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| What skills and knowledge should a coroner have? | ||||
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Allocation of duties to workers at various locations Where should coroner’s workers be located? What is the most difficult part of a coroner’s work? The most difficult part of a coroner’s work is death investigations. | ||||
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Autopsy Questions that need to be answered before the autopsy. Questions that need to be answered during the autopsy. Questions that need to be answered after the autopsy. | ||||
Death Investigation
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Death Records | ||||
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Duties of a coroner Q: What are the duties of a coroner? Q: Why is a death reported to the coroner? Q: What does a coroner do? | ||||
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Difficult cases What questions should a coroner circulate in any difficult case? Can I/we have help from global/world resources on this case? What are the details of the case? Technologies have advanced so much worldwide with local applications that most coroners are unaware of them. | ||||
| Forensic Science | ||||
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Forensic Medicine Topics What are various forensic medicine topics? | ||||
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Helpful resources Where are various helpful resources relevant to these issues? | ||||
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International resources help. What should a coroner do in case there is a difficult case? Seek international help from truthful, intelligent, and competent resources. | ||||
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Medical diagnosis and treatment expertise A coroner should have expertise in medical diagnosis and treatment, with extra skills and knowledge of death investigations that includes forensic medicine. | ||||
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Resources and equipment required by office of the coroner
What resources and equipment are required by the coroner’s office? | ||||
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State medical records update.
How should the state department of health maintain electronic medical records? A team of medical doctors with legal expertise should be entrusted with this work. | ||||
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Workers in a coroner's office
What workers are associated with a coroner's office? What are other names for a coroner? Medical examiner. What is the coroner's area of service? How far can a coroner's investigations extend? Worldwide. How many medical doctors do you need as investigators? What ground and air travel do you need within the state, within the continent, and outside the continent? What other resources do you need? There is a team of investigators. No questions can remain unanswered. How should details from a coroner's officer be displayed from every state as per the year? How many total deaths were there in the state in the year 2010? How many total deaths were investigated by the coroner’s office in the state in the year 2010? What are the details of these death investigations? Who verified the credibility of these investigations? | Role of the Coroner | State Department of Health | Coroner | Forensic pathology | Anatomical pathology | Autopsy | Helpful Resources |
Q. What does the Coroner's Office Do? Q. Why is the Coroner’s Office Involved? Q. Where is my loved one being taken? Q. What do I do now? Q. Can I come see my loved one at the hospital? Q. Are autopsies always performed when the Coroner investigates a death? Q. Why are autopsies performed? Q. Is there a charge for autopsies? Q. How do I contact the Coroner’s Office? Q. When will the body be released? Q. It is the Role of the Coroner's Office to: Q. Why is the Coroner’s Office Involved? Q. Where is my loved one being taken? Q. What do I do now? Q. Can I come see my loved one at the hospital? Q. How do I contact the Coroner’s Office? Q. When will the body be released? Q. How can the personal effects and other valuables of the deceased be obtained by the next of kin? Q. What happens if there is no legal next of kin or an identity cannot be established? Q. How can the personal effects and other valuables of the deceased be obtained by the next of kin? Q. What happens if there is no legal next of kin or an identity cannot be established? Q. Who is considered the legal next-of-kin? Q. Where is my loved one being taken? Q. Can I see my loved one at the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office? Q. What do I do now? Q. Are there any Medical Examiner-Coroner Office Fees? Q. When can I have a funeral? Q. What if I do not have enough money for funeral expenses? Q. How do I reclaim property obtained by the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office? Q. How long can the Coroner keep a psychiatric or drug addicted patient locked up? Q. Why is a body brought to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner? Q. Why must the body of the deceased person be identified? Q. What is the Identification Procedure? Q. How long is the wait to make an identification? Q. How will the body be released? Q. How is a funeral director selected? Q. Where is the deceased's personal property held? Q. Why must the body of the deceased person be identified? Q. What is the Identification Procedure? Q. How long is the wait to make an identification? Q. How will the body be released? Q. How is a funeral director selected? Q. Where is the deceased's personal property held? Q. What does the Coroner do? Q. What is the Coroner’s Jurisdiction? Q. Why is a body brought to the Coroner’s office? Q. How can a funeral director be selected? Q. How can the personal effects and clothing of the deceased be obtained? Q. What hours are you open? Q. Where is the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (OME) located? Q. Why is a body brought to the Medical Examiner’s Office? Q. Will acceptance of a case by the Medical Examiner’s Office mean that organ or tissue donation cannot take place? Q. How is the body transported to the Medical Examiner? Q. My loved one has died and he/she has been brought to the Medical Examiner’s Office. What should I do now? Q. Is it necessary for me to identify the body at the Medical Examiner’s Office? Q. May I view my loved one at the Medical Examiner’s Office? Q. When will the body be released from the Medical Examiner’s Office? Q. I am very interested in getting into the field of forensics. Do you offer internship opportunities? Q. How do I contact the MEO? What are the hours of operation, address, phone and fax numbers? Q. What cases should be reported to the MEO? Q. What is a Medical Examiner? Q. What is the difference between a Medical Examiner and a Coroner? Q. How is jurisdiction determined? Q. May I view my loved one at the MEO? Q. What is the process for claiming my loved one’s body? Q. How can I retrieve my loved one’s personal property? Q. What is the MEO role in organ and tissue donation? Q. What if a decedent has no next-of-kin or the body is not claimed? Q. How do I contact the MEO? What are the hours of operation, address, phone and fax numbers? Q. What cases should be reported to the MEO? Q. What is a Medical Examiner? Q. What is the difference between a Medical Examiner and a Coroner? Q. How is jurisdiction determined? Q. May I view my loved one at the MEO? Q. What is the process for claiming my loved one’s body? Q. How can I retrieve my loved one’s personal property? Q. What is the MEO role in organ and tissue donation? Q. What if a decedent has no next-of-kin or the body is not claimed? Q. Why is a body brought to the Coroner's Office? Q. How do I get a copy of a Coroner's report? Q. Why is the Medical Examiner's Office involved? Q. Where will my relative/friend be taken? Q. Am I required to use a funeral home? Q. Who pays for funeral services (embalming, casket, etc.)? Q. Who contacts the funeral home? Q. How long will it take before the deceased is released from the State Medical Examiner's Office? Q. Is it necessary for me to come to the State Medical Examiner's Office to view the body? Q. Is viewing or visitation allowed while the body is under the State Medical Examiner's jurisdiction? Q. Can a State Medical Examiner's case still be an organ or tissue donor? Q. Who do I contact for further questions or additional information? Q. Why is the Medical Examiner's Office involved? Q. Where will my relative/friend be taken? Q. Am I required to use a funeral home? Q. Who contacts the funeral home? Q. How long will it take before the deceased is released from the Medical Examiner's Office? Q. Is it necessary for me to come to the Medical Examiner's Office to view the body? Q. Is viewing or visitation allowed while the body is under the State Medical Examiner's jurisdiction? Q. Can a State Medical Examiner's case still be an organ or tissue donor? Q. Who do I contact for further questions or additional information? |
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4. Why is the Coroner’s Office Involved? * The Coroner Office is required to investigate all sudden, violent, traumatic or unexpected deaths. This includes deaths from apparent “natural diseases” but the individual’s treating physician has no knowledge of an existing medical condition that could credibly have caused the sudden death. Under these circumstances, it becomes the Coroner’s responsibility to determine how and why an individual died. The Coroner is also responsible for assuring the individual’s proper identity and that next of kin have been notified. * A Coroner’s investigation will always include examination of the deceased, but may or may not include: o Interviews with family members, doctors and/or witnesses; o Photography of the deceased and/or the scene where death occurred; o Autopsy of the body of the deceased; o Toxicology of the deceased; and, o Possibly collecting and holding any personal property from (or about) the deceased person that the Coroner feels may assist with the determinations. 6. Where is my loved one being taken? * The deceased is being taken to one of our County’s local hospital morgues - unless the Coroner releases jurisdiction. The Coroner may release jurisdiction if: the individual’s death is medically understood and/or expected, the deceased person’s attending physician is able to certify the death, and the Coroner agrees to release jurisdiction. Under these circumstances the body may be released to a funeral home of the family’s choice. 7. What do I do now? * Contact the funeral director of your choice and advise him/her of what has transpired. 8. Can I come see my loved one at the hospital? * The visitation of a loved one is done at the funeral home. The viewing of the body at the local hospital morgue can only be accommodated in the context of extraordinary circumstances. 13. When will the body be released? * Generally it should take no more than one to two days to complete the necessary post-mortem studies. Your Funeral Director will coordinate the release the release on your behalf. * How can the personal effects and other valuables of the deceased be obtained by the next of kin? * What happens if there is no legal next of kin or an identity cannot be established? How can the personal effects and other valuables of the deceased be obtained by the next of kin? By state statue, the Coroner’s Office can take possession of monies and other personal effects of the deceased for safekeeping. These items are inventoried and released to the legal next of kin. Usually the clothing of the deceased is released to the funeral director for disposal or return to the family. In cases of homicide, suicide, or vehicular death, the clothing and personal property may be held as evidence by law enforcement. In some cases the clothing may be destroyed if is it considered to be a biohazard. Contact our office to make arrangements for release of property held by the coroner. What happens if there is no legal next of kin or an identity cannot be established? If the identity of the deceased is established, and no next-of-kin/responsible person can be located or reached after reasonable efforts are made, the possessions of the deceased remain in the custody of our office for up to one year. The Coroner assumes the responsibility for arranging burial, and Rock County pays the expenses of the burial. Any property held by the coroner after one year is turned over to the Sheriff. The probate court finalizes the matter of the estate. The county sells the possessions at auction and the funds are placed in the county treasury. If the deceased is not identified, the coroner’s office works in conjunction with local law enforcement and forensic experts using a variety of techniques to establish positive identification. The investigation is ongoing until the identity is established. The remains of the deceased are buried and personal property is stored until identification is made, and can then be released to the next of kin or other responsible person. Who is considered the legal next-of-kin? Absent a legal document designating a person or persons to make decisions after their death, the legal next-of-kin is defined by law as the person responsible for making decisions regarding what will happen to the decedent after their death. The law states that the legal next-of-kin is based solely upon a person’s relationship to the decedent prior to their death. The first legal next-of-kin would be the spouse, (husband or wife), followed by any adult children, the decedent s parent(s), and finally the decedent’s siblings, (brothers or sisters). Where is my loved one being taken? If additional investigation into the cause and manner of death is required, the Coroner’s Office investigator will arrange for transportation of the decedent to the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office located at 850 Thornton Way in San Jose. Can I see my loved one at the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office? The Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office is not designed to accommodate the in-person viewing of decedents, because there is generally no need for anyone to identify a decedent after they have been transported to our facility. Arrangements for viewing a decedent are normally handled by the funeral home that has been contracted to handle the funeral services, and viewings are carried out at their facility. If identification does become an issue, the legal next of kin may be asked to come to our office to view a photograph in an effort to establish positive identification. Once positive identification has been established, no photographs will be produced, displayed, or distributed. Arrangements for viewing a decedent are handled by the funeral home that has been contracted to handle the funeral services, and viewings are carried out at their facility. What do I do now? As soon as possible, select a funeral home and inform the funeral director that the death is being handled by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office. If you know the Coroner's case number, provide the number to the funeral director. You can then proceed with planning the funeral services, but do not set a specific date for the funeral until the Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office has completed their investigation and released the decedent to the funeral home. Generally, most decedents are available for release within two to three days. However, there are times when the release may be delayed for various reasons beyond our control. Your Funeral Director will coordinate the release on your behalf. Are there any Medical Examiner-Coroner Office Fees? A fee of $210.00 will be collected by the Coroner’s Office to cover the cost of transporting the decedent from the place of death to our office. This fee is collected from the funeral home or cremation society at the time they arrive at our facility to pick up the decedent. In addition to the imposition of fees to cover our transportation costs, the Coroner’s Office will impose a storage fee five (5) business days after the decedent has been released for pickup. The storage fee is $45.00 per day. The transportation fee and storage fee will be waived for decedents under the age of 18 years, and for victims of homicide. When can I have a funeral? Our investigation should not delay your funeral plans. Although the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office does not release decedents on Saturdays, Sundays, or designated holidays, we typically complete our investigation and release the decedent to the designated funeral home or cremation service within 48 hours. In order to release the decedent to the funeral home or cremation service that you have chosen, the Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office must have a signed Authorization of Release form on file. The funeral home or cremation service you have chosen will normally provide you with the proper form, and under normal circumstances they will submit it to our office on your behalf. What if I do not have enough money for funeral expenses? If the deceased failed to make any funeral/cremation arrangements prior to their death, and it is subsequently determined by the County that the decedent was indigent and the legal next of kin does not have sufficient funds to either bury or cremate the decedent, the County will cremate the decedent at County expense and scatter their ashes in a compassionate manner. Anyone wishing to apply for the Santa Clara County Indigent Cremation Program should contact the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office for information and directions. How do I reclaim property obtained by the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office? The Medical Examiner-Coroner may be in possession of personal property belonging to a decedent. The legal next-of-kin may authorize the Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office to release the property to a funeral home or mortuary, or they may obtain the property (or authorize another person to obtain the property) directly from the Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office. In order for a funeral home/mortuary to obtain personal property at the time they pick up the decedent, the legal next-of-kin must complete and sign a Properly Release Form which may be obtained through the Forms tab on the Coroner’s Office website. The Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office will release property directly to the legal next-of-kin or any person (with valid photo ID) furnishing written authorization signed by the legal next-of-kin. Property is only released during normal business hours. If the property is not released to either a funeral home/mortuary or the legal next-of-kin within 90 days from the date of death, the property will be turned over to the Public Administrators Office for disposal. How long can the Coroner keep a psychiatric or drug addicted patient locked up? The Coroner can order a psychiatric evaluation on a patient under an Order of Protective Custody or OPC. The Coroner can also agree with the need for an involuntary commitment of a patient if, after an examination of the patient, the coroner finds the patient either dangerous to self, dangerous to others or gravely disabled and unable or unwilling to seek voluntary care. This is called a Coroner’s Emergency Certificate or CEC. Under the mental health law, the Coroner does not keep a patient in the hospital. Once a patient is committed to a hospital under the mental health law, the attending psychiatrist decides how long the patient stays. There are limitations under the mental health law that limits the stay to 15, 28 or 30 days depending on the circumstances. However, the psychiatrist can initiate a legal process called a judicial commitment. The patient can be kept in a facility against his/her will if a judicial commitment is issued by a judge. 1. Why is a body brought to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner? 2. Why must the body of the deceased person be identified? 3. What is the Identification Procedure? 4. How long is the wait to make an identification? 7. How will the body be released? 8. How is a funeral director selected? 9. Where is the deceased's personal property held? 1. Why is a body brought to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner? Bodies of deceased persons are brought to this office because the law requires that the Chief Medical Examiner investigate deaths of persons dying from criminal violence, by accident, by suicide, suddenly when in apparent health, when unattended by a physician, in a correctional facility, or in any suspicious or unusual manner. The medical examiner is responsible for determining the cause and manner of death. A body also may be brought to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner if the identity of the deceased or of the next of kin is unknown. The body is retained by this office for a reasonable period of time before interment at City Cemetery or until the next of kin can be located by the Police Department and identification established and funeral arrangements made. 8. How is a funeral director selected? Usually, the next of kin discusses the selection of a funeral director with other members of the family, friends, and/or clergy. Staff of the Office of Chief Medical Examiner are prohibited from recommending a funeral director. 9. Where is the deceased's personal property held? If you have any questions regarding personal property, you may ask a staff member when you are being interviewed. OCME has an Evidence Unit, which on occasion receives personal property. If a person dies in the absence of family, or has no family, all personal property is taken to the precinct in which the death occurred; from there it is transmitted to the New York City Police Department ("NYPD") Property Clerk. OCME staff can provide the phone number for the precinct. If the deceased died while in the hospital or nursing home, or death was pronounced upon arrival at a hospital, personal property is safeguarded there. OCME staff will provide you with the name and phone number of the hospital administrator to contact. If the death is a homicide, personal property may be held by NYPD until the close of the criminal prosecution. What does the Coroner do? 1. "Views" the body: If the coroner is notified of a death requiring investigation, he will proceed to the scene. 2. Scene: In deaths due to unnatural causes, (homicide, suicide accidental or undetermined), the coroner will go directly to the scene of the death and examine the body before it is moved. An assessment of the scene may be invaluable in determining the cause and manner of death. 3. Examination: A through examination, either at the scene or in the morgue, is performed to document the presence (or absence) of external evidence of injury. Blood samples may be drawn for toxicological studies, x-rays taken, or other tests performed. 4. Questions: The coroner has to consider the following questions: * The identity of the deceased. * The apparent cause of death. * The apparent manner of death, i.e. natural causes or unnatural causes. If the latter was death due to homicide, suicide, accident or undetermined causes. * The apparent time of death. * How extensive an examination is needed. 5. Inquiry: Inquiry is made into the person's identity state of health or medical history, and the circumstances and events surrounding the death. If the death was witnessed, the signs and symptoms are recorded. If unwitnessed, when was the person last seen alive ? What was he doing when his life was interrupted? 6. Autopsy: Some deaths, such as homicides, are always autopsied. Deaths due to natural causes which are judged to be of no medical-legal importance, may be signed out without autopsy. Sudden unexplained deaths of healthy children and adults are normally autopsied. Deaths due to suicides and accidents may be autopsied depending on circumstances, such as scene and psychological investigation and evidence. While no one interacts with the coroner by choice, this official can make a great deal of difference when a family is faced with a death. A knowledgeable, compassionate coroner can be one of the family's primary supports. What is the Coroner’s Jurisdiction? The Office of the Coroner was established by the Colorado Constitution and the coroner's jurisdiction is established by law. In Weld County, Colorado, the coroner must be notified of the following types of deaths: 1. Where no physician is in attendance, or where though in attendance, the physician is unable (or unwilling) to certify the cause of death. 2. All cases in which the attending physician has not been in actual attendance within 30 days prior to death. 3. All cases in which trauma may be associated with the death (i.e., falls, traffic accidents industrial accidents.) 4. Any patient who has sustained a fracture; no matter how long ago 5. Deaths by poison or suspected poisoning, chemicals or bacteria, industrial hazardous materials, or radiation. 6. Known or suspected suicide. 7. Deaths where the deceased has a contagious disease. 8. Deaths due to self-induced or unexplained abortion. 9. All operating room deaths and deaths which occurring during a medical procedure. 10. All unexplained deaths due to suspicious circumstances. 11. Deaths which occur within 24 hours of admission Why is a body brought to the Coroner’s office? The remains of deceased persons are brought to the Coroner’s Office because of the necessary investigation of death in cases described above, the identity of the deceased or next-of-kin is unknown, or the selection of a funeral home is pending. How can a funeral director be selected? Most often, the next-of-kin discusses this with other family members, clergy or friends. The Coroner is prohibited from recommending a funeral director. A listing of funeral directors can be found in the telephone book. How can the personal effects and clothing of the deceased be obtained? All personal property is released with the body to the funeral home to be given back to the family following an autopsy. The exceptions are as follows: 1. In suicides, if a weapon is involved, separate arrangements for its release must be made through the Coroner/Medical Examiner. 2. If a crime was committed by or against the decedent (homicide), all clothing and personal effects are generally retained as evidence by the investigating law enforcement agency. 3. In all cases, the decedent’s Driver’s License or similar photo ID is taken by the Coroner/Medical Examiner as means to make a positive identification. The license not only contains the photograph of the decedent, but the registration number to access the decedent’s fingerprint information. The license is property of the State and was issued to, and for use only by, the decedent. Therefore, it is retained as a permanent part of the investigative file. A color copy can be made and sent to the family at their request. 1. What hours are you open? Our office is open to the general public 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, except major holidays. After hours, calls to the office are routed to an answering service and are limited to those individuals or agencies reporting a death. 2. Where is the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (OME) located? The Office of the Medical Examiner is located at 2825 E. District Street, Tucson, Arizona 85714 within the University Physicians Hospital-Kino Complex immediately south of the Abrams Public Health Center. The OME main telephone number is 520-243-8600. 3. Why is a body brought to the Medical Examiner’s Office? Arizona law (ARS 11-593) requires that certain deaths be reported to OME. Upon the reporting of a death, a medical examiner investigator will determine whether jurisdiction will be accepted. If jurisdiction is accepted, the body will be transported to OME for autopsy or external examination. 4. Will acceptance of a case by the Medical Examiner’s Office mean that organ or tissue donation cannot take place? No. The Medical Examiner’s Office works closely with local organ and tissue procurement organizations to ensure that these anatomical gifts occur whenever possible. Our staff will coordinate with personnel from these organizations to maximize the chance of organ and tissue recovery. 5. How is the body transported to the Medical Examiner? A Forensic Field Agent from OME or a contracted transport agent will retrieve the decedent from the scene of the death. The Medical Examiner pays directly for these services and it is not the responsibility of the family. 6. My loved one has died and he/she has been brought to the Medical Examiner’s Office. What should I do now? First, you need to select a funeral home and notify the funeral director that the death is being handled by OME. The legal next of kin must also sign a release form at the funeral home authorizing OME to release the body to the selected funeral home. 10. Is it necessary for me to identify the body at the Medical Examiner’s Office? No. In the vast majority of cases, identification has been confirmed prior to the arrival of the deceased at OME. Occasionally, we will request a family member to come to our facility when the remains are those of an unidentified person. An immediate family member may request an identification meeting. At such meeting, viewing of photographs or distinguishing marks of the deceased will be performed with the purpose of establishing or confirming identity. Identification meetings will occur within forty-eight hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays.(ARS 11-597.01) 11. May I view my loved one at the Medical Examiner’s Office? Viewing of decedents at the Medical Examiner’s Office is reserved for those individuals whose identity has not yet been confirmed. Please contact the funeral home that you have selected to arrange for any other viewing. 13. When will the body be released from the Medical Examiner’s Office? Nearly all individuals are available for release within 24 – 48 hours after arrival. Occasionally, a body may need to be held longer than this to allow for additional forensic testing or for other special procedures necessary to confirm the identity of the deceased. 14. How can I retrieve my loved one’s personal property? The deceased’s personal property will be released to the funeral home that you have selected. In some cases, personal possessions are released to an investigating law enforcement agency as evidence. 15. If we have no money for burial, to whom can we turn for assistance? The Pima County Public Fiduciary’s Office may be able to assist families with financial limitations. They can be reached at 520-740-5454. 22. I am very interested in getting into the field of forensics. Do you offer internship opportunities? Yes, but the only opportunities offered at the Office of the Medical Examiner at the present time are for those in residency programs in Pathology and for Ph.D. candidates in Forensic Anthropology. While we appreciate the intense interest in the field, most recently popularized by a multitude of television programs, privacy of our decedents remains our greatest concern. 1. How do I contact the MEO? What are the hours of operation, address, phone and fax numbers? 2. What cases should be reported to the MEO? 3. What is a Medical Examiner? 4. What is the difference between a Medical Examiner and a Coroner? 5. How is jurisdiction determined? 9. Under what circumstances is an autopsy performed or not performed? 13. May I view my loved one at the MEO? 14. What is the process for claiming my loved one’s body? 15. How can I retrieve my loved one’s personal property? 16. What is the MEO role in organ and tissue donation? 17. What if a decedent has no next-of-kin or the body is not claimed? 1. How do I contact the MEO? What are the hours of operation, address, phone and fax numbers? * The Medical Examiner Administrative Offices are open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. * The Medical Examiner Investigations is operational 24 hours, 7 days a week. * Mailing Address: 660 E. 24th Street, Kansas City, MO 64108 * Phone: 816-881-6600 * Fax: 816-404-1345 2. What cases should be reported to the MEO? These guidelines are intended to assist in determining what constitutes a Coroner/Medical Examiner Death Case and how to report a case. Reportable Deaths: The medical examiner has direct jurisdiction for Jackson, Clay, Cass and Platte Counties and is empowered by Missouri State Statutes # RSMo 58.720 to investigate deaths as a result of: 1. Violence by homicide, suicide, or accident; 2. Thermal, chemical, electrical or radiation injury; 3. Criminal abortions, including those self-induced; 4. Disease thought to be of hazardous and contagious nature or which might constitute a threat to public health; 5. Any person dies suddenly when in apparent good health; 6. When unattended by a physician, chiropractor, or an Accredited Christian Science Practitioner, during a period of thirty-six hours immediately preceding death; 7. While in custody of the law, or while an inmate in a public institution; 8. In any unusual or suspicious manner; 9. All child deaths, involving individuals below the age of eighteen years * These deaths include maternal or fetal deaths that may be caused from illegal interference with the pregnancy or from criminal activity, trauma or illicit drugs. * These include deaths caused by rapidly fatal illnesses, such as fulminant meningitis. Any death caused by highly infections agent capable of causing an epidemic should be reported to the Medical Examiner. * Deaths that occur during employment or that are related to employment or deaths that occur in public places, such as buildings, streets, parks or other similar areas, must be reported. * Sudden and unexpected deaths, * Deaths for which the attending physicians cannot supply adequate or reasonable explanations, * Persons found dead without obvious causes of death, There is no 24-hour rule in Missouri: A death occurring less than twenty-four hours after hospital admission is not necessarily reportable unless: ER and Surgical Deaths: * Deaths while under anesthesia, during the post-anesthetic period, or during induction of anesthesia, regardless of the interval between the original incident and the death, * Deaths during or following diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, if the death might be related to the procedures or the complications resulting from the procedures. * All deaths occurring in correctional institutions, reformatories, or other incarceration or detention areas are reportable. Deaths of persons under police custody or police hold, regardless of the probable cause and manner, are also reportable. Reporting Guidelines: Law enforcement officer, hospital personnel or any person having knowledge of such a death shall immediately notify the office of the Medical Examiner of the known facts concerning the time, place, manner, and circumstances of the death. Immediately upon receipt of notification, the Medical Examiner or his designated assistant shall take charge of the dead body and fully investigate the essential facts concerning the medical causes of death. If an injury occurs outside of Jackson, Platte, Clay, or Cass counties and the victim dies while in transit to a medical facility in Jackson, Platte, Clay or Cass Counties, the jurisdiction of the death belongs to the Medical Examiner or Coroner in the outside county. The Medical Examiner assumes jurisdiction in any case from an outside county when the subject is institutionalized within Jackson, Platte, Clay, or Cass counties. The Medical Examiner then is required by law to immediately notify the coroner or Medical Examiner or the county where the injury occurred. An emergency room admission for emergency room treatment is not considered institutionalization. Any death suspected of being caused by injury must be reported to the Medical Examiner, even if the injury occurred days, weeks, months or years before the death. Even if an injury only contributes to an otherwise natural death, the death should still be reported. Examples of Reportable Injuries * Falls * Blunt force or crushing injuries * Sharp force (cutting, stabbing or chopping) injuries * Injuries from firearms (handguns, rifles, shotguns or other) * Explosions * Electrocutions and lightning strikes * Asphyxia (suffocation, strangulation, hanging, exclusion of oxygen poisoning by gases (carbon monoxide or other), poisoning by cyanide * Vehicular accidents (automobile, bus, railroad, motorcycle, bicycle, boat, aircraft, or other craft), including deaths of drivers, passengers, pedestrians, or non-occupants involved in the accidents * Drowning * Weather-related injuries (lightning, heat exposure, cold exposure, tornado, or other) * Drug use, prescription or illicit * Poisoning or chemical ingestions, and * Burns (chemical, thermal, radiation, electrical, etc.) 3. What is a Medical Examiner? A Medical Examiner is a medical doctor, usually a Forensic Pathologist. The Medical Examiner certifies the cause and manner of death for certain individuals, based on his/her expert opinion following an investigation and medical examination. This examination may include an autopsy and laboratory tests such as toxicology. The medical examiner also completes a report and creates a file for each decedent to document his/her findings in a lasting way. The Medical Examiner’s team consists of many other individuals, who assist in various ways with the investigation, administrative tasks, and autopsies; these individuals include Investigators, Office Specialists, Transcriptionists, and Managers. 4. What is the difference between a Medical Examiner and a Coroner? (Medical examiner is another name for coroner) In the state of Missouri, larger counties operate under Medical Examiner jurisdiction, while smaller counties, by statute, operate under coroner jurisdiction. Coroners from several rural Missouri counties contract with the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy services when needed. 5. How is jurisdiction determined? The Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office will retain jurisdiction for those deaths that are medical examiner cases in Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass counties. Death certificates will be issued from the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office for those deaths that are medical examiner cases, including deaths from injury or who die suddenly and unexpectedly while in apparent good health, suspicious deaths, or deaths when there is no doctor to sign the death certificate. Jackson County currently provides complete forensic services to Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass Counties under contract for death investigations, autopsy and lab testing as well as court testimony when necessary. Over 20 other Missouri counties utilize the Medical Examiner’s Office on a referral basis. Autopsies services and other tests are performed to determine cause and manner of death for these counties on a fee for service basis. The death certificates are issued by the referral county coroner/medical examiner based upon the autopsy findings. Local authorities in the referral county will conduct their own scene investigations and share their information with the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office. 13. May I view my loved one at the MEO? Our facilities are not set up to accommodate viewing requests. The deceased may be viewed at the funeral home shortly after arriving there. 14. What is the process for claiming my loved one’s body? Only a family member can claim the body. “Family member” is defined as spouse, child, parent, sibling, or grandparent; the legal next of kin is responsible for determining disposition of the body. The body is available to be claimed after it has been properly identified and the autopsy (if performed) is complete. The way a body is claimed is for the family member to call the on-duty investigator and provide the name of the funeral home. 15. How can I retrieve my loved one’s personal property? Except for evidence, any items transported to the Medical Examiner's Office are released to the funeral home along with the body at the time it is transported. In case of an emergency in which an item (such as a key) is immediately needed, you can contact the on-duty investigator at 816-881-6600. 16. What is the MEO role in organ and tissue donation? At the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office, one of our goals is to facilitate organ and tissue donation for the benefit of the family and the community. For example, if an individual has a serious head injury and meets brain death criteria, he/she may be a candidate for organ donation. Examples of current organ recoveries are whole hearts, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, and liver. If an individual has died, they are eligible for tissue donation only within 24 hours after the time death. Examples of tissues recovered are skin (split and full thickness) for burn patients, long bones (tibia, fibula, femur, humerus, and pelvic bones) for total and partial bone replacement surgery, tendons (achilles, anterior and posterior tibialis, and knee ligaments) for reconstruction of torn tendons, vascular tissues (heart valves, saphenous and femoral veins) for vascular repair, and corneas for whole cornea replacement. In hopes of facilitating this lifesaving contribution to society, it is our policy at the Jackson County Medical Examiner to call an organ procurement organization on every death reported to our jurisdiction. After the organ/tissue procurement organization receives the information about the individual who has recently died, they then may approach the family about donation. If an individual has a signed driver’s license indicating that he wishes to be a donor, surprisingly this is not the final say. The decision of organ and tissue donation is up to a first generation family member (husband, wife, children, or parents – i.e., next of kin). If the family decides to donate, the organ/tissue procurement organization then will ask about a medical-social history. These questions will help to determine if the individual has possible infectious diseases. If the individual meets the organization’s criteria for donation, the Medical Examiner will be asked to grant permission for donation on cases under our jurisdiction. In all but the rarest of cases, donation does not interfere with the Medical Examiner’s duties. In those cases, extraordinary measures (such as the Medical Examiner attending the organ procurement to directly observe any pathology) will be taken to facilitate the family’s wishes to make the gift of life. Please refer to the following Web sites for further information on donation. American Association of Tissue Banks www.AATB.org Midwest Transplant Network www.mwtn.org Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation www.mtf.org 17. What if a decedent has no next-of-kin or the body is not claimed? The Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office seeks the assistance of the public to help locate next of kin and/or friends to claim the remains. Efforts are made to locate next of kin to claim the body. Short newspaper notices are posted locally to look for next of kin and/or friends. If no responses have been generated, the process of county burial will begin for the county to take jurisdiction and begin county disposition procedures. Click on the link to view a list of unclaimed decedents at the medical examiners office. If you have any information, please call 816-881-6600 and speak with an on-duty investigator. Q. Why is a body brought to the Coroner's Office? A. The remains of the deceased person are brought to the Coroner's Office because Ohio Law requires that the Coroner investigate deaths of persons dying from criminal violence, by accident, by suicide, suddenly, when unattended by physician for a reasonable period of time, in detention, or in any suspicious or unusual manner. Another reason that a body may be brought to the Coroner's Office is that the identity of the deceased or next-of-kin is unknown. Q. How do I get a copy of a Coroner's report? A. A copy of the Coroner's report may be obtained by written request. A fee of 25¢ per page may be assessed. For record request and information regarding records please email vjfleming@co.stark.oh.us Prevention. Promotion. Protection. State of Alaska > Health & Social Services > Division of Public Health > State Medical Examiner Office divider Public Health Frequently Asked Questions * Why is the Medical Examiner's Office involved? * Where will my relative/friend be taken? * Am I required to use a funeral home? * Who pays for funeral services (embalming, casket, etc.)? * Who contacts the funeral home? * How long will it take before the deceased is released from the State Medical Examiner's Office? * Is it necessary for me to come to the State Medical Examiner's Office to view the body? * Is viewing or visitation allowed while the body is under the State Medical Examiner's jurisdiction? * Can a State Medical Examiner's case still be an organ or tissue donor? * Who do I contact for further questions or additional information? Q. Why is the Medical Examiner's Office involved? Alaska State law requires the State Medical Examiner to investigate the circumstances and determine the cause and manner of death in all deaths that are: * Sudden, when a person is in apparent good health. * Not under the care of a physician. * Suspicious, unusual or unexplained. * All deaths that are not due to a natural cause (accidents, homicides, suicides etc.) Q. Where will my relative/friend be taken? The deceased will be taken to the State Medical Examiner's Office, 5455 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave, Anchorage, Alaska. They will remain there until examination of the body is complete. Upon completion, the deceased will be released by the State Medical Examiner's Office to the funeral home selected by the next of kin. The body will not be released until a signed Release Authorization is received from the next-of-kin. Investigation may continue after the release of the body to the funeral home. Q. Am I required to use a funeral home? There is no legal requirement in the State of Alaska requiring the use of a funeral home. The State Medical Examiner’s Office can release directly to the family. However, the State Medical Examiner’s Office strongly recommends the use of a funeral home (at the family’s expense) for proper disposition of the body after an autopsy. The State Medical Examiner’s Office does not prepare or embalm individuals. Q. Who pays for funeral services (embalming, casket, etc.)? The family is responsible for all costs associated with a funeral and preparing the body for burial and or viewing, including embalming. The State Medical Examiner’s Office is only responsible to pay for transportation to Anchorage for examination and return to the community nearest the place of death. The Division of Public Assistance (907-269-6599) may be able to assist with other expenses if the decedent qualifies. Q. Who contacts the funeral home? The family or legal representative is responsible to select and contact the funeral home. Once you have selected a funeral home, please let them know that the body is under the jurisdiction of the State Medical Examiner's Office. They can assist you in completing a Release Authorization authorizing the State Medical Examiner’s Office to release the deceased to the selected funeral home. You may also obtain the release form on the State Medical Examiner’s web site, or it can be emailed or faxed directly to you if you call (907)334-2200. Once a completed release form is received, the Medical Examiner's Office will contact the funeral home when the body is ready for release. Q. How long will it take before the deceased is released from the Medical Examiner's Office? The State Medical Examiner’s Office attempts to release the deceased as soon as possible after the examination is complete. This usually occurs the same day or next day after completion of the examination as long as a funeral home has been selected by the family. In cases where a funeral home is not being used, every attempt is made to have shipping arrangements made as quickly as possible. Q. Is it necessary for me to come to the Medical Examiner's Office to view the body? No - in the majority of cases, visual identification is not required. If visual identification is required, you will be notified by the State Medical Examiner's Office. Q. Is viewing or visitation allowed while the body is under the State Medical Examiner's jurisdiction? No - the State Medical Examiner's Office is not designed to handle viewings for bereaved relatives. Arrangements for viewing should be made with your funeral director. Q. Can a State Medical Examiner's case still be an organ or tissue donor? Yes - the State Medical Examiner’s Office works closely with local tissue and organ procurement agencies. The Medical Examiner determines the appropriateness of the organ/tissue recovery and can deny the request, but every effort is made to allow for donation. Q. How do I obtain a certified copy of the death certificate? The State Medical Examiner's Office does not issue copies of the death certificate. Copies can be requested from the funeral home when arrangements are made. Additionally, copies can be obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics (907-465-3391). Q. Who do I contact for further questions or additional information? If you have further questions or did not find the information you needed contact the State Medical Examiner’s Office at (907) 334-2200. |