FREE ABMDI Medicolegal Death Investigation Questions and Answers
What does the term "rigor mortis" refer to in a death investigation?
Rigor mortis refers to the stiffening of muscles that occurs after death, which can help estimate the time of death.
In a medicolegal context, what is "livor mortis"?
Livor mortis, also known as postmortem lividity, is the settling of blood in the lower parts of the body, indicating the position of the body at the time of death.
Which of the following is NOT typically a responsibility of a medicolegal death investigator?
Conducting autopsies is typically performed by a forensic pathologist, not a medicolegal death investigator.
Which document typically contains the official determination of the cause and manner of death?
The death certificate is the official document that includes the cause and manner of death as determined by the investigation.
Which federal agency often collaborates with medicolegal death investigators in cases of mass fatalities?
The CDC often collaborates with medicolegal death investigators in mass fatality incidents, particularly those
What is the role of toxicology reports in death investigations?
oxicology reports help determine whether substances in the body contributed to the cause of death.
What type of information is crucial to collect during the interview of witnesses and family members in a death investigation?
Gathering information about the deceased's medical history, medications, and recent activities is essential in understanding the circumstances of the death.
To perform autopsies
The primary role of a medicolegal death investigator is to determine the cause and manner of death through investigation.
What is the primary purpose of conducting a scene investigation in a medicolegal death investigation?
Conducting a scene investigation helps gather crucial evidence and information regarding the circumstances surrounding the death.
Which manner of death is determined if a person dies as a result of self-inflicted harm with intent to die?
Suicide is the manner of death when a person dies as a result of self-inflicted harm with the intent to die.
What is the significance of the chain of custody in death investigations?
The chain of custody ensures that evidence is properly documented and handled securely to maintain its integrity for legal proceedings.