So You Have Obtained A Copy of the Death Certificate...But the information on it is WRONG. What Should You Do To Change It?
When I requested my
mother’s death certificate the first time, I was denied a copy despite having
all of the required documentation requested. They sent me a letter back stating
that I was denied because the information that I provided was different than
the information on file for her. I
already knew that they had her information (date of birth and social security
number) wrong. However, I did not know
that I would be denied because of it. In order to obtain her death certificate,
I would have to file the application using the incorrect information that they
placed on the death certificate. To find out what information was put on the
death certificate, I wrote an extensive e-mail to the public fiduciary and the
funeral home explaining the circumstances and requesting that they provide me
with the information on file. I had no
problems obtaining this information, the Public Fiduciary called me and gave me
the information and also sent me an e-mail confirming what she had given me on
the phone. With the incorrect information, I filed another application for the
death certificate. This time they
processed my request and ran my credit card! Now, I am just waiting for the copy
to arrive in the mail.
Even though I was
able to obtain a copy of the death certificate and I would finally know what my
mother died of—I was still uncomfortable with the fact that all of her
information on file was incorrect. I do Genealogy
projects as a hobby and I know how vital the proper information is to trace
someone’s life and lineage. In addition to that concern, I was worried that my
mother’s real social security number was floating around out there subject to
identity theft. I voiced these concerns
to the Fiduciary and the funeral home, but received an unsatisfactory
response. I was told that it was possible
that she was living under another identity (that it happened frequently with
indigents and transients). Unsure how to deal with the issue, I started doing research
on my own about how I might be able to have the information changed.
Due to the concern of
identity theft with her real social security number and the fact that she was
assigned a number in death that did not belong to her, I figured that the
Social Security Administration would most interested in fixing the issues. Boy what I wrong… the response that I
received from them was that I would have to go in to a Social Security Office
and sit down to talk with someone and they would try to see what could be done,
but that those issues needed to be handled by the original filer of the death
certificate. Reaching the ultimate point of frustration, after hitting road
block after road block, I just stopped trying.
Then as I was doing
research for the Foundation one day, I came across some information about
requesting information changes on a death certificate. In all of the requests I
made and the people that I talked to- no one at all told me that the family can
request to have a death certificate amended. Really?! The whole time it was as
easy as filing an application for death certificate amendments?! And I could
just do that on my own… but it would cost me $30.00. And I felt that the easiest and best way to
file the request was to provide as much proof as possible via documentation
about her identity, so that I would not have to go back and forth and file over
and over again. I thought I should have her birth certificate to send in with
the amendment application, but I did not have it and it costs $27.00 for a
certified copy of a birth certificate (here in Ohio). I did not have all that money
to spare at the time. I had a problem
with the fact that I had to pay them $30 to fix information that they filed
wrong on her paperwork. I knew that when she was in the hospital, they had her
correct information—which meant the error happened in their office or at the
funeral home. Why should I have to pay
for their mistake? So I decided to do some more digging and write some more
letters requesting that they file to fix the information on her death
certificate. The results of this research was satisfying!
I found out that if
the information on the death certificate was incorrect due to an error made by
the original informant (funeral home or fiduciary office) they are RESPONSIBLE
FOR PROVIDING A CORRECTION LETTER. The informant can file an amendment request
application and CORRECTION FEE IS WAIVED, as it is their LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY
to make sure all information on legal forms is true. Using this method of
having the funeral home or fiduciary’s office request the changes to be made,
it does not cost the family any money!
Most funeral homes are willing to assist the family in doing this if you
ask them.
If you cannot get the
funeral home or fiduciary to grant your request to submit an correction letter,
free of charge to you, it is probably because the information that they had
provided to them at the time was all the information they could obtain and
therefore, no error was made on their part.
In this circumstance, any immediate family
member can request for changes to be made to the death certificate. Like filing
for the death certificate, you must provide proof of your relationship to the
deceased. You must also provide as much legal documentation as possible to
prove the corrections that need to be made. Examples of factual documentation
acceptable can be found at http://www.maricopa.gov/publichealth/Programs/Vitals/default.aspx
Changing
Identity Information on File with Maricopa County Vital Statistics
When you are requesting to change
the identity of a loved one from an indigent status to an individual with a confirmed
& validated identity, there is a form that the funeral homes will have you
fill out called a VSIM Worksheet. This form asks all of the questions needed to
provide as much information as possible about your loved ones identity to file
with the state. This worksheet is often
required by the funeral home when doing a death certificate correction letter
and amendment application.
Each funeral home
has their own version or copy of the VSIM worksheet, but you can view a general example of this form here: http://www.angelscremationandburial.com/pdf/VSIM%20Worksheet2.pdf
I know first hand that it can be so
emotionally draining to try and deal with all of the paperwork related to
someone’s death. When you add the complication of indigence- and you have to rewind and go back to the beginning to dig up the needed info. it is that much
more frustrating, upsetting and draining.
Sometimes we need for someone else to
pick up the pieces where we left off and help us along in our journey. If you
find yourself in this predicament, please please feel free to contact us. White Tanks Angels
Foundation will assist the families in walking through all of the the processes
of requesting a death certificate, requesting changes to be made, correcting documents and finding out as much
information as possible about your loved one’s death. If you have questions or
need help, please send an email to WhiteTanksAngels@gmail.com
