Who is primarily responsible for filing the death certificate in Nebraska?

In Nebraska, the primary responsibility for filing the death certificate lies with the funeral director. This is because the funeral director plays a crucial role in managing the various logistics surrounding a death, including the preparation and transportation of the body. Once informed of a death, the funeral director ensures that the death certificate is completed accurately and filed with the appropriate authorities in a timely manner.

While the attending physician provides necessary medical details and signs the death certificate, their role is to certify the cause of death. The funeral director then takes over the responsibility of submitting the completed document to the local health department or relevant governmental body. As a result, the funeral director acts as the key intermediary in this process, ensuring compliance with legal requirements related to burial or cremation as well as proper record-keeping.

The involvement of the family, while crucial for providing personal information and arranging services, does not include the administrative responsibility of filing the death certificate. Local health departments are not responsible for filing it but will receive the documents once they have been submitted by the funeral director.