Friday, April 02, 2010
On the Imposition of Fee’s for Coroner’s Reports
The Lancaster County Council is currently considering the imposition of fees on reports issued by the office of the Lancaster County Coroner.
The Lancaster News reported this, but failed to note that no fees would attach to reports issued to the family of the deceased. These reports would be stamped “Not for use in any legal proceeding” (wording subject to change).
Under the proposal, coroner’s reports issued to insurance companies, lawyers, etc., will be subject to a fee, will not be stamped, and therefore will be useable in legal proceedings.
The fee is a normal cost of doing business for insurance companies and lawyers, and Lancaster County is one of perhaps a half-dozen counties in South Carolina who do not charge for coroner’s reports.
The fee is not going to have any impact on the costs normally incurred by families following the loss of a family member.
I support the proposal.
I do not believe that the taxpayers should be subsidizing insurance companies and lawyers.
