An autopsy is of great importance in certain wrongful death cases. There are cases in which the reason for the death of the person may not be very clear. Doing an autopsy will help clear all such doubts, and conclude on what caused the death of the person. Autopsy generally refers to the detailed medical examination done by physicians or pathologists. The dead body of the deceased will be examined externally and internally to confirm the real reason that led to his/her death. In certain cases, the organs and specific tissues of the body may also be examined and studied.
An autopsy does not seem necessary in every wrongful death case to prove the wrongful death. However, it helps in proving without any doubt, the reason behind the wrongful death. For instance, if a person who had suffered injuries in a car accident passed away after a couple of months, an autopsy of the deceased may help to prove that the real reason for his death was the injuries or the trauma he suffered from the accident.
The autopsy report can be used as strong evidence to file a wrongful death lawsuit. This can be used to support the original death certificate, which speaks of the cause of death. In other words, the autopsy report can explain the real reason of death that is mentioned in the death certificate. It can help prove if there was any negligence or wrong action, which led to the wrongful death.
The examining procedure in the autopsy will be very careful, and it will be pinpointing even on the minute action or negligence of someone, which led to death. The autopsy report can be used to sue against a doctor for medical malpractice if it is found that the doctor was negligent in finding out a medical situation, which led to the wrongful death of the patient. Thus, autopsies are of great significance in cases involving medical malpractice.
After the reason for the death of your loved one is determined in the autopsy, you need to find out if anyone could have saved the person from death by any means. If such a person or party was negligent in their duties, which could have saved the life of the deceased, the party can be held liable for the same. A close relative of the deceased, in such cases, can file a wrongful death lawsuit.
It is always good to go for the autopsy of the deceased so that you can be sure if there is any scope for a claim.