Controversies Service Corporation International

1 controversies

1.1 costs
1.2 texas
1.3 florida
1.4 virginia
1.5 california
1.6 massachusetts

controversies
costs

writing in 24 october 2013 issue of bloomberg businessweek, journalist paul m. barrett found, despite lower overhead, sci has higher prices independent funeral home operators. barrett quoted data compiled concierge funeral planning service everest funeral package, found traditional funerals, sci charges $6,256 on average (excluding casket , cemetery plot), 42 percent more independents. in reply, sci points overwhelmingly positive responses on customer surveys, below market wages paid staff , management, , states provide top value @ variety of funeral price points.

texas

in late 1990s, sci involved in controversy involving alleged violations of texas state embalming laws. proceedings took political slant due robert waltrip’s friendship family of then-governor george w. bush , waltrip s campaign contributions various members of bush family.

referred funeralgate or formaldegate in media, controversy publicized when eliza may, director texas funeral service commission (tfsc), fired while investigating sci. may alleged in civil suit fired because refused halt investigation despite pressure governor bush.

may s lawyers subpoenaed president bush testify @ trial, texas judge john k. dietz threw out subpoena on grounds then-governor not in position have enough specialized information require involvement.

the lawsuit settled in 2001 more $200,000. sci , state of texas required jointly pay decision. on january 23, 2004, tfsc fined sci additional $21,000 administrative penalties.

florida

in 2001, reported employees of memorial gardens cemetery near ft. lauderdale, florida had oversold cemetery, bodies buried in wrong places, separating husbands wives; vaults cracked open backhoe; bodies exhumed, bones, skulls , shrouds thrown nearby woods; bodies stacked on top of each other; , remains relocated without notifying relatives.

the allegations particularly appalling jewish cemetery s more religiously observant customers, miami herald reported. traditional jewish law requires bodies buried intact , prohibits disturbing dead. sci reached $14 million agreement florida attorney general s office in 2003 required repair plots , reorganize cemeteries ensure graves marked , grounds accommodate plots sold. sci settled separate class-action lawsuit on behalf of 350 families $100 million.

virginia

on april 26, 2007, washington post reported sci cemetery in alexandria, virginia, had improperly buried remains of stillborn daughter of nsombi hale in grave shallow (in grave 8 inches/20 cm deep). nsombi hale filing suit against sci.

after internal investigation sci, attorneys working sci denied charges against company in letter virginia funeral regulators, , few days later, post reported robert ranghelli, 1 of sci employees had corroborated initial reports of improper handing of corpses, fired exercising first amendment rights/speaking media after having been on administrative leave several months following initial reports in newspaper.

on april 5, 2009, washington post reported national funeral home, facility owned sci in falls church area of fairfax county, virginia, acts centralized embalming , dressing station embalming , body preparation other nearby sci-owned operations (arlington funeral home, danzansky-goldberg memorial chapel , demaine funeral home), storing naked bodies in various stages of decomposition in conditions described disgusting, degrading , humiliating . story went on report many 200 bodies stored on makeshift gurneys in garage , @ least half dozen veterans destined hallowed ground @ arlington national cemetery left in coffins on garage rack . post reported documentation describing these conditions had been reported virginia board of funeral directors , embalmers.

a few days later, post reported family members of deceased army veteran remains stored in unrefrigerated garage @ national funeral home asked fairfax county commonwealth s attorney investigate actions of national , parent company, sci, crimes.

the post further reported family of retired u.s. army colonel andrew degraff filed lawsuit in fairfax county alleging sci mishandled degraff s remains. according article, sci spokesman said company conducting internal investigation.

california

on september 14, 2009, class-action lawsuit filed against sci , eden memorial park, jewish cemetery managed sci in mission hills, charging destroying graves make room new interments.

the los angeles times reported state officials found no evidence of mass grave disturbances. russ heimerich, spokesman state department of consumer affairs, said, have not seen evidence of kind of massive desecration [is] being alleged...the kind of activity re alleging [is] not hidden, on willful, large-scale basis. plaintiff s attorney rejected findings of state s investigation. lawsuit remained ongoing of late 2009.

michael avenatti, plaintiff’s attorney, said more 800 families have joined class action suit. avenatti claims state s investigation shoddy, saying, “investigators state told various groundskeepers on year ago had been repeatedly told throw bones away, , yet reason, state didn’t adequately follow up.”

sci denied charges. after lawsuit filed, consumer affairs department reviewed 5 6 years of cemetery s annual inspection records , found no indication graves had been disturbed. according los angeles times article, agency asked dozens of families contacted officials signs of disturbances -- shifted or cracked gravestones or else appeared different previous visits -- , didn’t receive single call back, said . in january, 2012, lawsuit against eden memorial park ruled valid class action in los angeles superior court, trial scheduled begin in may 2012.

in february 2014, settlement in amount of $80m reached in case.

massachusetts

in 2010, sci-owned stanetsky chapel, jewish funeral home in brookline, ma, charged state board of registration serious violations of state law , regulations in connection incident woman buried in wrong grave, disinterred without legal permit being obtained , reburied in correct grave woman s family not being notified of mistake , corrective procedure. result, in december 2011, state board announced consent agreement , levied biggest fine in history, $18,000, against stanetsky , sci, , suspended license of stanetsky general manager year. other staff members involved in incident subject punitive actions ranging additional professional training license revocation. incident received widespread local media coverage. board s action published on board s website.

in case first reported on april 7, 2005, boston globe reported j.s. waterman s & sons, owned sci, found board have accidentally cremated body of stillborn infant in 2003. infant s body apparently placed on gurney held adult woman s body scheduled cremation. result of civil suit brought infant s family, waterman s ordered pay parents $325,000, pending legal claim mortuary violated state s consumer protection law triple damages, boston globe reported. family s lawyer, gordon t. walker, said sci hit additional costs, there pending claim company violated state s consumer protection law. civil verdict made in suffolk superior court on march 4. jury awarded $75,000 because of emotional distress , $250,000 because found funeral home negligent , intentionally inflicted emotional harm.