The aftermath of an unattended death claim: Part 1

It has been said “knowledge is power,” and in the field of forensic restoration, this is particularly true for the insurance industry. Commonly known as “crime and trauma scene cleaning,” forensic restoration is defined as the comprehensive remediation of buildings and structures contaminated or suspected to be contaminated from biological materials. For insurers, this can include claims involving homicide, suicide, accidental or natural death.

Consider an unattended death with advanced human decomposition, add cross-contamination from first responders and cross bio-contamination from vectors creating fomites (items likely to carry infection). Throw in a dog who has to eat and a family under duress and unhappy with their previous service providers. Add in a global pandemic, and you have the recipe for a perfect storm.

The complexities of unattended deaths

Ally, an insurance adjuster, had a claim where the deceased was not discovered for approximately two weeks. The gentleman was found in a carpeted hallway. After the body was removed, the family called a large crime scene cleaning company. They removed some carpet and pad, some tile in the bathroom and some sheetrock in the hall. The family dog that was alone with the body added another level of complexity to the claim. The company had handled the load reduction, which involves the removal and proper disposal of the visible gross amounts of bio-contamination, and had submitted an invoice for $26,500.

“After dismissing the crime scene cleaning company, the family called a fire and water restoration company,” Ally explained. When the company arrived, they didn’t go into the house because they did not have the appropriate PPE for the job.

Instead, Ally said that the contractor looked in all of the windows and then informed the family it was a total loss and everything, including all of the sheetrock, had to go because of the odor. Their estimate: $100,000.

Our firm was the third company hired, and we arrived the next day. We donned two pairs of Nitrile medical grade gloves, protective booties, MaxAir powered respirators and went to work.

Site & risk assessment

It was clear from the beginning that this was not going to be an unattended death site that fit the profile. Most unattended death sites happen because someone died, and they simply were not missed. A lot of unattended deaths involve mental health and addiction issues. These people isolate and have no social circle, so when they die, no one comes to check on them.

Human decomposition begins approximately four minutes after death. In an average adult, there are between 1.2 to 1.5 gallons of blood. In an average 200-pound adult, there are over 120 pounds of bodily fluids. They are going to go somewhere.

As we entered the residence, my colleague, Lori, stopped and took the first of many ATP (adenosine triphosphate, which measures actively growing microorganisms) scores that she would be taking, and I began to photograph the interior. It takes five minutes for the human eye to adjust from bright sunlight to dimmer interior lighting, and now the canine fecal matter was becoming obvious. Small dog, I thought and noticed the older fecal matter was consistent with a dog fed commercial dog food. The consistency of the fecal matter changes depending on the source of a dog’s diet.

In the hall, where the deceased had expired, a 4×8 section of carpet and pad (1/2-inch rebond) had been removed along with two rows of 1×1 tile going into the hall bath and a small section of sheetrock, 6 x 18 inches. On the concrete subfloor, a white sealant was used. The use of sealants can sometimes raise the question: “What is someone hiding?” It’s better to clean a surface, verify cleanliness with an ATP and apply an EPA-registered disinfectant.

Throughout the affected areas, ATP readings were recorded, and pictures and measurements were taken as well as all pertinent information needed to help establish a forensic restoration solution based on the science of biorisk manage­ment and infection control, which utilize the techniques of forensic cleaning and professional disinfecting.

After the preliminary investigation and properly doffing our PPE at the door and bagging it, we went outside to meet with Tom, the client, to discuss our findings, his expectations, and the scope of work.

“The three major components of any forensic restoration project are structure, contents and indoor air quality, and not necessarily in that order,” we told him. Then I explained how all three of these would be addressed.

Tom was concerned about the pos­sibility of any remaining odor and the need to pull out all of the sheetrock. We addressed these issues and detailed how all of the sheetrock would not have to be removed and that the environment would not only be odor-free, but more impor­tantly, it would be a healthy, hygienic environment, safe enough to open a daycare center the next day if he wanted to.

Jeff Jones (biosheen@gmail.com) is a certified bio-forensic restoration specialist, as well as a certified forensic operator with 50 years of field experience in forensic restoration. He serves as director of forensic operations and as the Master Trainer for The Global BioRisk Advisory Council and has taught the protocols and procedures of forensic restoration in Europe, the Mediterranean, and Latin America. Future Forensic Files articles will cover handling suicides, accidental or natural deaths, trauma and the introduction of a known infectious agent.

Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two-part series. Part two will review the cleaning and restoration process as well as offer a cost breakdown from the three vendors.

Related:

• How insurers can ensure clients’ vehicles are properly disinfected
• A consumer’s guide to disinfecting after COVID-19
• Forensic restoration claims: What you don’t know could kill you