What is a Medical Examiner?
What is the jurisdiction of the Medical Examiner?
What happens when a death is first reported to the Medical Examiner?
How is the body transported to the Medical Examiner?
Why would the Medical Examiner investigate a death where there was no criminal action?
Why is it necessary to investigate the expected death of someone who died under the care of a doctor in a hospital or other health care facility?
If the cause of death is obvious, such as a traffic accident, why must the Medical Examiner investigate?
What is an autopsy?
Is an autopsy always necessary?
Suppose I want an autopsy to be performed or suppose I object to an autopsy?
What do I need to do while the Medical Examiner is investigating the death?
When will I be able to schedule funeral arrangements?
When is a legal identification required and what constitutes a legal identification?
May I view the body at the Medical Examiner Department?
What happens to the deceased's personal effects?
When can I find out the cause of death? How may I obtain an autopsy report?
How do I get a copy of a Death Certificate?

What is a Medical Examiner?

A Medical Examiner is a physician with particular expertise in investigating violent, sudden and unexpected, suspicious or unattended deaths.

What is the jurisdiction of the Medical Examiner?

Florida Statute §406.11 charges the medical examiner in the district in which the death occurred or the body was found to determine the cause of death when a person dies:

• of criminal violence
• by accident, suicide, or by poison
• suddenly, when in apparent good health
• unattended by a practicing physician or other recognized practitioner
• in any prison or penal institution
• in police custody
• in any suspicious or unusual circumstance
• by criminal abortion
• by disease constituting a threat to public health, and
• by disease, injury, or toxic agent resulting from employment.

For deaths which occur in one of these categories, this statute also provides the medical examiner with authority to perform whatever autopsies or laboratory examinations deemed to be in the public interest.

Additionally, deaths involving cremation, burial at sea, donation to science, or removal of the body from the state must first be referred to the Medical Examiner for approval. The Medical Examiner reviews the cause of death information to ensure that jurisdiction under §406.11 does not exist. Transportation of the deceased to the Department is usually not required if the death did not involve trauma.

What happens when a death is first reported to the Medical Examiner?

Information concerning medical history, history of injury and the circumstances preceding the death is gathered to determine whether or not §406.11 jurisdiction exists.

If a death is solely the result of natural disease and a doctor is available to sign a death certificate, the funeral home or crematory may transport the deceased directly to its facility. If any of the circumstances described in the statute exist, the body will be brought to the Medical Examiner Department for investigation.

How is the body transported to the Medical Examiner?

A private contractor transports bodies to the Medical Examiner facility. Additionally, the contractor's dispatcher answers calls made to the investigative section after hours. Transport personnel are not County employees; however, comments concerning the quality of service should be made to the Medical Examiner's Manager of Operations.

Why would the Medical Examiner investigate a death where there was no criminal action?

Criminal violence is only one of the categories requiring investigation by the Department. More than 80 percent of Medical Examiner investigations involve accidental deaths and natural deaths for which no doctor is available to sign a death certificate.

Why is it necessary to investigate the expected death of someone who died under the care of a doctor in a hospital or other health care facility?

Because there is often a delay, sometimes measured in years, between injury and death, it is easy to overlook an accident or other trauma which caused the condition for which the decedent was being treated when death occurred. For example, an individual who fell, broke a hip, developed pneumonia and died would require Medical Examiner investigation because the underlying cause of the pneumonia was a fall - an accidental event.

If the cause of death is obvious, such as a traffic accident, why must the Medical Examiner investigate?

What appears to be obvious may not be true. Only a thorough investigation will reveal whether the "obvious" traffic accident death was caused by a heart attack, carbon monoxide poisoning or some event other than the apparent impact injuries.

What is an autopsy?

An autopsy is an intricate post-mortem medical procedure often requiring complex laboratory tests. It includes examination of all major organs to document injury, disease or the lack thereof. An autopsy does not interfere with viewing the deceased.

Is an autopsy always necessary?

An autopsy is not normally required when the death is known to be the result of natural causes, adequate medical history exists and there are no signs of foul play. The Medical Examiner usually investigates these deaths because either the attending physician is not available to sign the death certificate or funds are not available to bury the deceased. An autopsy will normally be conducted in all other instances.

Autopsy results are used to determine the cause of death and, in criminal cases, to establish the material facts. Additionally, this procedure may document previously undiagnosed diseases which may have a tendency to be inherited. It also provides vital information to families filing insurance and other claims.

Suppose I want an autopsy to be performed or suppose I object to an autopsy?

If jurisdiction under F.S. §406.11 does not exist, the Department will not conduct an autopsy. In this situation, the family may have an autopsy performed by either a hospital or a private pathologist.

If the next of kin objects to an autopsy when FS §406.11 jurisdiction exists, the Medical Examiner will often accommodate the objection if doing so will not compromise the public interest. However, autopsies required to determine the cause of death will be conducted.

What do I need to do while the Medical Examiner is investigating the death?

Usually, all you need to do is select a funeral home or crematory. The funeral director will take care of the remaining details.

An investigator may contact you for information concerning the medical history of the deceased, funeral arrangements, date of birth, social security number and similar information.

When will I be able to schedule funeral arrangements?

Rarely will investigation by the Medical Examiner delay funeral arrangements. Caseload permitting, same-day release is typical for bodies received by mid-morning. Occasionally, law enforcement investigation or identification requirements may delay release until additional information has been obtained.

When is a legal identification required and what constitutes a legal identification?

Legal identification is required for all deaths involving possible criminal charges. This is usually accomplished by viewing a photograph, preferably by an acquaintance of the deceased rather than a family member, at the Department.

Additionally, all bodies which, due to injury or decomposition, cannot be visually identified require identification by fingerprints, dental or other x-rays.

An identification based on clothing, jewelry, tattoos, or similar presumptive evidence does not constitute a legal identification. Under certain circumstances release for burial may be delayed while legal identification is pursued.

May I view the body at the Medical Examiner Department?

The Department is not staffed to accommodate viewing requests. A photograph is used when identification of a body is required.

What happens to the deceased's personal effects?

If at all possible, valuables and other personal effects are not transported to the Department. All such items, except clothing, are removed at the scene, inventoried and given to a law enforcement officer, health care worker, friend or family member. Except for evidence, any items transported to the Department are released to the funeral home or crematory with the deceased.

When can I find out the cause of death? How may I obtain an autopsy report?

The cause of death can be obtained as soon as the investigation has been completed, often on the day the body was brought to the medical examiner.

Investigative inquires may be made by calling 813-914-4567 between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM daily.

A completed autopsy report can be obtained by mailing a brief letter of request containing the name of the decedent and the date of death and a stamped self-addressed business-sized envelope (with two first class stamps affixed) to the Medical Examiner Department at 11025 N. 46th St., Tampa, FL 33617. (Depending on the type of testing required to determine the cause and manner of death, a completed report may not be available until six to eight weeks after the death.)

Administrative inquiries can be made by calling 813-914-4500 Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM.

How do I get a copy of a Death Certificate?

Copies of the death certificate are available from either the funeral director or the local State Vital Records office (813) 307-8002.