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In California, is it a requirement for the coroners office to do an autopsy?

January 18th, 2010 Leave a comment Go to comments

My brother passed away at home unexpectedly. The mortuary says they wont do an autopsy but will use his medical records to determine the cause of death. We want an autopsy done because we feel his doctor possibly over medicated him and never gave a definite diagnosis for his health problems.

An autotpsy is required when someone dies under undetermined or suspicious circumstances or while not under the care of a doctor who will sign the death cert. You can have an autotpsy done at your own expense if the state will not perform one.

Sorry about your brother. Let me give you 50 cents worth of free advice. Try to let it go. Unless there are some definite signs of medical malpractice, all you will be doing is prolonging the suffering. I know it’s easy for me to say. But untimely deaths like this always leave people looking for answers that sometimes are not there.

Peace out.

  1. eskie lover
    January 18th, 2010 at 20:40 | #1

    Usually, if a doctor doesn’t sign the death certificate, the coroner will do an autopsy to determine the cause of death. In this case, it would serve your purposes to have an independent autopsy done with toxicology and pharmacology to determine the cause of death. So sorry for your loss.
    References :

  2. knowitall
    January 18th, 2010 at 21:15 | #2

    In any state unless someone is under a doctor’s care, and Cause of death expected, an autopsy is required if cause of death is not obvious
    ( Auto accident, etc.) It may not be the doctor who over over medicated – your brother may have been responsible for it. See if you can find meds from several different pharmacies or perhaps in different names. Sorry for your loss.
    References :

  3. Toodeemo
    January 18th, 2010 at 21:24 | #3

    An autotpsy is required when someone dies under undetermined or suspicious circumstances or while not under the care of a doctor who will sign the death cert. You can have an autotpsy done at your own expense if the state will not perform one.

    Sorry about your brother. Let me give you 50 cents worth of free advice. Try to let it go. Unless there are some definite signs of medical malpractice, all you will be doing is prolonging the suffering. I know it’s easy for me to say. But untimely deaths like this always leave people looking for answers that sometimes are not there.

    Peace out.
    References :

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