New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 7 - HEALTH
Chapter 3 - STATE MEDICAL INVESTIGATOR'S OFFICE
Part 2 - POLICIES OF THE OFFICE OF THE MEDICAL INVESTIGATOR
Section 7.3.2.16 - TRANSPORTATION
Universal Citation: 7 NM Admin Code 7.3.2.16
Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 6, March 26, 2024
A. Citations and regulations:
(1)
24-11-5
NMSA 1978: When any person comes to a sudden, violent or untimely death or is
found dead and the cause of death is unknown . . . . the state or district
medical investigator, or a deputy medical investigator under his direction,
shall, without delay, view and take legal custody of the body.
(2) Regulation - state corporation commission
of New Mexico, New Mexico ambulance tariff no. 3-B, June 8, 1972. Containing
rates, rules, regulations and charges governing the transportation of persons
alive or dead or dying en route by means of ambulance service in the state of
New Mexico.
B. Policy:
(1) Only the medical investigator or his/her
representative may authorize removal of a body from the scene of death.
(a) Authority may be granted by telephone or
other means of communication when he/she does not attend the actual scene of
death.
(b) Authority may be granted
by the medical investigator to remove the body to a hospital or other medical
facility for official pronouncement of death prior to transportation to the
designated place for examination or subsequent funeral arrangements.
(2) Transportation may be
conducted by:
(a) a funeral director
designated by the family to conduct subsequent funeral arrangements.
(b) public conveyance designated for the
purpose of transporting bodies.
(c)
a licensed commercial ground carrier holding a valid permit for such
transportation within the state of New Mexico.
(d) a licensed commercial air carrier with an
operating certificate issued by the FAA.
(3) The office of the medical investigator
does not contract with any individual or agency for transportation services.
Service providers are chosen based on cost, availability and timeliness.
Authority for all such transportation will originate with the medical
investigator.
(4) Payment for all
transportation authorized by the medical investigator will originate at the
central office of the medical investigator in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Payment
will be approved only upon receipt of the original invoice itemizing the
following:
(a) the name of the
deceased;
(b) date of
transportation;
(c) location from
which the body was transported;
(d)
location to which the body was transported;
(e) total loaded miles of
transportation;
(f) response
charge;
(g) charge per
mile;
(h) name of the deputy or
district medical investigator who authorized such removal.
(5) The medical investigator pays only those
transportation charges incurred to conduct the investigation and subsequent
examination. This does not include any charge ordinarily incurred when the OMI
does not assume jurisdiction.
(6)
Authorized payments for transport:
(a) must be
submitted by agencies chartered by New Mexico state corporation commission to
transport dead bodies.
(b)
transportation from the scene of death to a designated place for storage and
examination other than a mortuary designated to conduct subsequent preparation
or funeral arrangements;
(c)
transportation to return remains from the place of examination to the locality
where the remains were initially discovered.
(7) Unauthorized pay:
(a) any transportation by a transport other
than those chartered by the New Mexico state corporation commission to
transport dead bodies.
(b)
transportation from the scene of death to a mortuary designated to conduct
subsequent preparation or funeral arrangements;
(c) transportation from the place of
examination to a mortuary within the same locality for subsequent preparation
for funeral arrangements;
(d)
transportation from the place of examination to a mortuary outside the locality
of the place of death;
(e) waiting
time unless authorized by the central office.
(8) Miscellaneous transportation fees: The
medical investigator may require that bodies be transported in sealed bags or
containers for the purpose of preservation of evidence.
(a) Medical investigator will usually supply
body bags, if needed, for preserving evidence or to avoid contamination of the
transporting vehicle.
(b) If such
body bags are supplied by the transporting agency at the request of the medical
investigator, the OMI reserves the option of payment for the bag or replacement
of the bag with a bag of similar quality.
(c) Body bags or containers supplied by
agencies for the purpose of preventing odors and contamination will be returned
to those agencies ultimately receiving the body.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Mexico may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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