What is a death certificate?

A death certificate is a vital legal document that formally records the cause and manner of death of an individual. It serves multiple important functions, including providing essential information for public health records, ensuring the proper registration of a death, and establishing a legal basis for settling the deceased's estate. The certificate typically includes information such as the deceased's name, date of birth, date of death, and the medical cause of death as determined by a healthcare professional, often following an autopsy or examination.

Understanding the role of the death certificate is critical in the context of medical death investigations, as it encapsulates crucial details needed for legal and healthcare-related proceedings.