Every year thousands of families find themselves in a similar scenario they probably never expected to be in – a family member died and an autopsy was required. A county medical examiner’s office can be required to perform an autopsy for a number of reasons, many of which aren’t related to a crime. If someone simply dies at home alone in their sleep, the medical examiner will at the very least need to do a physical inspection of the body and medical records to determine why the person died.
If an autopsy has to be performed the family will have to wait a while to find out what caused the death, but there’s a possibility they won’t find out at all. When the autopsy report is released the results could be inconclusive.
Why an Autopsy is Inconclusive
After an in-depth autopsy it may seem like the cause and manner of death would be clear, but that isn’t always the case. There are factors that could make it difficult to examine the body and gather evidence.
The most common reasons for an inconclusive autopsy report include:
- Badly decomposed or burned body.
- Pre-existing medical conditions.
- Inadequately preserved tissue samples.
- Ambiguous pathological findings.
- No discernible anatomical abnormalities.
Sometimes there simply is no evidence pointing to any one thing that caused the death. Other times the opposite could be true. There could be evidence of various causes, and it’s impossible to verify the actual cause. Either way, if there is no clear cause for the death the autopsy will be categorized as inconclusive.
What to do if an Autopsy Report is Inconclusive
Getting an autopsy report that’s inconclusive can be extremely frustrating for family members that want answers. It can be difficult to find closure with such uncertainty still lingering. There could also be financial repercussions if the deceased had a life insurance policy, there’s a criminal investigation or it’s believed that medical malpractice played a role in the death.
Fortunately, the inconclusive autopsy report from a medical examiner’s office isn’t the end of the road. The family can hire a private forensics laboratory to do a second autopsy and additional testing. It’s possible that the second autopsy will uncover additional evidence or the new pathologist will make connections that were previously missed.
One big difference is the cost. An autopsy that’s performed by the medical examiner’s office doesn’t cost the family anything. Hiring a pathologist to perform a second autopsy will typically cost between $3,000-$5,000.
At Direct Cremate we provide simple, straightforward direct cremation while providing excellent customer service for families. If your loved one’s death involves an autopsy our team can work directly with the medical examiner’s office and private forensic laboratories to arrange transport and other vital services prior to cremation.
Give us a call or text 24 hours a day for assistance.
