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Original poster

Inquest and post mortem report

45 replies

colourfulduvet · 06/10/2021 07:35

Do I, as a close family member, but not NOK, have a right to view the post mortem report before inquest?
My sister has recently died suddenly, my DM is in a care home, my DF is dead.
There has been an autopsy and my late sister's husband is being very cagey about the cause of death except to inform me that it appears as if the death is drug related ( I honestly had no idea as neither did the husband apparently) There is to be an inquest in December which her husband is instructing that he wants no one to attend. He also has refuse to send me a copy of the autopsy report.
Googling does not make it clear if I have a right to view the autopsy report, I can see that I can register as an interested person and, of course, have a right to attend the inquest.
Please can anyone help from a legal perspective?

OP posts:
MatildaIThink · 06/10/2021 07:38

You are not entitled to see the post mortem no. If it were my sibling I would absolutely attending the inquest even against the wishes of their partner.

Ducksareruiningmypatio · 06/10/2021 07:41

I'm pretty sure inquests are public.
I was warned the press may attend my partner's.
They didn't luckily

TheQueenOfTheNight · 06/10/2021 07:43

Sorry for your loss. Assuming you know which area is dealing with the inquest, you can contact the coroner's office. I found them very helpful.
You'll definitely be allowed a copy of the final death certificate.

prh47bridge · 06/10/2021 07:46

Inquests are open to the public.

purplesequins · 06/10/2021 07:48

an inquest is public, you can attend if you want to.
death certificates are public as well. you can request a copy from the registry office.

post mortem reports are rarely made public, they contain a lot of details, sometimes photos. it would be distressing and inappropriate to release.
at the inquest a summary might be given though.

sorry for your loss

TheQueenOfTheNight · 06/10/2021 07:48

I've just checked my email - the coroner's office sent what they call a "record of inquest" which is similar to a normal death certificate (showing cause of death).
There was also an interim death cert which was required to arrange a funeral.

Original poster
colourfulduvet · 06/10/2021 08:02

You are not entitled to see the post mortem no.
Ah if this is written from a legal perspective I think I may have more shocks to come on the day of inquest.
How can i possibly prepare any questions if I don't know if she had any associated markers for drug misuse? If she was known to abuse drugs or this was a one off?
How can I come to terms with the death of one of my closest living relatives? DM fortunately does not understand what is going on and has advanced dementia

OP posts:
Justilou1 · 06/10/2021 08:07

I’m sorry for your loss. Perhaps there is more information that has come from the inquest about your sister that is very painful for her husband. He may be protecting himself from that. You may not like what you find. (Drugs have a way of bringing out a very seedy side to life.) Or maybe he was involved… I imagine there would have been consequences if that were the case, so I suspect it is the first one.

MatildaIThink · 06/10/2021 08:11

@colourfulduvet

You are not entitled to see the post mortem no. Ah if this is written from a legal perspective I think I may have more shocks to come on the day of inquest. How can i possibly prepare any questions if I don't know if she had any associated markers for drug misuse? If she was known to abuse drugs or this was a one off? How can I come to terms with the death of one of my closest living relatives? DM fortunately does not understand what is going on and has advanced dementia
There is nor even a legal requirement to release a post mortem to a next of kin, although that is rare. As others have said it is not something that normal people might want to see, they can contain some incredibly grim photographs (chest cavity open to show organs for example).

In terms of questions they are not important, the coroner is there to get the answers and get to the bottom of things, but you may not have the opportunity to ask questions yourself.

As to how yo come to terms with it I can't advice you on that, we all grieve in different ways, process information in different ways and move forward in different ways. The inquest will give you some answers, the how she died, the what killed her, if it was drug use a rough idea of how long it had been going on for, if it was deemed accidental suicide etc. but it will be very unlikely you give you the why behind that as those questions have no easy answers.

Original poster
colourfulduvet · 06/10/2021 08:18

t is not something that normal people might want to see

I had no idea that PM reports could include photos. When I received my DF's after he died in a car crash it contained nothing of the sort, just factual medical reports from the autopsy and also from his GP.
So maybe I'm just not normal......I just want to know why my sister died

OP posts:
Original poster
colourfulduvet · 06/10/2021 08:20

’m sorry for your loss. Perhaps there is more information that has come from the inquest about your sister that is very painful for her husband. He may be protecting himself from that. You may not like what you find. (Drugs have a way of bringing out a very seedy side to life.) Or maybe he was involved… I imagine there would have been consequences if that were the case, so I suspect it is the first one.
Thank you so much for your kindness and empathy

OP posts:
Original poster
colourfulduvet · 06/10/2021 08:23

Sorry for your loss. Assuming you know which area is dealing with the inquest, you can contact the coroner's office
Thank you I will do that

OP posts:
MatildaIThink · 06/10/2021 08:25

@colourfulduvet

t is not something that normal people might want to see

I had no idea that PM reports could include photos. When I received my DF's after he died in a car crash it contained nothing of the sort, just factual medical reports from the autopsy and also from his GP.
So maybe I'm just not normal......I just want to know why my sister died

It is totally normal to want to know how she died, but what I mean by no normal person would want to see those pictures, is do you really want to see pictures of you sister like that, I suspect not?

The inquest will give you answers, unfortunately not all of them, but hopefully most of them.

Candleabra · 06/10/2021 08:26

This sounds so difficult for you. I'm really sorry about your sister.
I understand what you mean about wanting answers. Sometimes you just want to know, even if it's really bad, it can't be worse than you're imagining.
Do you have an otherwise ok relationship with your brother in law? Has he made the request to protect you do you think?

WhatDidISayAlan · 06/10/2021 08:31

We just had my brother’s inquest last week. I got a copy of his PM (no photos, just text) as I was his legal NOK although he did have a partner. The public definitely are allowed to attend. Your sister will have a coroner’s officer assigned to her case - ours could not have been more helpful; maybe give them a call?

CrimeJunkie01 · 06/10/2021 08:32

When my ex died (he had remarried but we were very close-I arranged and paid for his funeral) I went to the inquest and received a copy of the post mitten report. It didn't contain photos but they were available to see at the inquest and I was asked if I wanted to see them. He died of a heroin overdose and I got a list of all the toxicology in the report. I've no idea if that was normal practice though, I just spoke to the coroners office and they were brilliant. Kept me informed of everything

Original poster
colourfulduvet · 06/10/2021 08:35

Do you have an otherwise ok relationship with your brother in law
We have a civil and polite relationship although have had very little contact in the recent years. I like him very much but their lives were very busy that it was my sister I saw more of. They have ( sorry had) senior professional positions within education / police and did not have children.
I have no doubt my BIL is feeling extreme grief and possibly shame. Whether he is attempting to protect himself or me I have no idea

OP posts:
Original poster
colourfulduvet · 06/10/2021 08:38

We just had my brother’s inquest last week. I got a copy of his PM (no photos, just text) as I was his legal NOK although he did have a partner. The public definitely are allowed to attend. Your sister will have a coroner’s officer assigned to her case - ours could not have been more helpful; maybe give them a call?
I am so sorry for the loss of your brother
This has been such a helpful response

OP posts:
Original poster
colourfulduvet · 06/10/2021 08:40

When my ex died (he had remarried but we were very close-I arranged and paid for his funeral) I went to the inquest and received a copy of the post mitten report. It didn't contain photos but they were available to see at the inquest and I was asked if I wanted to see them. He died of a heroin overdose and I got a list of all the toxicology in the report. I've no idea if that was normal practice though, I just spoke to the coroners office and they were brilliant. Kept me informed of everything
Many thanks for this, yes it's the toxicology results I want to see so that I can try to make sense out of it all

OP posts:
Orangejuicemarathoner · 06/10/2021 08:42

Are you sure hes even got a copy of the autopsy? My friend whos baby died was told the cause verbally, but wasn't sent the actual paperwork for over a year, and that was precovid

NonShallot · 06/10/2021 08:49

OP I am sorry for the loss of your sister in such circumstances, it must be extremely upsetting.

Definitely ring your local coroners department, they will be able to answer all of your questions as above.

In respect of the PM report, I have dealt with many deaths/inquests in my line of work and I have never heard of a PM report being given to a family member. Usually they just go straight to the coroners officer.

I appreciate that you feel you are entitled to see the PM report as her living relative but as she is married, her husband is legally her direct NOK so legally I don't know where you would stand in having access to it.

In respect of the inquest, as PP have said, they are open to the public and your brother-in-law cannot prevent you from attending. Usually attending members of the public are not allowed to speak or ask questions. Inquests are usually very formal and they have a set list of 'witnesses' who will read out statements or reports, the coroner will ask them questions to clarify any points, but inquests are not 'open' for anyone to just ask questions, if that makes sense?

As I had earlier, its best if you contact your local coroners officer, they are usually extremely helpful and they should be able to answer all your questions.

Original poster
colourfulduvet · 06/10/2021 08:49

Are you sure hes even got a copy of the autopsy
This is what he has said, he has said the toxicology results show drugs as the cause of death. When I asked him if he would share this with me he has declined.

OP posts:
WhatDidISayAlan · 06/10/2021 08:50

It’s a good point re timings. My brother died middle of March (after a seizure), coroner ordered an inquest a couple of weeks later, that was opened and adjourned, while they got things in motion. We got the bundle (PM report, GP statement, toxicology) at the beginning of August and the inquest was last week. We were told that toxicology would take around 8 weeks. Depending on when your sister died, things may not be ready yet. Hope you are doing ok, and take time to look after yourself - the process does help answer some questions but can also elongate the grieving process, as I am finding out this week. I hope you get the answers you need xxx

NonShallot · 06/10/2021 08:50

@colourfulduvet

When my ex died (he had remarried but we were very close-I arranged and paid for his funeral) I went to the inquest and received a copy of the post mitten report. It didn't contain photos but they were available to see at the inquest and I was asked if I wanted to see them. He died of a heroin overdose and I got a list of all the toxicology in the report. I've no idea if that was normal practice though, I just spoke to the coroners office and they were brilliant. Kept me informed of everything Many thanks for this, yes it's the toxicology results I want to see so that I can try to make sense out of it all
OP they will have an expert in the inquest who will go through the toxicology report. Unless you are an expert in this field it won't make sense to any one, not even the coroner, so the person who complied the report will usually be asked to attend to read their report and explain what it all means
NonShallot · 06/10/2021 08:53

@colourfulduvet

Are you sure hes even got a copy of the autopsy This is what he has said, he has said the toxicology results show drugs as the cause of death. When I asked him if he would share this with me he has declined.
OP this must be so hard for you

Has it said what kind of drugs? Are we talking illegal drugs which obviously will be raising questions if they are in professional roles?

Or drugs overdose in that she took her own life with pain killers etc?

I am sorry you are going through this and not getting any answers