First steps when death occurs

No matter if a death is sudden, or if it is something that was long time coming, the loss of a loved one makes us feel emotional and overwhelmed. No amount of preparation can fully prepare you for the loss of a loved one. When you are in a heightened emotional state, even the most basic decisions can seem staggering. Please call us any time, we will help you. We are available 24/7.

Public opinion is that in case of death, you must immediately call for emergency medical assistance and the State Police. In fact, neither one nor the other will not give a death certificate or deliver deceased to the morgue. For this purpose it is intended for physicians and funeral service providers. Emergency medical assistance is intended to save lives and may not arrive if death occurs. The exception, if you enroll, you’re not sure about the death. In this case, the emergency team will arrive and find the fact of death of the deceased and will issue an assignment to morgue. This assignment may be helpful in dealing with the family doctor and, if necessary for an autopsy, for the cause of death to be cleared. The State Police should be invited only if the cause of death is a crime or an accident.

First steps when death occurs

No matter if a death is sudden, or if it is something that was long time coming, the loss of a loved one makes us feel emotional and overwhelmed. No amount of preparation can fully prepare you for the loss of a loved one. When you are in a heightened emotional state, even the most basic decisions can seem staggering. Please call us any time, we will help you. We are available 24/7.

Public opinion is that in case of death, you must immediately call for emergency medical assistance and the State Police. In fact, neither one nor the other will not give a death certificate or deliver deceased to the morgue. For this purpose it is intended for physicians and funeral service providers. Emergency medical assistance is intended to save lives and may not arrive if death occurs. The exception, if you enroll, you’re not sure about the death. In this case, the emergency team will arrive and find the fact of death of the deceased and will issue an assignment to morgue. This assignment may be helpful in dealing with the family doctor and, if necessary for an autopsy, for the cause of death to be cleared. The State Police should be invited only if the cause of death is a crime or an accident.

  • Funeral process when death occurs at home

    If a close relative has died a natural death, with no signs of violent death, you should contact the deceased’s family doctor. Finding the fact of death and knowing the deceased’s medical history, family doctor issue a death certificate. This document is required to get a death certificate. Unknown cause of death in the case, or if the deceased was younger than 59 years, the family doctor issues an assignment for an autopsy to find out the cause of death. On weekends and holidays or at night, family doctors are often unavailable. In this situation, you can contact the on-duty doctor or postpone a visit to the family doctor for a later by mutual agreement . In any case, you should apply for a loved one transportation to morgue, where the deceased will be stored as required. Within the city our staff will arrive within 1 hour after requesting our services, the deceased will be delivered to morgue, and you will be informed about the next steps.

  • Funeral process when death occurs at hospital

    The staff of a care facility such as a hospital or a nursing home will notify you and the necessary authorities immediately after a death has occurred. You will be invited to attend a hospital to do all formalities. There are cases when the autopsy would have to be necessary. In other cases, if relatives don’t want to partition, it is possible to write an agreement that the autopsy will not be performed. There are cases where the deceased’s autopsy is compulsory. Death certificate is prescribed by the attending physician, department head or pataloganatoms. Even before going to the hospital, you can go to our branches to apply for obtaining a certificate and clothes delivery to morgue. Our staff will save you the visit.

  • Funeral process in the case of accident or crime

    If relative has died at home or in a public place and the cause of death is a crime or an accident, you should contact the State Police. Police officers apply deceased for National Center of Forensic Medicine morgue by calling the dedicated services. After the examination it is possible to obtain the certificate of cause of death. You can go to our branches to apply for a certificate and deceased’s clothing delivery to morgue. Our staff will save you the visit. In cases when the deceased is intended to cremate, you must obtain a prosecutor’s authorization to perform the cremation.

  • Funeral process if death occurs abroad

    If relative has died abroad, but you want to bury in Latvia, it is necessary to transport deceased in specialized transport and in zinc coffin. It is forbidden to bury in zinc coffin in Latvia. We offer zinc coffin for rent for transporting that saves you purchase two coffins. It is necessary to obtain written permission from Latvia cemetery for burial. We do transportation of the deceased in the European Union and other countries.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do first if someone has died at home?

Call a family doctor or the emergency medical service to confirm the death and issue a medical certificate. Then call us on +371 26825865 - we will transport the deceased to the morgue and help with the documents.

What should I do if a relative has died in hospital?

The hospital will report the death and prepare the necessary medical certificate. You then need to choose a funeral home that will arrange transport of the deceased to the morgue and help start the funeral arrangements. We can provide the necessary help at any time of day, including transport, paperwork and the further organisation of the funeral.

How quickly do I need to start arranging the funeral?

There is no need to make every decision immediately. First, take care of yourself and your loved ones. We can arrange transportation of the deceased to the morgue without delay, while the funeral date and other details can be planned calmly over the following days.

What documents are required?

A death certificate is required, issued by the civil registry office based on the doctor's certificate. We explain every step and help prepare the documents for the funeral and the benefit.

Can you help if the death occurred outside Riga or abroad?

Yes. We arrange transport and repatriation of the deceased from other cities and countries.