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Who Pays for a Crime Scene Cleanup?

Who Pays for a Crime Scene Cleanup?

People who have never been directly affected by a crime or had their space turned into a crime scene often have misconceptions about who pays for the crime scene to be cleaned up. Some think the emergency responders who attend to the victims are responsible. Others think the government or enforcement/investigation agencies pay for it. Some people just have no clue, of course, crime scenes don’t just clean up after themselves. Someone, people or agencies, depending on the nature of the crime and the situation of the scene, have to do it.

CRIME SCENES…

A crime scene is any place or location that is associated with a committed crime. These scenes contain physical evidence that is relevant to a criminal investigation. Crime scene locations can be the location the crime took place and/or any area at all that contains evidence from the crime itself or relating to the crime. After crime scenes have been preserved and law enforcement have thoroughly investigated the scene, the crime scene can now be cleaned up. Some crime scenes can be cleaned up by one person or people while others need cleaning agencies to do the needful.

CLEANUP DETERMINANTS…

The location of the crime scene and its gravity determine who cleans up a crime scene and also who pays for it is . Small crime scenes such as a room in a house with low gravity containing just broken glasses and scattered stuff can be cleaned by the occupant or occupants of the house without having to pay anyone to do it. Some crime scenes, however, can be really gruesome, traumatic or bloody. These sort of crime scenes would need the services of cleaning companies or biohazard removal teams to be carefully and thoroughly cleaned up.

WHO PAYS?

After a crime has been committed at a scene be it at home or workplace, it can cause emotional trauma. It can also leave behind chemical contamination and biohazards causing the scene to become toxic, which can be harmful to occupants. It is unsafe to attempt to clean such oneself without necessary training and equipment. This is where cleaning agencies and biohazard removal teams come in. The owners of these crime scenes are responsible for covering the cost of cleanup services. Whoever owns or those who own the crime scenes be it house, business place or any type of property pay to get the crime scene cleaned up. Sometimes, the cost is split between the property owner and tenant, depending on the situation. They are responsible for paying for biohazardous decontamination, such as clean up of blood, other bodily fluids and bodily tissues. For individuals, people or businesses who have their properties insured, their insurance companies bear the cost of cleanup services.

When looking for companies to clean up the crime scene, ensure you choose companies that specialize in crime scene cleanup as there are some peculiarities to it. You could also employ the services of biohazard response teams. You will need experts who provide fast and considerate services and who can help with insurance claims, communications, and paperworks.

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