Coroners

What They Do

Direct activities such as autopsies, pathological and toxicological analyses, and inquests relating to the investigation of deaths occurring within a legal jurisdiction to determine cause of death or to fix responsibility for accidental, violent, or unexplained deaths.

Typical Tasks

• Complete death certificates, including the assignment of cause and manner of death.
• Perform medicolegal examinations and autopsies, conducting preliminary examinations of the body to identify victims, locate signs of trauma, and identify factors that would indicate time of death.
• Interview persons present at death scenes to obtain information useful in determining the manner of death.
• Observe and record the positions and conditions of bodies and related evidence.
• Provide information concerning the circumstances of death to relatives of the deceased.

Key Skills

Work Activities

• Getting Information
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Communicating with People Outside the Organization
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems