Death certificate

Forensic pathology
General
Death certificate

Author: Lindsey Harle, M.D.

Topic Completed: 1 February 2012

Revised: 23 August 2019

Copyright: (c) 2012-2019, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

PubMed search: death certificate [title]

Page views in 2018: 139

Page views in 2019 to date: 137

Cite this page: Harle L. Death certificate. PathologyOutlines.com website. http://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/forensicsdeathcertificate.html. Accessed November 19th, 2019.

Purpose

To legally document that death occurred
To provide mortality statistics for public health purposes, which influences allocation of funding for research and public health initiatives

Certifier of death

Physician, medical examiner, or coroner who completes the "cause of death" section on the death certificate, including information regarding the circumstances of death
Cause of death and circumstances represent the certifier's opinion
Not legally binding, and can be changed if new information regarding the death is introduced

How to complete the death certificate

The cause of death should always be listed
If an acute mechanism of death is known, this can be stated as the primary cause of death; the underlying cause of death should always be listed below

Examples:

Incorrect cause of death: Respiratory arrest
Correct cause of death: Complications of pneumonia or respiratory arrest due to pneumonia
Incorrect cause of death: Cardiac arrest
Correct cause of death: Acute myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest due to acute myocardial infarction