The inquest
An inquest is a legal inquiry into the medical cause and circumstances of a death. It is held in public – sometimes with a jury – by a coroner, in cases where the death was violent or unnatural, took place in prison or police custody or when the cause of death is still uncertain after a post-mortem.
The coroner is a doctor or lawyer responsible for investigating deaths in particular situations and can also arrange for a post-mortem examination of the body, if necessary. An inquest is a legal inquiry into the causes and circumstances of a death.
If death occurs in any of the following circumstances, the doctor may report it to the coroner:
- After an accident or injury
- Following an industrial accident
- During a surgical operation
- Before recovery from an anaesthetic
- If the cause of death is unknown
- If the death was violent or unnatural - for example, suicide, accident or drug or alcohol overdose
- If the death was sudden and unexplained - for instance, a sudden infant death (cot death)
More information about inquests can be found on INQUEST's website.
Personal experiences of inquests can be found on the Healthtalk sites on:
Last reviewed May 2016.
