Confirming the death of a loved one normally happens in one of two ways – under normal circumstances by a doctor, or if the death or events surrounding the death mean that the doctor cannot certify, then by the Coroner, which is not unusual.
Circumstances when a Coroner may become involved:
- cause of death is unknown
- death was unexplained
- death was unexpected or sudden
- cause of death was unnatural or involved violence
- medical certificate is unavailable
- person who died was not seen by the doctor that signed the medical certificate within 14 days before they died or after death
- death occurred during an operation
- medical certificate suggests the cause of death was influenced by industrial poisoning or disease
It is not unusual for the Coroner to be involved
what happens if the coroner decides the cause of death is clear?
If the Coroner decides that the cause of death is clear then they will sign a medical certificate and will also issue a certificate for the registrar stating that there is no need for a post-mortem.
what happens if the coroner orders an inquest?
If the Coroner decides to order an inquest into the death, you will be notified of this decision immediately. An inquest will be instructed if the coroner does not consider the cause of death is clear. The purpose of an inquest is to identify when and where they died and the cause of death. The inquest can take a number of months before the final hearing, which is normally around 4 months after the inquest was opened. If an inquest has been requested please let us know immediately.
local coroners contact details
Gwent Coroners Service
Civic Centre
Newport
NP20 4UR
01633 414 600
we’re here for you…
We’re here to lend a helping hand if you would like to discuss anything with us. If you would like help understanding why the Coroner may be involved, get in touch and we’ll be happy to talk you through it.