A question..

[SamSmith]

If you suspect a person died under suspicious circumstances while in the hospital (staff incompetence for example) should the police be called right away? I mean before the staff clears out the equipment that was attached to the patient etc..

Is the hospital room considered a crime scene in this regard so nothing should be moved until the cops arrive?

 

[SamSmith]

How long does it take to get the autopsy report?

 

[markvee]

If you suspect malpractice then I suggest that you call the coroner directly. The coroner will decide whether there will be a forensic autopsy.

If the attending physician requests a hospital autopsy then this autopsy is usually done to answer a medical question, such as what kind of cancer the patient had, so that relatives can receive counselling regarding risk, screening, etc.

A provisional autopsy report is usually available within a week or two of death. The wait for the final report (after the microscopic examination) is highly variable, but should come out within a few months for a forensic autopsy to a year for a hospital autopsy.

 

[squash500]

SS this site might help you

 

[SamSmith]

If you suspect malpractice then I suggest that you call the coroner directly. The coroner will decide whether there will be a forensic autopsy.

If the attending physician requests a hospital autopsy then this autopsy is usually done to answer a medical question, such as what kind of cancer the patient had, so that relatives can receive counselling regarding risk, screening, etc.

The autopsy was done at the hospital over 2 mths ago yet they say the report is not ready yet. They're saying 3 more mths.. Factor in that the family was told up to 6mths by the funeral home as well.

The coroner's office was called after the hospital autopsy and they told them a 2nd one wasn't needed.

A provisional autopsy report is usually available within a week or two of death. The wait for the final report (after the microscopic examination) is highly variable, but should come out within a few months for a forensic autopsy to a year for a hospital autopsy.

Never heard of a provisional report. So this can be demanded from the hospital ASAP due to the time that is passed?

 

[markvee]

The provisional report is made from the grossly visible findings. This is usually done quickly because it's easier to make this report immediately after the autopsy when the memory is fresh, and there are guidelines that say this report should come out in a couple of days.

The final report includes the microscopic findings. Preparing autopsy tissue for microscopy is very low priority for the lab, and looking at the slides is very low priority for the pathologist, especially for hospital (non-forensic) autopsies. The situation is further complicated if there is a neuropathology consult for brain findings. Most final autopsy reports come out within a year for hospital cases, but the reports can take even longer.

If the person died of, for example a heart attack, then the pathologist would often see the blocked coronaries grossly, and the final autopsy report will probably not contain much additional information.

If the person died of cancer, then the tumor would probably be seen grossly, and the final report will further classify cancer.

From your description, I'm not sure if your case is a coroner's case or not. You may want to clarify with the coroner whether he is still involved with the case as a forensic case or if he has decided that the case will be treated as a non-forensic hospital case.

 

[SamSmith]

From your description, I'm not sure if your case is a coroner's case or not. You may want to clarify with the coroner whether he is still involved with the case as a forensic case or if he has decided that the case will be treated as a non-forensic hospital case.

It's not my case but I hear that it's not a coroner's case either since the hospital did the autopsy. Hence they have no info. So the family's mistake was having the hospital and not the coroner's office do it in the first place right?

What type of lawyer is usually used in these cases?

 

[markvee]

In cases of death under suspicious circumstances, I recommend calling the coroner immediately.

There will be a provisional report and a final report for the hospital autopsy. Copies of these reports (as well as the hospital medical chart if desired) are available to the next of kin through the hospital medical records department athough photocopying charges may apply.

I've never dealt with lawyers, so I don't know what to recommend in terms of seeking damages.

A complaint can be lodged to the College of Physicians and Surgeons if your acquaintance is seeking discipline/retraining for a doctor suspected of misconduct.

Your acquaintance may first want to go over the autopsy report with the pathologist and/or a family doctor or other trusted medical practitioner.