When someone dies under accidental, violent, or suspicious circumstances in the state of California, their death must be investigated by a county coroner. Thus, if your family member or loved one died as a result of an accident in San Bernardino County, their remains will be taken to the Coroner Division, which is located at:
175 South Lena Road
San Bernardino, California 92415
A coroner’s investigation can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the complexity of the accident. If you need to contact the Coroner Division directly, you can call them at (909) 387-2978 from 8 AM to 4:30 PM.
Once the coroner completes their investigation, they will issue a death certificate with the official cause of death. However, you will not be able to get a copy of the death certificate from the coroner’s office. This can be quite confusing to family members, who are in need of this document to resolve the decedent’s affairs and distribute their assets.
In this article, we will advise you on the process for obtaining a copy of the death certificate, along with other information that may be helpful to you. If there is anything else that we can assist you with, please contact our office and schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys.
How can I get a Copy of a Death Certificate after an Accident?
If you are within two years of the date of death, you will need to contact the San Bernardino County Vital Records Office. To ensure that a copy of the death certificate is on file, you may want to call them ahead of time at (800) 782-4264. If you are over the 2-year mark, you must contact the San Bernardino County Recorder’s office at (855) 732-2575.
Ordering a Death Certificate from the Vital Records Office
For death certificate that are no more two years old, you can order a certified copy in person or through the mail. To request a copy in person, you must download the Death Certificate Request forms from the Vital Records Office website. You will need to complete the application before you get to the Records office, but leave the Sworn Statement blank. This form has to be completed in front of a Records Office employee in order to verify your eligibility for a copy of the death certificate.
To request a copy through the mail, you will need to complete the same forms, but the Sworn Statement will need to be signed in front of a notary public. This is to ensure that your document is notarized, which is required in order to obtain a certified copy of the death certificate. The completed forms and required payment can be mailed to:
Department of Public Health
340 N. Mt. View Ave
San Bernardino, CA 92415-0038
Ordering a Death Certificate from the County Recorder’s Office
If it’s been over two years since the death of your loved one, you can order a copy of the death certificate from the San Bernardino County Recorder’s Office. To request a copy in person, you must complete the “Birth, Death, Marriage Certificate Application” online by going to the County Recorder’s office website. Once you submit the application, you’ll be given a confirmation number, which you will need in order to make an appointment by calling the Recorder’s Office at (855) 732-2575.
If you’d rather mail in your request, the completed packet and applicable payment can be mailed to the following address:
County Clerk
222 W. Hospitality Lane-1st Floor
San Bernardino, CA 92415-0022
Online Orders for Death Certificates in San Bernardino County
You may be able to order a copy of the death certificate through the VitalChek system, which is an online platform used for vital records by most county offices throughout California. If the death certificate you’re looking for is in their system, you can place an order immediately and pay for it with a credit or debit card.
How long does it take to get a Copy of a Death Certificate?
The amount of time it takes to process a death certificate can range from 4 to 12 weeks. Online orders are the fastest, with an average turnaround time of 20 business days from the day your order is received. Unfortunately, wait times are much lot longer with in-person or mail orders.
The long wait times and complicated procedures to obtain a death certificate can be a big source of stress for loved ones and family members. For assistance with the paperwork and legal advice if your loved one passed away from an accident, don’t hesitate to contact the lawyers of Normandie.
How much does it Cost to get a Copy of a Death Certificate?
Certified copies of death certificates are $24 each, whether you order from the Vital Records Office or the County Recorder’s. You can pay the fee in cash or with a credit or debit card if you are visiting the office in person, but mail-in requests must be paid by check or money order.
Certified death certificates ordered online are also $24 each, but you will be charged an extra fee by VitalChek. You will also need to pay the cost of shipping, which varies depending on the delivery service you choose.
How many Copies should I Order?
It all depends on the assets of the decedent, which can include bank accounts, insurance policies, retirement funds, and Social Security benefits, just to name a few. Each institution that you contact may ask for a certified copy of the death certificate, so we recommend ordering at least 10 just to be on the safe side. It’s a good idea to consult an attorney regarding this question, as they can assist you with the procedures for claiming your loved one’s assets, which will vary depending on the institution.
Can I get the Death Certificate from the Funeral Director?
Yes, you can certainly ask them for a copy, but keep in mind that they may only have a “pending” death certificate.
This type of certificate is issued so that family members can bury or cremate the decedent in a timely manner. But it will not list the official cause of death, so it can only serve a limited purpose. For example, you can use a pending death certificate to start the probate process with the court, but you won’t be able to claim benefits like pension funds and life insurance. Additionally, an official cause of death is required for a wrongful death lawsuit, which is filed when the decedent dies from someone else’s negligence or misconduct.
It can be tough to wait out the investigation and come up with the funds to pay for multiple copies of a death certificate. If you’re struggling to pay for a death certificate, please keep reading to learn about the available solutions.
Can I get Financial Help in getting a Copy of a Death Certificate?
The number of death certificates that are needed vary from case to case, but it’s not unusual for families to spend several hundred dollars to ensure that they have enough copies. After paying for a funeral, medical bills, and covering debts left behind by the decedent, this added burden can be overwhelming for many families.
Loved ones may look into private loans to help with the costs, but the interest rates on these loans can put you in a worse situation that you were before. Take, for example, lawsuit loans, also known as settlement loans. Lawsuit funding companies will provide you with a cash advance that you won’t have to pay back until you receive your settlement. However, interest rates for these loans are as high as 60%, which will take away a significant portion of your settlement award.
Before you turn to one of these companies, please call our office and schedule a free consultation. In California, lawyers can loan money to their clients for certain expenses, as long as they are actively working on their case. If you are interested in retaining one of our attorneys, we can cover the cost of the death certificates and help you file a claim for wrongful death compensation. These costs will be deferred until we win your case, and you can be sure that you will not be charged prohibitive interest rates that take away the better part of your settlement.
Our Zero Fee Guarantee
Legal representation is essential when you’re dealing with the aftermath of a loved one’s accident. But the cost of legal fees holds many people back from reaching out to an experienced attorney. That’s why we’ve always operated under a Zero fee guarantee, which makes all our services free to our clients. The only way we get paid is by winning your case, and at that point, it’s the other party who will be paying our fees as a part of your settlement award. That means you will never pay out of pocket, even if your case goes to trial. And if we fail to recover your compensation award, the costs are on us, because as we always say, “We don’t get paid if you don’t get paid.”
Since there is absolutely no risk to your finances, please take the chance of contacting our law firm. We can help you with every aspect of your case, from ordering copies of your loved one’s death certificate to recovering the monetary damages you deserve from the responsible party. Contact Normandie Law Firm and schedule a time to speak with one of our attorneys.
