Death Investigation Systems
Western Medico Legal Definition of Death - correct answer--Cerebral Death
Cerebral Death - correct answer-Brain function ceased
-Clinical and Field
Clinical Death - correct answer-Flat brain wave reading
Field Death - correct answer-Following four criteria
1. bilateral dilation and fixation of pupils
2. absences of reflexes
3. cessation of respiration without mechanical assistance
4. cessation of spontaneous cardiac activity
When all 4 criteria met: - correct answer--pronounced dead by either licensed physicians,
medical investigators, or EMT in some jurisdictions
-time and location noted (needed for death certificate)
Recoded time-of-death - correct answer--reflects the time of pronouncement- not the actual
time of death
-M.E. will use time that police arrived on the scene.
Medical Investigator is also the... - correct answer--death investigator from the M.E.'s office
Medicolegal - correct answer--Application of medical science to law
Medicolegal System - correct answer--formal mechanism for death investigation and
certification within a specific geographic area
2 Medicolegal Systems - correct answer--Coroner
-M.E.
Functions of Medical Examiner's or Coroner's Office - correct answer--Death Investigation
Death Investigation - correct answer--process of determining the cause and manner of death
(by law)
Cause of Death - correct answer--An injury or disease that produces a physiological
derangement in the body that results in death
Medical Opinion - correct answer--synthesis of all information derived from both the
investigation into the CIRCUMSTANCE SURROUNDING the death AND AUTOPSY
A death certificate in Fl will also specify one of these 3 categories-
'Mechanisms of Death' - correct answer--Physiological
Western Medico Legal Definition of Death - correct answer--Cerebral Death
Cerebral Death - correct answer-Brain function ceased
-Clinical and Field
Clinical Death - correct answer-Flat brain wave reading
Field Death - correct answer-Following four criteria
1. bilateral dilation and fixation of pupils
2. absences of reflexes
3. cessation of respiration without mechanical assistance
4. cessation of spontaneous cardiac activity
When all 4 criteria met: - correct answer--pronounced dead by either licensed physicians,
medical investigators, or EMT in some jurisdictions
-time and location noted (needed for death certificate)
Recoded time-of-death - correct answer--reflects the time of pronouncement- not the actual
time of death
-M.E. will use time that police arrived on the scene.
Medical Investigator is also the... - correct answer--death investigator from the M.E.'s office
Medicolegal - correct answer--Application of medical science to law
Medicolegal System - correct answer--formal mechanism for death investigation and
certification within a specific geographic area
2 Medicolegal Systems - correct answer--Coroner
-M.E.
Functions of Medical Examiner's or Coroner's Office - correct answer--Death Investigation
Death Investigation - correct answer--process of determining the cause and manner of death
(by law)
Cause of Death - correct answer--An injury or disease that produces a physiological
derangement in the body that results in death
Medical Opinion - correct answer--synthesis of all information derived from both the
investigation into the CIRCUMSTANCE SURROUNDING the death AND AUTOPSY
A death certificate in Fl will also specify one of these 3 categories-
'Mechanisms of Death' - correct answer--Physiological
