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Fort Wayne Indiana Personal Injury Lawyer and Attorney Blog

How Autopsies Help Establish Liability in Medical Malpractice Cases

By Jack H. FarnbauchOctober 30, 2017

It goes without saying that the death of a loved one causes incredible grief and stress. One of the decisions that may come up at a hospital (in connection with the death of a loved one) is whether to have an autopsy to establish cause of death. Of the patients who die in the hospital, only 5% receive autopsies today, compared to 50% four decades ago.

To prove that medical malpractice played a role in the death of a loved one, it's critical to determine the exact cause of death. If a hospital refuses to agree to an autopsy, or informs the family that it is going to be responsible for paying for an autopsy, it could be a sign that hospital "risk-management" staff are concerned that an autopsy establishing the cause of death could be used against the hospital in a medical malpractice lawsuit. 

If you suspect that your loved one died as a result of medical malpractice, be sure to request an autopsy to be performed within 24 hours of death. 

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