ABMDI - American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Questions and Answers

Question 1

An 88-year-old individual with a documented terminal illness dies at home while under the care of a licensed hospice agency.
The death was expected.
According to most state statutes, under what circumstance would this death typically fall under the jurisdiction of the medical examiner or coroner?

Accepted Answer

If the death occurs in a manner inconsistent with the natural progression of the terminal illness.

Answer

If the death occurred outside of normal business hours.

Answer

If the family requests an investigation due to a financial dispute.

Answer

If the decedent's primary care physician is unavailable to sign the death certificate within 24 hours.

Question 2

A medicolegal death investigator receives a subpoena duces tecum from the court regarding a case they investigated. What does this legal document compel the investigator to do?

Accepted Answer

Appear in court and bring specified documents or evidence.

Answer

Appear in court to provide only verbal testimony.

Answer

Provide a written deposition to the court in lieu of appearing.

Answer

Disregard the notice as it is only a preliminary request.

Question 3

Which of the following scenarios represents the most significant ethical conflict of interest for a medicolegal death investigator?

Accepted Answer

Having a part-ownership stake in a local company that provides biohazard cleanup services for death scenes.

Answer

Investigating a death at a hospital where the investigator's spouse is employed as a nurse.

Answer

Accepting a cup of coffee from a police officer at a cold, outdoor death scene.

Answer

Being a member of the same local community organization as the decedent's family.

Question 4

At the scene of an unattended death, the decedent's adult child asks the investigator for the decedent's wallet and a valuable wedding ring for safekeeping. The cause and manner of death are still undetermined. What is the investigator's proper legal and ethical responsibility regarding this personal property?

Accepted Answer

Document, secure, and transport all personal property with the decedent for processing and eventual release to the legal next of kin.

Answer

Give the items to the adult child immediately to build rapport and trust with the family.

Answer

Leave the property at the scene and instruct the family to collect it after law enforcement has finished their work.

Answer

Allow the adult child to take the property after they sign an informal, handwritten receipt.

Question 5

A reporter contacts the medicolegal death investigator and requests the complete medical history of a decedent, which was found in documents at the scene of a public traffic accident. According to HIPAA and standard ethical guidelines, what is the appropriate response?

Accepted Answer

Release only publicly available information but state that specific medical history is protected and cannot be disclosed.

Answer

Provide all medical information, as the death occurred in a public place.

Answer

Refuse to release any information, including the decedent's name.

Answer

Direct the reporter to contact the decedent's family directly for the medical records.

Question 6

Under which of the following circumstances is a medicolegal death investigator most likely required by statute to make a mandatory report to a specific external government agency, beyond the routine filing of the death certificate?

Accepted Answer

The death of a child where there is reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect.

Answer

The death of an elderly person in a nursing home from a witnessed fall.

Answer

The death of an adult from a single-vehicle car accident.

Answer

The death of an individual from a known, pre-existing cardiac condition at home.