Why is the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office involved in the death of my loved one?
The Medical Examiner-Coroner is mandated by State Law (Government Code 27491) to investigate any sudden, unnatural or medically unattended deaths within the county.  A case must be reported to the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office when the death involves a possible criminal act, suicide, accident or injury, infectious or communicable disease death when a physician cannot state the cause of death or when the deceased had not been seen by a physician in more than 20 days.  The Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office specially trained staff performs tests, investigates the cause and manner of death, safeguards personal property found at the death scene and maintains releveant records.

Where is my loved one being taken?
If required, we will arrange for transportation of the decedent's body to the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office located at 850 Thornton Way in San Jose.

Can I see my loved one at the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office?
The Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office does not have the facilities for viewing purposes, but in some cases, next of kin may be asked to view a photograph to make a positive identification.

What do I do now?
Contact the funeral home of your choice.  We do not recommend any particular mortuary or cremation service but will provide a list for your consideration.  They will work closely with our office to arrange the release of the decedent from our facility and help in obtaining certified copies of the death certificate once it has been filed with the county's vital statistics department.

Is an autopsy needed?
Autopsies are not always necessary in every death investigated by this office.  Autopsy examinations are required in approximately 50% of our cases.  The decision to perform an autopsy will be at the descretion of the Forensic Pathologist.  The pathologist will also determine if other laboratory and or toxicology tests are required as part of the examination.

Are there any Medical Examiner-Coroner fees?
A fee of $150.00 is imposed by the county to cover the cost of transportation from the place of death.  These fees are remitted by the funeral home or cremation society to the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office at the time the body is released.  A storage fee of $45.00 per day will incur five (5) business days after the pathologist has released the body.  The transportation fee will be waived for children under the age of 18 years and victims of homicides.

When can I have a funeral?
Our examination should not delay your funeral plans.  Typically, the body will be released to the designated mortuary or cremation service within 24 hours of receipt of the body, but only after a signed authorization from the legal next of kin has been execuated.  The mortuary normally provides the form, obtains the signed authorization and submits it to us.  The Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office does not release bodies on the weekends.

What if I have no money for funeral expenses?
If the deceased does not have sufficient funds for burial, the next of kin must apply for county indigent disposition.  The necessary forms can be obtained from our office during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.

Can I find out of the cause of death?
Yes, in the majority of cases.  You can call our office the following day in the late afternoon for the results of the autopsy.  Occasionally, we are unable to record a definitive cause of death immediately following our examination.  Frequently it is necessary to perform microscopic, chemical or toxicology tests in order to arrive at the exact cause of death.  The death certificate for these cases will be listed as "pending" and may take six to eight weeks or longer to complete.  If the "death certificate" is pending, a letter will be sent to the next of kin indicating this and a follow-up letter will be issued when the cause of death has been determined.  Our office will then complete an amendment to the death certificate.

How do I contact the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Investigator in charge of my loved one's care?
You can contact the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office day or night by calling 408-793-1900.  If the investigator is not on duty, another investigator may be able to assist you.  Office staff can also transfer you to the assigned investigator's voice mail where you can leave a message for a follow-up phone call.

How do I reclaim property obtained by the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office?
We release property directly to the legal next of kin or any person (with valid photo ID) furnishing written authorization with signature from the legal next of kin.  Property is only released during normal business hours.  Property can also be released to a mortuary  if authorized by the next of kin.

The legal next of kin is determined by the relationship to the decedent.  A spouse is first, followed by adult children, then parents and finally siblings (brothers or sisters).