What are coroners?
Coroners are medical doctors with specialized death investigation training, who have been appointed to investigate sudden deaths as mandated by the Coroners Act.
What are pathologists and forensic pathologists?
Pathologists are medical doctors who are experts in disease and injury. Forensic pathologists have further training and are experts in disease and injury that result in sudden death. Pathologists and forensic pathologists are the medical doctors who perform autopsies, when required.
Forensic pathologists may also be appointed as coroners to investigate cases of suspicious death.
What is a death investigation?
A death investigation is a process whereby a coroner or forensic pathologist seeks to understand how and
why a person died. A coroner or forensic pathologist
must answer five questions when investigating a death:
- Who (identity of the deceased)
- When (date of death)
- Where (location of death)
- How (medical cause of death)
- By what means (natural causes, accident, homicide, suicide or undetermined)***
Information may be obtained from several sources including, but not limited to family, co-workers, neighbours, doctors, hospital records, police and other emergency service workers. Contact with family is vital as they often have important information that can aid the investigation.
How are police involved?
Police are usually among the first responders at a death scene. The
Coroners Act states that coroners may request police assistance with investigations.
Why is a coroner called?
A coroner is called to investigate deaths that appear to be from unnatural causes or natural deaths that occur suddenly or unexpectedly. Additionally, a coroner may become involved when concerns are raised regarding the care provided to an individual prior to death.
