How are overdose deaths investigated?

How are overdose deaths investigated?

Overdose death investigations Deaths suspected to be caused by drug overdose are usually investigated by a medical examiner or coroner. They determine the manner of death (accidental/unintentional, suicide, etc.) by investigating the circumstances around the death.

Can opioids damage lungs?

Misuse of prescription or synthetic opioids can suppress breathing and block air from entering the lungs, leading to hypoxia and suffocation. It can also exacerbate asthma symptoms. Having an existing lung disease is a leading indicator for death from an opioid overdose.

Is an overdose considered an accidental death?

Otherwise, drug overdose is considered a suicide by overdose and not an accidental death. Frequently, overdoses result from improperly prescribed drugs, an accidental double dose of narcotic painkiller or other sedative-type of medications, or interactions of various drugs taken together.

How does a coroner determine accidental overdose?

While not always a definitive indicator, a contributing factor that helps a forensic pathologist like Dr. Chundru determine whether an overdose was accidental or suicidal is the level of drugs or alcohol found in the deceased’s bloodstream and documented in the toxicology report.

Is an autopsy required for an overdose?

1. A complete autopsy is necessary for optimal interpretation of toxicology results, which must also be considered in the context of the circumstances surrounding death, medical history, and scene findings.

What is respiratory depression?

Respiratory depression (hypoventilation) is a breathing disorder characterized by slow and ineffective breathing. During a normal breathing cycle, you inhale oxygen into your lungs. Your blood carries the oxygen around your body, delivering it to your tissues.

Can opioids cause aspiration?

Wiese said that opioids are known to cause respiratory depression, which is a slowing of breathing. The drugs also have been linked to a higher risk for aspiration — which is when a foreign substance, such as food, enters the lungs during breathing.

Does life insurance pay for suicidal death?

Many life insurance policies contain a suicide clause or provision. Companies will typically not pay a death benefit if the policyholder commits suicide within the first one to two years that the policy is in force. Changing a policy can restart the suicide exclusion period.

Does life insurance pay if overdose?

The quick answer is yes. Life insurance policies do cover drug overdose deaths. It doesn’t matter what the substance is or how illegal it is to possess it. Life insurers will pay out the policy’s death benefit, even if the insured’s death resulted from an overdose of drugs or alcohol.

How long after death can a toxicology report be done?

“Four to six weeks is pretty standard,” Magnani says of the time line for forensic toxicology testing.

Will a toxicology report show cause of death?

For example, if the autopsy reveals damage to organs and tissue consistent with death by poisoning, a toxicology panel will confirm that cause of death by showing whether the decedent had poison in his system.

How long does toxicology take after death?

four to six weeks
However, in reality, while an autopsy is usually completed within a day or two after a death, the final results of the toxicology report may take four to six weeks or longer. Many factors play into the length of time needed to gather forensic toxicology test results, including: the need for confirmatory testing.