The distraught son of a late California scientist is suing a cryogenics firm and claims the lab wrongly cremated his father's body and preserved only his head.

Kurt Pilgeram claims in a new lawsuit against the Scottsdale, Arizona-based Alcor Life Extension Foundation that he received a package containing Dr. Laurence Pilgeram's cremated body - which was allegedly against the family's agreement.

Legal documents obtained by The Telegraph state that Kurt opened the package that 'purportedly contained his father's cremated remains, except allegedly for his father's head.'

Laurence was 90 when he died from an apparent cardiac arrest outside his Goleta home on April 10, 2015.

The son of late scientist Dr. Laurence Pilgeram (pictured in this handout) is suing a cryogenics firm after he claims the lab wrongly cremated his father's body and froze only his head

The scientist also worked in cryogenics and became the firm's 135th patient

The scientist, who also worked in cryogenics, became the firm's 135th patient, the website states, three years ago.

The filing states that British-born Dr. Max More was required to preserve all of his remains, 'no matter how damaged,' The Telegraph reports from the filing.

Kurt was left 'shocked, horrified and extremely distressed' over the lab's alleged wrongdoing.

The Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Phoenix, Arizona, is facing a $1million lawsuit

The filings states that British-born Dr. Max More (pictured on the company website) was required to preserve all of Laurence's remains, 'no matter how damaged'

WHAT IS CRYOGENICS? Cryogenics is the art of freezing bodies by preserving a dead body with liquid nitrogen. Currently, it can only legally happen when someone has just been declared dead. The freezing process must begin as soon as the patient dies in order to prevent brain damage, with facilities currently available in Russia and the US. In the procedure, the body is cooled in an ice bath to gradually reduce its temperature bit by bit. Experts then drain the blood and replace it with an anti freeze fluid to stop harmful ice crystals forming in the body. However, last November they launched a cryptocurrency offering to raise money for their new center, which people from around the world could come to just before they died. Advertisement

'Kurt has suffered extreme emotional distress as a result of Alcor's accusations and has been injured as alleged in an amount in excess of $1million.

'Alcor undertook such actions maliciously and oppressively, and with intent to cause injury.'

'There is little, if any, hope of bringing his head "back to life" under the circumstances here.'

The cryogenics company could not comment on the pending litigation.

An initial trial date has not yet been set.