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About Us
Autopsy - Additional Information
Internal Examination (Autopsy)
- Do not assume that an autopsy will be performed.
- By law, certification of a CLEARLY NATURAL DEATH requires a reasonable degree of medical certainty (i.e. what is the likely cause; knowing the exact cause is not necessary by law).
- An autopsy is performed when death is likely due to Natural Causes, largely to exclude UNNATURAL DEATH due to accident, suicide, or homicide.
- When the manner of death is NATURAL, autopsy determines the exact cause in only 10% of cases. In 70% of cases, multiple disease processes are found and the forensic pathologist chooses the most likely cause of death.
- if the decedent has predisposing medical problems that likely cause death, autopsy is often not needed to certify death.
- if an individual dies during a hospital stay, an autopsy is rarely needed as the medical record generally contains enough information to certify the cause of death.
- family members and/or physicians may have a desire to know the exact cause of death. By law, the Coroner's Office is required to investigate a case no further than is necessary to certify a death. Therefore, if an autopsy is desired, it may be performed privately through contracting with a general pathologist. This is a service performed at the FAMILY'S EXPENSE as it is not covered by medical insurance. The cost of this procedure may exceeed $3,000.
- When the manner of death is not due to natural causes, by law, autopsy is performed to collect forensic evidence to determine the EXACT CAUSE AND MANNER of death. If this cannot be determined by external examination of the body, toxicology and consideration of the facts and circumstances surrounding a death.
Content Last Modified on 8/12/2009 12:05:14 PM
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