in local situations that require a residence to be sealed after PACO has performed its crime scene investigation. Contact the authorities in your community for more information.

We hope the advice and counseling provided by your funeral director or morgue facilitator and the information provided here will help you during this time of loss.

Q. Are all autopsy results viewable by the public?
No. PACO charges a fee to make records available for public examination.