FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who can request an autopsy?
In a lot of cases, the law mandates that an autopsy be performed due to the sudden, unexpected, violent or traumatic deaths due to homicides, suicides, unattended deaths and motor vehicle accidents. If this is the case, then the local medical examiner/coroner office has jurisdiction and orders the autopsy.
In all other cases, any immediate member of a family can request an autopsy. The laws of the State of Missouri provide that consent for autopsy be granted only be certain persons, and further, that some have more rights than others. The order of importance or degree of right is: surviving spouse, surviving child, surviving parent, surviving brother or sister, any relative by blood or marriage, then any friend. A person cannot give legal consent for an autopsy unless there are no surviving relatives higher on the list. For further remarks applicable to each surviving relative, please read the request of autopsy form.
Who can request an autopsy?
In a lot of cases, the law mandates that an autopsy be performed due to the sudden, unexpected, violent or traumatic deaths due to homicides, suicides, unattended deaths and motor vehicle accidents. If this is the case, then the local medical examiner/coroner office has jurisdiction and orders the autopsy.
In all other cases, any immediate member of a family can request an autopsy. The laws of the State of Missouri provide that consent for autopsy be granted only be certain persons, and further, that some have more rights than others. The order of importance or degree of right is: surviving spouse, surviving child, surviving parent, surviving brother or sister, any relative by blood or marriage, then any friend. A person cannot give legal consent for an autopsy unless there are no surviving relatives higher on the list. For further remarks applicable to each surviving relative, please read the request of autopsy form.
- What is an autopsy?
- Can I arrange an autopsy for myself and request a particular procedure be performed?
- Who can request an autopsy?
- Where is the autopsy being performed?
- Will I be able to have a funeral once the autopsy is complete?
- How much does an autopsy cost?
- How long does it take to get the autopsy report?
- Why perform an autopsy?
- Can I limit the autopsy to a particular part of the body?
- How long does an autopsy take and when will the body be released?
- How can families benefit from an autopsy?
- How soon should an autopsy be performed?
- Once the body has had an autopsy from another agency, can I have another one for a second opinion?
- Can an exhumed body be autopsied?
- Can I talk to somebody about my wishes and concerns regarding the autopsy?