Important information In the case of Medical Emergency or Accidental Death of a foreigner in Mexico.
Prepared by: Ginny Vassal, Canadian, in La Manzanilla February 2017 based on my experience of helping the non-spanish speaking family of a friend through each step of the process following that friend’s drowning at Tenacatita in February 2017. May you never need this information, but if you do, I hope it helps.
* means recommended by Larry Chamberlain, who has been very supportive of this process being documented and shared. I do not have personal experience with these services.
Local Contact information: MEXICO
NAME - Ambulance – Melaque / Cihuatlan, operated by Red Cross TELEPHONE - 315-355-2300 OTHER INFO - We had the military at Tenacatita call the ambulance, we believe this is the number they called. 911 * 911 We’ve been told this may work Fire and Civil Protection * 315-355-6375
NAME - Regional Health Centre, Cihuatlan, everyone refers to as “hospital”, where ambulances go to TELEPHONE - 315-355-2171 OTHER INFO - Address: 12 Lopez Mateo; turn left at Kiosko {lights, I believe 2nd lights on way into town}. Up about 4 blocks on left.
NAME - Medical Dr in Melque: Dr Rosa Vivas Alcaraz * TELEPHONE - 315-109-7777 OTHER INFO - Recommended *
NAME - Medical Dr in Melque: Dr Maria Herlinda Rubio * TELEPHONE - 315-355-5412 OTHER INFO - Recommended *
NAME - Private Medical Clinic in Manzanillo: Centro Medico Echauri * TELEPHONE - 314-334-1666 / 314-334-0444 OTHER INFO - Recommended *
NAME - Delgado office – La Manzanilla TELEPHONE - 351-5048 OTHER INFO - Where death certificate of foreigner staying in La Manzanilla is prepared.
NAME - Funeral Home in Melaque – Funerales San Jose {CONSEP} TELEPHONE - Roy cell – 315-109-3887 / Office: 315-109-2326 OTHER INFO - Roy speaks reasonable English and learned much about this process with us. This is who the above hospital referred us to; he was willing to come to the hospital on a Sunday night to meet with us and take possession of the body. Directions - 15 Venito Juarrez, near jardin.
NAME - Funeral Home in Cihuatlan – Funerales San Jose {CONSEP} TELEPHONE - See above Roy / office. OTHER INFO - 68 Acquils Cerdan, in front of Farmacia Guadelajara
Death of a Canadian: Canadian Consulate contacts and information:
STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU ESTABLISH A CASE FILE NUMBER WITH THE Canadian Consulate, I found them to be very helpful. Emergency line – 24 hours – staffed ln Canada 1-613-996-8885 { There also is a 1-800 number which works in Canada, it’s supposed to work outside of Canada, did not try it} 1-800-387-3124. The 613 number apparently accepts collect calls, however I bought a phone plan and simply direct dialed.
Use this number to create a file. A file or case number will not be created until the consular staff member speaks with the attending physician. This is critical should family need to be advised in Canada and family contact info not be available. Puerto Vallarta office, Canadian Consulate 52-322-293-0098. Back-up number 322-293-0099 Email pvrta@international.gc.ca Small office, 2 staff only, may not answer phone as they are busy. Staff are Adriana Brombilia {We dealt with, very helpful}, and Adam Charlebois.
Mexico case manager in Ottawa Contact through the above numbers in Canada, currently Nahima in this position. This is the link for the next of kin or spouse located in Canada. They may provide forms; we found the forms they provided were not used here.
Case numbers for the La Manzanilla area should be xx- PVRTA – xxxxxxx. PVRTA means Puerto Vallarta. Should the emergency telephone operator assign GJARA {Guadalajara} code, advise we are in the PVRTA area of responsibility
Death of an American: Consulate contacts and information* : Puerto Vallarta * - 322-222-0069 Guadalajara * - 01-33-3268-2100 Mexico City * - 55-5080-2000
PROCESS: Step by step in this situation:
1. After our friend was pronounced dead at the hospital, the hospital required his ID to release his body to the funeral home. Passport is preferred but if passport cannot be located, driver’s license will be accepted. There is some urgency with this as the hospital has no refrigeration, and it needs to be the attending doctor(s) who prepare the forms.
2. The hospital recommends a funeral home to take the remains. Similarly as the funeral home had no refrigeration, they needed direction on the remains within 24 hours. The funeral home requested a 5,000 peso deposit.
3. A senior level of investigatory police took the body and all of the paperwork away during the night for an autopsy in El Grullo, near Autlan. They have the authority to do this without the permission of the family; this is the norm in the case of an accidental death of a foreigner.
4. The process was then at a standstill until the next of kin arrived in Mexico.
5. Following the completion of the autopsy and the arrival of the family / next of kin in Mexico, paperwork was required:
a. Declaration at the Ministerio Publico by the next of kin, jointly and separately by me (as I witnessed the accident and was part of the following life-saving efforts). The lengthy forms had to be made understandable to the next of kin in English before her signature could be accepted. Most forms are manually prepared, and spelling errors, especially re: the name of the deceased, can significantly slow the process.
b. Death certificate, which is signed by the next of kin, then photocopied onto the needed forms. This is required for the body to be released from El Grullo for cremation.
c. The above process was time consuming and problematic due to jurisdictions– even though we had confirmed several times where the paperwork could be found for each step, the paperwork had been moved from Cihautlan to La Huerta. And the death certificate, which was to be done in Cihuatlan, was finally done at the Delegado office in La Manzanilla, it alone took 4-5 hours to complete.
6. Consulate provides facilitation letter to allow remains to be carried home in suitcase.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW
It is critical to have the original birth certificate and (if next of kin is husband or wife) original marriage license of the deceased, as well as the passport here in Mexico for the authorities to witness to complete the necessary forms (and there are several!).
Next of kin must give direction on arrangements and claim remains; common-law marriage is not recognized in Mexico, only legally married spouses are considered next of kin. It is easiest and less costly if next of kin comes to Mexico to claim remains and complete final paperwork.
Next of kin may choose NOT to notify the bank immediately as certain institutions freeze assets.
Be patient; every step in Mexico will take longer than you anticipate; there will be errors to be fixed and issues to be dealt with. Carry your telephone at all times. If you speak no Spanish, Mike Barbie *, who runs the fishing shop by Lora Loka’s in La Manzanilla offers his translation assistance, fees in US$. Contact telephone numbers: home 351-5303, cell 315-108-9456 *.
PRICES
There was no charge for the ambulance, hospital services, nor autopsy.
The funeral home prices were all inclusive, ie inclusive of cremation, urn, cost of death certificates, transportation of next of kin to all the locations necessary to do paperwork, and transportation of ashes to next of kin in La Manzanilla. The Funeral home prices quoted: $5,500 pesos for body preservation (embalming) if family so chose $22,200 pesos for cremation, retrieval from El Grullo and cremation in Autlan, above transportation services, and 10 official death certificates. Widow understood she could pay by VISA, found funeral home needed cash.
The La Manzanilla delegado charged 100 pesos per death certificate and a $150 peso processing fee, covered in the above funeral home fee. When advised any other fees would be changed, I contacted the Canadian Consulate (PV), they clarified the situation and the mistaken or unauthorized charges were reversed.
Special thanks to a man and wife who were instrumental in the lifesaving efforts at the scene of the accident and to the hospital, and gave extraordinary care.
Ginny, La Manzanilla, February 2017
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Re: Important information In the case of Medical Emergency or Accidental Death of a foreigner in Mexico.
My only suggestion is that the telephone numbers be checked occasionally. From a recent experience the ones that I had from a previous list did not exist.
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Re: Important information In the case of Medical Emergency or Accidental Death of a foreigner in Mexico.
A fabulous job on helping those in need for the future!
There is a very good sheet of info available on the bulletin board at the bookstore that Larry C. put together with Mike B. and you are welcome to take one and tuck it away in case you should need the info.
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Re: Important information In the case of Medical Emergency or Accidental Death of a foreigner in Mexico.
Thank you for your careful articulation of this important information, Ginny. I know that many people in the Lake Chapala area keep important info and directions in a sealed zip-lock bag in the freezer. This way, everyone knows where to look when something unexpected takes place.
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Re: Important information In the case of Medical Emergency or Accidental Death of a foreigner in Mexico.
Thank you Ginny, what a generous offering to us who may find ourselves in a similar situation. And what a wonderful friend you have been to those you assisted.
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Re: Important information In the case of Medical Emergency or Accidental Death of a foreigner in Mexico.
Thank you for this Ginny. What a help to all of us if we are ever in need of this information. On January 25 Daniel H posted two numbers for local ambulance and police. They are: Emergency - 066
Police station - 3517077
Might be good to add it to that information.
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Re: Important information In the case of Medical Emergency or Accidental Death of a foreigner in Mexico.
Thank you so much for sharing Ginny! Wonderful info to have on hand .....& hopefully never have to use! They were so lucky to have you available to help with this very complicated process.
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Re: Important information In the case of Medical Emergency or Accidental Death of a foreigner in Mexico.
Adding our thanks to you for this thoughtful and thorough breakdown of what to expect should this happen to any of us. It was very generous of you to take the time. Our condolences to you on the loss of your friend.
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Re: Important information In the case of Medical Emergency or Accidental Death of a foreigner in Mexico.
Thanks Ginny, your post is the heart of this message board
Collecting data is the first step toward wisdom Sharing data is the first step toward community
I would edit that a bit now to say "Sharing data is also the next step toward humanity" You have the qualities of being humane, kind, benevolent, and all you had to do was be you
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Re: Important information In the case of Medical Emergency or Accidental Death of a foreigner in Mexico.
Thank you, thank you Ginny. Could not say it better than Daniel. If Mike B is not available i could also translate. I am only here for 4 or 5 months from nov 15. Unless i am gone fishing with Mike B.......
on March 4, 2017, 2:33 pm