CORONER > Role in Society & Medicine

Death is a social and legal event, as well as a biological event, and as in many other social and legal events, there are judgments or rulings to be made, and certain formalities to be attended to. Society needs experienced physicians and medical-legal death investigators with education and training in death investigations to make these judgments. The coroner serves the living, and is the advocate for the dead. The results of his or her decisions may have far reaching implications for the survivors, the accused and society in general.

• JURISDICTION: What is a coroner's case? 'The coroner's jurisdiction is established by law. In Alamosa County, Colorado, the coroner must be notified of the following types of deaths:1. Where no physician is in attendance, or where, though in attendance, the physician is unable (or unwilling) to certify the cause of death. (Hospitals and Nursing Homes may establish a procedure whereby the nursing staff becomes an extension of a patient's attending physician, via telephone, when the attending physician is not physically present.)
• All cases in which the attending physician has not been in actual attendance within 30
  days prior to death.
• All cases in which trauma may be associated with the death (i.e., falls, traffic accidents, industrial accidents.)
• Any patient who has sustained a fracture; no matter how long ago.
• Deaths by poison or suspected poisoning, chemicals or bacteria, industrial hazardous materials, or radiation.
• Known or suspected suicide.
• Deaths where deceased has a contagious disease.
• Deaths due to self-induced or unexplained abortion. .
• All operating room deaths and deaths which occur during a medical procedure.
• All unexplained deaths due to suspicious circumstances.
• Deaths which occur within 24 hours of admission.

The office of Coroner was established by the Colorado Constitution to investigate certain deaths and to certify their cause and manner. Although most people recognize the association between the coroner and death investigation, very few truly appreciate the importance of the coroner to the people of Colorado.

The coroner operates at the interface between law and medicine. By statute the coroner is a law enforcement officer and this is the role the Public usually sees. The presence of the coroner at the scene of a homicide, car accident, of other violent death is expected. In this role the coroner must determine not only why the person died (cause of death), but whether the death was accident, suicide, homicide, or natural (manner of death). This decision not only impacts law enforcement, but also the family of the deceased. Questions of insurance, settlement of estates, and other legal issues may depend on the coroner’s decision.

The coroner also functions as a public health official. The investigation of a sudden unexpected death may reveal a disease with genetic implications for the family, or an infectious disease, such as meningitis, which might require prophylactic antibiotic treatment of other contacts.

In addition, the coroner must notify the next of kin of the death, sign the death certificate, communicate the results of the investigation to the family and their representatives, and be prepared to testify in any criminal or civi1litigation.
While no one interacts with the coroner by choice, this elected official can make a. great deal of difference when a family is faced with a death. A knowledgeable, compassionate coroner can be one of the family's primary supports. For this reason voters should select their coroner with care. The question in the voter's mind should be, "Is this the person I would want to investigate the death of my family member?" The choice is a critical one.