Grace Funeral Home Victoria, Texas Lawsuit
In 2017, Grace Funeral Home in Victoria, Texas was sued by two families after their loved ones’ bodies were accidentally cremated and given to the wrong families.
The Salazar Case
The first lawsuit was filed by the family of Maria Salazar, who died in April 2017. The Salazars entrusted Grace Funeral Home with Maria’s body, but instead of being embalmed and prepared for a traditional funeral, Maria was cremated. Her cremated remains were then accidentally given to another family, who buried them.
The Garza Case
The second lawsuit was filed by the family of Manuel Garza, who died in May 2017. The Garzas also entrusted Grace Funeral Home with Manuel’s body, but when they arrived at the funeral home to pick him up for his viewing, they were told that his body had not yet been cremated. However, the Garzas were then shown a cremated urn that they were told contained Manuel’s remains.
The Lawsuits
Both families filed lawsuits against Grace Funeral Home alleging breach of contract, mishandling of a corpse, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuits also alleged that Grace Funeral Home violated the Texas Funeral Service Commission’s rules and regulations.
The Outcome
The lawsuits were settled out of court in 2019. The terms of the settlements were not disclosed, but Grace Funeral Home did issue a public apology to both families.
FAQs
Q: What happened to the Salazar family’s remains?
A: The Salazar family’s remains were eventually returned to them after Grace Funeral Home discovered the mistake.
Q: What happened to the Garza family’s remains?
A: The Garza family’s remains were also eventually returned to them after Grace Funeral Home discovered the mistake. However, the Garzas said that they would never be able to be sure that the remains they received were actually Manuel’s.
Q: What did Grace Funeral Home say about the lawsuits?
A: Grace Funeral Home issued a public apology to both families and said that it was “deeply sorry” for the “pain and suffering” that it had caused them.
Q: What are the Texas Funeral Service Commission’s rules and regulations regarding the handling of corpses?
A: The Texas Funeral Service Commission has a number of rules and regulations regarding the handling of corpses, including rules requiring funeral homes to properly identify and track corpses.
Q: Are there any other lawsuits pending against Grace Funeral Home?
A: There are no other known lawsuits pending against Grace Funeral Home at this time.
Q: What can be done to prevent similar mistakes from happening in the future?
A: There are a number of things that can be done to prevent similar mistakes from happening in the future, such as requiring funeral homes to use identification bracelets or anklets on corpses and to regularly check those records.
Conclusion
The Grace Funeral Home lawsuits were a tragic reminder of the importance of funeral homes properly handling corpses. It is important for families to be aware of the rules and regulations governing the funeral industry and to choose a funeral home with a good reputation.
References
- Victoria family sues funeral home for $50M: https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/victoria-family-sues-funeral-home-for-50m/article_7a1c85a0-9fff-11e8-8136-974da31c900a.html
- Ohio Sec. Ins. Co. v. Grace Funeral Home, Inc.: https://casetext.com/case/ohio-sec-ins-co-v-grace-funeral-home-inc
In 2017, Grace Funeral Home in Victoria, Texas was sued by two families after their loved ones’ bodies were accidentally cremated and given to the wrong families. The Salazar Case The first lawsuit was filed by the family of Maria Salazar, who died in April 2017. The Salazars entrusted Grace Funeral Home with Maria’s body,…