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Unattended Death

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24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE NATIONWIDE

Unattended Death Cleanup

Situations like these cannot wait. Call our professional decomposition teams any time the unexpected happens.

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What is an Unattended Death?

An unattended death is any type of situation where a body has began decomposing for a period of time without anyone's knowledge. When a body has been left to decompose for several weeks or months, the amount of biohazards present multiply expotentially. 8 out of 10 times these situations have the presence of maggots, decomposition flies, bugs, bodily fluids, and more.

If you're in this situation, it's perfectly natural to hear about an unattended death for the first time. Thousands of families encounter these situations daily and 99% of them never expected it. There's no reason to feel guilty or obligated to handle it alone.

The specialists at National Crime Scene Cleanup Association (NCSC) are mentally and physically trained to protect the health of your family and the surrounding community. Thanks to these services, you can focus on what's important during this difficult time, oftentimes at no cost to you.

Emergency nationwide crews are available 24/7/365 with the proper equipment and supplies to restore the property. Call anytime.

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I can't say enough good things about the respect, courtesy and professionalism that NCSC provided. I don't wish the need to use this type of service to anyone, however contact NCSC should you have to.

 Jason L.

Do Not Clean Up After A Death In Your Home

Leave The Scene As Is

You should not have any reason to attempt to clean or disturb the scene yourself. The best thing you can do is leave the scene completely "as is". A licensed company will follow all laws to ensure the property is safely sanitized and restored for resale or your inhabitance, often at no cost to you.

Call The Professionals

A professional biohazard cleaning crew can efficiently identify, evaluate, and dispose of all hazards. Depending on the scope of the job, a team will correctly remove contaminated floorboards, walls, and ceiling panels. Crews can also safely dispose contaminated mattresses and even restore items of sentimental value.

Focus On Healing

These unprecedented times should not be taken lightly. During these times, you'll want to focus on things most important to you. Grieving, spending time with your loved ones, arranging funeral services. Don't feel obligated to risk your health by putting yourself in these dangerous situations.

How An Unattended Death is Properly Cleaned

Don't risk your health by attempting to clean up the unattended death yourself. Professional death cleaners work in crews and are professionally licensed and experienced to handle every situation. They use equipment and supplies you aren't expected to have. Below is a general overview of how the crews professionally restore properties.

1

Dispatch & Documentation

A representative will listen to your situation over the phone, collecting and documenting information to determine costs, dispatch time, and supplies needed.

This information typically includes your name, the city or town, state of your location, and photos of the damages. When available, your home or renter's insurance policy information will also be collected.

2

Sanitization & Restoration

Crews will arrive with the correct PPE. Following OSHA procedures, a supervisor set up work zones, prepare supplies, and direct the work. Per federal regulations, only EPA registered disinfectants appropriate to the situation are used.

Biohazards from the contaminated areas are removed and placed in color coded biohazard bags and containers depending on the type of waste. Severe situations may require flooring, wall panels, and even ceiling panels to be removed.

3

Payment Collected

After removing body fluids, airborne pathogens, and any other biohazardous matter, the crew seeks to close the job. This will require your review and sign off.

Once finalized, NCSC will work with your insurance to cover the cost of the cleanup. The documentation collected before and after the incident is used to bill insurance in this part of the process.

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NCSC's Certifications

To read more about biohazardous waste laws, please see the respective governmental websites below:

NCSC teams are fully licensed and trained by the applicable organizations of which they are servicing. Help is just a phone call away. Call the NCSC hotline 24/7/365 for immediate assistance. 

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It Can Happen To Anyone--At Any Time

These circumstances are unfortunate and unexpected. It's important to remember you have the help you need.
Below are a few real life situations that NCSC crews have made a difference for.

Teresa is an active and independent elderly woman whom experiences a sudden heart attack in her home. Unable to call for help, she passes away. Her quiet neighbors tend to keep to themselves and aren’t in the habit of checking on her. Her adult children live in different states are used to their mother taking spontaneous trips and aren’t concerned until they can’t reach her for more than two weeks. They contact police for a welfare check and officers find her deceased.
Robert has Major Depressive Disorder. He recently lost his job at a financial firm and his wife has been struggling to pick up the slack. One day she comes home from work to find that Robert has shot himself. As with all such cases, an investigation ensues, and after determining the cause to be suicide, Robert’s wife Sarah calls NCSC to clean up after his death.
Malcolm is changing an acoustic panel in the ceiling of his unfinished basement when the latter tips over. He falls and sustains a fatal blow to his head. Since he lived alone, he remained undiscovered for three months. Only after his landlord accesses the property to claim rent is Malcolm’s badly decomposed body discovered.
Jonathan is a real estate agent specializing in foreclosed, often derelict properties. One of his jobs is to look after the empty houses in his company’s inventory, as they await their turn for restoration and market listing. In spite of having a security company check in on the properties, people will break into the buildings to “squat”, and on more than one occasion he’s discovered evidence of drug use. Twice, he has discovered bodies decomposing for some time after obvious heroin overdoses, requiring extensive biohazard cleanup.
Mark’s wife and two kids are at the family’s summer cottage when he drowns in the family pool while doing laps. The pool maintenance worker discovers him two days after his death. After the unattended death investigation, Mark’s wife calls NCSC to clean the swimming pool, which, even with her husband’s minor decomposition, had become a biohazard.
Alise slips and fractures her skull in a hotel bathroom while on a business trip. While her body is found only two hours later by hotel staff, the blood and body fluids resulting from her death required careful biohazard cleanup by NCSC in order to meet sanitation standards for the health department.
JoAnn lives alone, except for 15 cats and six dogs. Technically a hoarder, law enforcement is accustomed to receiving calls from her neighbors about noxious odors. One day JoAnn’s situation and illness overwhelms her to the point of suicide. She isn’t discovered for six weeks, and unfortunately found in addition to the deaths of her many animals. NCSC is called to remediate the decomposition of human and animal bodies, accumulation of animal waste, and her hoarding habits after her estate becomes the responsibility of an estranged sibling.

Factors That Affect The Cost

The Amount of Time and/or Climate

Knowing the full scope of biohazards allows crews to prep themselves with the correct equipment and supplies. Decomp cleaning can demand more resources (e.g. more PPE and cleaning supplies) if the situation has been left to the elements for some time. This can also occur when the decomposition occurs in a home without A/C running in hotter climates.

Condition of the Home

Other conditions of the home may affect the costs. The presence of mold, hoarding, and/or drug residue can add to the type of equipment and supplies required to appropriately respond to the issue. NCSC crews are professional and thorough, ensuring that the entire property is restored to utmost safety before issuing a Certificate of Hygiene.

Other Bloodborne Pathogens

Similar to the condition of the home or the amount of decomposition matter involved, other pathogens are an important factor as well. Per OSHA protocol, if the person that passed carried infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDs, Hepatitis B, and/or other serious infectious diseases like C. Diff, special testing may be required and contribute to the costs, respectively.

Hundreds of Nationwide Homes Pick NCSC Annually

Compassionate Service

Going through the grief of losing a loved one or restoring a property after a tenant has passed is never desirable.

NCSC crews are sympathetic and deeply familiar with situations like these.

As such, NCSC has been rated one of the top leading specialized death cleaning companies in America for their attention to detail and dedication to the local communities.

Rapid Response Times

NCSC's response times are generally within 24 hours. Emergency crews operate on a rotating schedule to keep availability open.

Emergency means all day, any day of the year. NCSC teams respond to situations like these regardless of holidays.

If you are in need of these services, know that NCSC is here to help. Call to schedule your appointment today.

Professionally Licensed and Protected

NCSC is one step beyond a licensed professional company, NCSC is also bonded and insured.

Working with a bonded and insured cleaning company means an extra layer of protection to you that comparable companies do not have.

No matter the company you decide to work with, be sure that their services are at least fully licensed.

Rated Five Stars By Families Like Yours

For over 20 years, NCSC is honored to offer a high level of standard that has attained many five star reviews by many nationwide families like your's. How have we done it?

Our teams of professionals know the seriousness and potential severity of these situations. Whether you were surprised to find a large amount of mold while completing your latest remodeling project or you have lost a loved one recently due to an act of violence (so sorry for your loss), we are here and qualified to help you through these situations and ensure you and the public’s physical and mental wellbeing is protected.

Our service response times are typically immediate or next day for both residential and commercial properties and vehicles.

Although we are not going through your situation directly, we know how tragic and sensitive these circumstances can be. We treat every situation and family with the utmost respect and compassion, hoping that our services can help offer you some peace of mind and safety.

We are considerate to the circumstances that have occurred through no fault of your own. Time is something we can’t get back, don’t waste or make your life more difficult by attempting to clean the situation up personally. The dangers of doing so are potentially traumatic. Trust our thorough, professionally trained staff and know we are equipped to handle the situation efficiently.

Insurance covers most of our services so you don’t have to pay out of pocket. Although each individual policy is different, our compassionate representatives will help try to determine the most affordable solution for you. We work tirelessly to find a way, whether we personally work with your insurance adjuster, seek out helpful victim financial programs, or put in place a payment plan you can afford….don’t look past our services because you don’t think you can afford them; it’s often quite the opposite.

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Cost & Flexible Payment Options

Unattended death costs are based on a sliding scale using several different factors, which is why calling is the best method for an accurate estimate. Prices can start from $3,500+, though most situations are covered by insurance.

Please speak with a NCSC representative to discuss further.

Insurance Accepted

Insurance Accepted

Nearly all incidents are covered by homeowners, renter's, or other property insurance. NCSC works with several major insurance providers. A representative can assist you through the claims process when you call.

Pay by Credit or Debit Card

Credit or Debit Card

NCSC accepts all major credit or debit cards through a secure third party payment processing vendor, so all of your information stays confidential and encrypted at the highest level throughout the transaction process.

Pay by Check

Check

For your convenience, NCSC accepts all checks, banker or otherwise, so long as they are lawfully written and issued by a valid bank.

Victims Resources

Victim's Resources

The federal government has funds available to victims of crime that are paid for by the convicted offender. Feel free to ask for more information about the Crime Victims Fund when you call.

Frequently Asked Questions

All the emotions you're going through during this troubling time are valid. The confusion you are experiencing is also normal and to be expected. NCSC representatives can assist you with any concerns or questions you may have, even if the ones below don't address it.

1What is the difference between an unattended and an attended death?

An attended death is the term used to describe any patients that pass away in a hospital, long term care facility, under hospice care, or in the presence of another within 30 days of seeing a doctor.

You can think of it as the opposite of an unattended death--where someone has passed and left to the elements for an undefined period of time.

2Who reports an unattended death?

A neighbor, a family member, a landlord, law enforcement, or any civilian that discovers a decomposing body can report an unattended death.

3Does renter's insurance cover costs?

Most major renter's insurance providers do cover costs, though some policies do vary. Please check with your NCSC representative when you call.

4As a property manager, how can you be prepared?

Property managers can conduct a plan should these situations occur. Tenants should be on the lookout for flies on the windows, strong odors, a buildup of mail near the front of the door, or no contact from the tenant for a long period of time.

Property managers can conduct check-ins after a long period of time, possibly based on a rotating schedule. Many keep NCSC on retainer for situations where a body has been discovered.

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