A private autopsy is an independent post-mortem examination performed by a board-certified forensic pathologist at a family's request, rather than by a county or government office. Families arrange one when they want a thorough, unbiased explanation of how and why their loved one died — on their own terms, with the findings explained to them directly.

A medical examiner or coroner only examines deaths that fall under their legal jurisdiction, on the government's timeline and at its discretion — and many deaths are never accepted for examination at all. A private autopsy is one you arrange yourself: it is scoped to the questions your family has, the examination begins quickly, and you receive a full written report and a personal consultation to walk through every finding.

Families most often request a private autopsy when the medical examiner declined the case, when they want an independent second opinion, or when the cause of death was left unclear or unexplained. Others seek answers when there are concerns about the medical care that was provided, or when the findings could matter for insurance, a legal question, or the family's own medical history.

Every examination is performed by a board-certified forensic pathologist — a physician with specialized training in determining how and why a person died. You are never handed off to a technician for the answers: the same expertise that conducts the examination also produces your written report and walks you through every finding in a personal consultation.

A private autopsy is authorized by the legal next of kin or their designated representative. If you are not certain whether you have the authority to request one, contact us — we will walk you through it and help you arrange the examination quickly.

In Texas, an autopsy is generally ordered by a medical examiner or justice of the peace when a death is sudden, unexpected, violent, or unexplained and falls under their jurisdiction. Many deaths are never required to be examined — and even when the county declines a case, a family can still choose to have a private autopsy performed independently. If you are not sure whether an autopsy applies to your situation, contact us and we will help you understand your options.

A complete private autopsy is a flat $5,795 for the service itself — no estimates, no hourly billing, no hidden fees. That one price covers the full examination by a board-certified forensic pathologist, histology and laboratory analysis by Clinical Pathology Laboratories, your complete written autopsy report, a personal consultation to walk through every finding, direct coordination with your funeral home, and transportation within 40 miles of Elgin, Texas. The one variable is distance: if the deceased is more than 40 miles from Elgin, transport beyond those first 40 miles is $2.50 per mile — calculated from the pickup address and shown to you before you pay, never after. Terms are simple: 50% reserves your case, and the balance (including any transport beyond 40 miles) is due two weeks later, with payment plans available.

When a county or medical examiner orders an autopsy under their jurisdiction, the government covers it. A private autopsy is arranged and paid for by the family or party requesting it — for us, a flat $5,795 for the service, with 50% to reserve the case and the balance due two weeks later. The only thing that can change the total is distance: transport beyond 40 miles of Elgin, Texas is $2.50 per mile, calculated from the pickup address and shown to you before you pay. Payment plans are available.

The examination is built around your family's specific questions — most often how and why your loved one died, and whether anything was missed. You receive a complete written autopsy report documenting the findings, supported by histology and laboratory analysis, followed by a personal consultation where we explain what the results mean in plain language.

Autopsy reports produced by a county medical examiner are generally treated as public records in Texas, subject to certain legal exceptions. A private autopsy is different: the report belongs to the family who requested it and is kept confidential. We deliver your complete written report directly to you, and you decide who else sees it.

No. Private autopsies are typically completed within 24–48 hours, and we coordinate directly with your funeral home throughout — so your planned services are not delayed.

Yes. A private autopsy does not affect an open-casket funeral. The examination is performed carefully and respectfully so your loved one can still be viewed, and we coordinate directly with your funeral home to keep your arrangements on track.

We respond within 24 hours and can often begin the same day you contact us. When you are waiting for answers, every day matters — so we move quickly while keeping the process careful and dignified.

The examination itself is typically completed within 24–48 hours, so your funeral arrangements are not delayed. Your complete written report follows once histology and laboratory analysis are finished, and we walk you through every finding in a personal consultation. If you have an urgent deadline, tell us when you call and we will do everything we can to accommodate it.

That is one of the most common reasons families call us. When the county declines a case, it does not mean nothing can be done — it means the decision is now yours. We can perform an independent examination and give you the answers the official system did not.

We serve families across Texas. Transportation is included within 40 miles of Elgin, Texas, with additional mileage available beyond that area. If you are not sure whether we can reach you, contact us — we coordinate directly with funeral homes statewide.

Yes. Alongside private autopsies for families, we provide county forensic autopsy services for Justices of the Peace, medical examiner offices, and law enforcement across all 254 Texas counties. See our County Autopsies page for pricing, turnaround, and court-ready reporting details.