Very quick question about car accidents and funerals
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johnnysannie
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I've never know there to be any difference between how long between any death and the funeral and that of a fatal car crash. Several factors are considered when scheduling anyone's funeral -some include family desire, if anyone has a long way to come so that travel time needs to be allowed, and even how busy the funeral home may be.
In the last few years, most funerals happen within 2-3 days of the death.
In the last few years, most funerals happen within 2-3 days of the death.
Depends on whether there has to be post-mortem on the victim.
How long do you need it to be for the story?
How long do you need it to be for the story?
Which country is your story set in?
My aunt's funeral (not in a car crash, from illness) was about 2 weeks after her death. That's in the UK.
When a friend's father died in India, he'd been buried before she could get there, even though she got the first flight she could the moment she heard. It was either the same day he died or the following day, no question of waiting.
My aunt's funeral (not in a car crash, from illness) was about 2 weeks after her death. That's in the UK.
When a friend's father died in India, he'd been buried before she could get there, even though she got the first flight she could the moment she heard. It was either the same day he died or the following day, no question of waiting.
I don't know about the UK. In the US, nearly any time there is a fatal accident, there will be an autopsy. The reason is to help determine the cause of the fatal crash. These autopsies help in the development of safer cars and the litigation that frequently happens after such a crash.
As a result, for Jewish and Muslim funerals, that are supposed to be held within twenty-four hours of death, there will be a delay (autopsies are also frowned upon in the Jewish and Muslim faiths, but this is an accepted exception). However, funerals that are scheduled three or four days after the funeral are not affected.
However, a further caveat is that a funeral where the family is insisting on an open casket, where the body received extensive damage, you can use a lot of time between the autopsy and the cosmetic work needed to prepare the body for viewing. This combined times needed to do both can result in a delay of maybe another 24 hours being needed.
Best of luck,
Jim Clark-Dawe
As a result, for Jewish and Muslim funerals, that are supposed to be held within twenty-four hours of death, there will be a delay (autopsies are also frowned upon in the Jewish and Muslim faiths, but this is an accepted exception). However, funerals that are scheduled three or four days after the funeral are not affected.
However, a further caveat is that a funeral where the family is insisting on an open casket, where the body received extensive damage, you can use a lot of time between the autopsy and the cosmetic work needed to prepare the body for viewing. This combined times needed to do both can result in a delay of maybe another 24 hours being needed.
Best of luck,
Jim Clark-Dawe
An autopsy shouldn't affect the funeral - my mom requested an autopsy when my father died, and he was still buried 3 days after his death (and was 'ready' for the visitation the day before). A possible reason for a delay could be if they found something odd - like maybe the accident wasn't the actual cause of death, and they had to wait for some kind of test results. But that may be more in line with a murder mystery than real life 
US, Ohio, very recent experience here. Accident happened on Thursday evening; victim died at the scene; funeral was the following Wednesday with visitation on Tuesday (open casket). Puma
I've had several friends die in car crashes over the years. The when of the funeral is totally up to the family moreso than anyone else.
Depending on how badly the body is damaged and circumstances will affect whether there's a cremation or not, though. Two of my friends were cremated before being brought home or a service conducted.
One friend was literally cut in half during the accident. It happened about 200 miles from home, but in the same state. His family opted for cremation at that time rather than deal with the facts of his condition. His funeral was held the following weekend.
My best friend's husband died out of state when the 18 wheeler he was in crashed and exploded (again, literally) and he died in the fire. He was ID'd by dental records. They could have shipped him home as was, but it required a lot more rigamarole and about $3K more than having him cremated there and mailed to the funeral home(literally, sent through the mail). Because of circumstances, his funeral wasn't held for 6 weeks.
Just something extra that might not have been considered but would make an impact on survivors.
Depending on how badly the body is damaged and circumstances will affect whether there's a cremation or not, though. Two of my friends were cremated before being brought home or a service conducted.
One friend was literally cut in half during the accident. It happened about 200 miles from home, but in the same state. His family opted for cremation at that time rather than deal with the facts of his condition. His funeral was held the following weekend.
My best friend's husband died out of state when the 18 wheeler he was in crashed and exploded (again, literally) and he died in the fire. He was ID'd by dental records. They could have shipped him home as was, but it required a lot more rigamarole and about $3K more than having him cremated there and mailed to the funeral home(literally, sent through the mail). Because of circumstances, his funeral wasn't held for 6 weeks.
Just something extra that might not have been considered but would make an impact on survivors.
Lapinou, If this is set in the UK there would most definately be a post mortem, the Coroner then releases the body for burial / cremation. I think 4 days is cutting it too fine IMHO.
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Religion might have a lot of influence on this. Certain religions don't allow for embalming so if there's an autopsy the M.E. might be sensitive to those needs. For very serious Jewish folks, the funeral is supposed to be the day after the death. When my friend died (in a hospital, of cancer and it was expected) they waited for 2-3 days and there were rumblings from some of the attendees that the wait wasn't kosher.
Thank you for all that detail, Jim
Skylark - is UK. 2 weeks sounds a long time. Will go with 4 days, I think.
From personal experience, I'd say you'd be unlikely to get a UK funeral done within four days of a death. A fortnight is more like it.
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Note that in some jurisdictions, asking for a body to be cremated automatically sets off an autopsy. They need a coroner to sign off that there was no foul play before the crematorium destroys all the evidence. This will cause cremations to be delayed an extra day or two longer than a normal funeral.
I discovered this nugget of info in Florida when my mother died.
It all depends. If the accident was just an accident, and there was no need to hold to the body, no test results waiting, and no suspicious findings in the post mort. then the body can usually be released within a week.
If there is reason to hold onto the body, such as suspcious or contested cause of death, then the wait could be anything from a week to several months, depending on teh indiviual circumstances and any impact or potential requirements of a course hearing.
Again, it can all depend. Here it's common for a body to be 'at home' for up to a week, although usually three or four days after it's been released. This is where the body is returned to it's own home and family, allowing for friends and family to spend time with the deceased in their own home. It's more popular in the country.
Also, there are religious and cultural things to consider, with some funeral traditions being much longer than others.
In addition, there are the logistics, such as burial vs cremation, and when each can be done - demand etc for them may vary, and so it might be a couple of days before teh funeral can take place. Also, if it's a religious ceremony at the funeral, or it's to be held at a church, it will depend on teh availability of the religious leader and the facilities.
Almost exactly the case with my brother, only one fewer day (accident very late Thursday night, visitation Monday and burial Tuesday). There was some blood work done, as the accident was alcohol related. I'm not sure how much of an autopsy was done, but they were able to determine that death wasn't caused from the injuries, but by "positional asphyxiation," or suffocation from how he landed once the car came to rest. We almost opted for closed casket since he was banged up pretty badly, but in the end we left it open.
In Ireland it's usually 3 days, even with a post mortem. It can be longer, though, if awaiting family members returning from abroad.
My little sister and her boyfriend were killed in a car crash. She died at the scene, he died a few days later in hospital.
She died on a Thursday, was buried on Sunday. He died on the Tuesday , was buried on the Thursday, but because he died in hospital there was no need for a PM.
Hope this helps.
My little sister and her boyfriend were killed in a car crash. She died at the scene, he died a few days later in hospital.
She died on a Thursday, was buried on Sunday. He died on the Tuesday , was buried on the Thursday, but because he died in hospital there was no need for a PM.
Hope this helps.
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This is so variable, depending on location, circumstances of death, the religion of the deceased, etc. I have been to a few funerals of persons killed in car accidents. The quickest funeral was two days after the accident. (No autopsy.) The longest I can recall was five days.
Where I live, funerals within a few days of death is more the standard than not. (Unless there is suspicion of homicide and/or an autopsy is requested or required.)
Where I live, funerals within a few days of death is more the standard than not. (Unless there is suspicion of homicide and/or an autopsy is requested or required.)
In any experience that I have the time between death and a funeral depends on religion, post-mortem, cause of death, family, and unfortunately time of year. In the UK public holidays can delay a funeral. For example: if someone dies on Christmas eve, then don't expect a funeral until the the New year, especially if there's a backlog from over the Christmas period.
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My mom died (not in a car crash, but somewhat similar circumstances) on a Thursday, the body was released by the coroner on the Saturday evening and sent to the funeral home, we met the funeral director on Sunday, and had the funeral on Wednesday, 6 days later. No plans were made until we had the body but I suppose that isn't necessarily the case. Part of the problem with making plans is that we didn't know when the body would be released as it was over the weekend. Also, the body had to be prepared for family viewing (did not have an open casket funeral though). My mom was cremated but had we decided on a burial after the service, the cemetary (no religious afffiliation) required 24 hours notice to prepare a grave.
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Thinking about this some more, it probably also depends on the type of funeral. If the family wants a church service at a particular church (my aunt's family did) and then a cremation, and then a wake at a hotel, say, they'll need to be able to make the times match at all of them. If all they want is the service at the crematorium, or if they are being buried at the church, and then the family are just going back to the house, it won't be such a problem.
I'm seeing comments about open casket here, and you may already know this, but open casket funerals are really very unusual in the UK. I've never seen one. I've never been (or been invited) to a viewing of the body, either.
Nugus' point is interesting - there was a public holiday in the way, but only one day.
Edit: I've said "in the UK" on the assumption that if your character was anything more complicated than non-religious or Anglican, or living somewhere especially remote and religious, you'd have said so
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johnnysannie
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Pretty much every funeral I have been to has been open casket, and I've been to funerals in Belfast, Enniskillen and Derry. There doesn't even seem to be a religious preference, as I've been to several different ones.
Laying out at home is much more common in country areas and further north. We don't really have a 'viewing' as such, but when the body is at home people are usually able to come and pay their respects. When teh body isn't at home people can usually come and see it on the day.
It's quite nice actually. The people who prepare the bodies are very good at what they do, and care a lot about making sure the body is treated with respect and that the deceased looks like they did before. It's really comforting, especially if the person has died after a long illness, or a bad accident, that the last time you see them they look good, it makes it much easier for the friends and family to remember them that way.
It's also common here for people to put things into the casket, photos, letters etc, tiny things.
Incidentally, I've known of a couple of people who've had a nun sit with them all the time between death and burial, but this seems to be quite an old fashioned, very country thing, so I wouldn't say it was common.