Death and Accident Investigation Protocols

Through an examination and assessment of the body at a death scene, the medicolegal death investigator (MLDI) must be able to recognize circumstances that point to what manner of death occurred—be it natural causes, homicide, suicide, accident, or undetermined. A handy reference for use in the field and in the lab, Death and Accident Investigation Protocols provides 34 checklists and forms to help investigators make these determinations.Categories of death covered in this guide include:Aircraft and motor vehicle accidentAlcohol- and drug-relatedBlunt- and sharp-force injuryDrowningElectrocution, exposure, and fireGunshotHangingHospital- and nursing home-relatedInfectious diseaseNatural causesOccupational exposurePoison and toxic substancesSexual assaultSuicideFormatted as a convenient 8 ½ x 11 spiral-bound book, this manual helps investigators know what to look for, what questions to ask, and how to categorize the scene and the physical injuries. The forms in the book can either be downloaded, which allows for easy form modification. The text includes descriptive illustrations and diagrams associated with various categories of death. An essential tool for the busy investigator, the book facilitates the organization of information for a myriad of death scenarios.

Aircraft Accident Alcohol-Related Death Blunt Force Injury Child Fatality—Abuse or neglect Child Infant Death – General Child-Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Combo/Short Form (Natural death, motor vehicle accident, suicide) Death report – General Drowning Drug Overdose Electrical Exposure Falls Fire Gunshot/Shotgun Hanging Homicide Hospital death – natural Hospital death – Surgical In Custody DeathInfectious Disease Inquiries Lightning Medication List Motor Vehicle Accident – Driver/Passenger Motor Vehicle Accident – pedestrian Natural death Occupational Exposure Organ and Tissue Donor Information Report Form Poisons and Toxic Substances Sexual Assault Sharp Force Injury Suicide Unidentified Remains

Mary H. Dudley, M.D., M.S., R.N., is the chief medical examiner for Jackson County, Missouri and is board certified in anatomic and forensic pathology by the American Board of Pathologists. She completed a two-year fellowship in forensic pathology at the University of New Mexico following a four-year anatomic and clinical pathology residency at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Previously, Dr. Dudley was the chief medical examiner in Sedgwick County, Kansas, and medical examiner for Maricopa County in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Dudley has been active in the field of forensic medical investigation for many years. She developed the first forensic nursing program in Colorado in 1994 and the first Forensic Medical Investigation (FMI) training course in 1996.