Which individual is most likely to be responsible for submitting the death certificate if the attending physician fails to do so?

The funeral director is primarily responsible for submitting the death certificate if the attending physician fails to fulfill this duty. In Oklahoma, the funeral director plays a key role in the post-death process, which includes ensuring that the necessary legal documents related to the death are correctly completed and filed. When a physician is unable or unwilling to submit the death certificate, the funeral director can step in to ensure compliance with state laws regarding the timely filing of death certificates.

Family members may have an interest in ensuring that the death certificate is filed, but they typically do not have the legal authority or the expertise to submit the document on their own. The medical examiner and coroner, while important in cases of unnatural or suspicious deaths, do not usually handle the submission of death certificates for natural deaths that were attended by a physician. Instead, their roles generally involve investigation and certification of the cause of death in specific situations, which is separate from the process of filing a death certificate by the funeral director.

Thus, the role of the funeral director as the individual responsible for ensuring the death certificate is submitted aligns with their professional duties in managing the practical aspects of the funeral process, including compliance with legal requirements related to death documentation.