How to Decipher Coroner Reports
A big part of writing for the public is the ability to decipher technical reports in lay language. Nowhere is this more evident than in coroner reports that give the cause of death and the condition of the body at death. Decipher the coded language to help your readers understand the meaning of the report.
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Instructions
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Obtain the original document to learn for yourself what the coroner's report actually says. Any summary may mislead. Photocopy the report and work from the copy. Read it over carefully to get a general idea of the information contained. Highlight every word you do not understand, to return to it later. Also note the names of police and other officials you may want to interview later.
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Go over the report carefully to get a general idea of the information contained. Highlight every word you do not understand, to return to it later. Also note the names of police and other officials you may want to interview later.
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Correlate the various types of information contained in the coroner's report, which might include toxicological, anatomical, engineering or other types of information. For example, Elvis Presley's autopsy report lists the probably cause of death as HCLV associated with ASHD. Using one of the many online medical dictionaries to decipher terms, you find that he probably died of cardiac arrhythmia associated with arteriosclerotic heart disease. This report was written before toxicological examination of his blood.
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Read between the lines to discover nuances the author may have placed there. The coroner examining Marilyn Monroe noted a slight ecchymotic area on her left hip and the left side of her lower back. Looking up the term, you find she had a bruised area. The report makes it sound minor but gives no clue of the size or age of the bruise. It could have been from the day before or from a fall after she lost consciousness.
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Practice reading coroner reports using available resources such as celebrity autopsies gathered at websites such as The Smoking Gun or The Virtual Autopsy, a free online resource designed for medical students.
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Tips & Warnings
The cause of death tells how a person died, not why they died. The coroner's report said Elvis Presley died of cardiac arrhythmia at age 42.
While some cities and counties may adapt standards, coroner reports are not all formatted the same.
Press speculation can obfuscate the real circumstances of death.
