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| > When A Death Occurs > When A Death Requires An Autopsy |
When Death Requires An Autopsy
Should a death be sudden, unexpected, unexplained, or unnatural, an autopsy or postmortem examination may be carried out. This medical examination is usually performed at the hospital by a pathologist in order to determine the cause of death.
An autopsy can be requested by the deceased’s attending physician or by the family at its expense. Also, a Medical Examiner can order this procedure without the consent of the next of kin.
The information obtained about the cause of death is only available to the family through the attending doctor or the Medical Examiner. To obtain this confidential information, it is necessary for family members to contact the doctor or office of the Chief Medical Examiner. A full autopsy report takes approximately six weeks before it is available to a family.
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