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Which kinds of deaths are commonly investigated by a coroner or medical examiner?

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autopsy English physicians Charles Scarborough and Edward Arris performing an autopsy in 1651 (watercolour painted in 1818 by G.P. Harding from an original work in the Barber Surgeons' Hall, London).

Coroners and medical examiners are responsible for investigating deaths that are sudden, unnatural, unexpected, unexplained, or suspicious. These investigations are essential for determining the cause and manner of death, particularly when criminal activity or public health concerns are involved.12

Deaths typically requiring such an investigation include:

Violent or Criminal Acts: Homicide and suicide.12
Accidents: Including falls, burns, or motor-vehicle crashes.1
External Factors: Deaths involving poisons, drugs, or chemicals, as well as industrial hazards and occupational injuries.1
Public Health Concerns: Infectious diseases or other conditions that pose a threat to the community.1
Specific Circumstances: Deaths of individuals in custody (such as prisoners) or confinement (such as psychiatric inmates), deaths unattended by a physician, and cases of sudden infant death syndrome.1
Legal/Administrative Requirements: Deaths involving cremation, dissection, or burial at sea.1

In these cases, the investigator may order an autopsy to gather evidence and establish the facts surrounding the death.12