[Noah930]

Obviously, not every dead person gets an autopsy (a.k.a. post-mortem). There are certain criteria that qualify. I believe they vary state-by-state, but usually they follow the same concepts: anyone who dies unexpectedly, murder/suicide, death by traumatic accident, or within 48 hours (or something like that) of an elective surgery, or within 48 hours of admission to a hospital, due to suspicious circumstances, found dead, etc. Then, the physician or hospital MUST call the medical examiner to pass on the pertinent info. Usually, the M.E. will pass on the case (and that needs to be noted in the chart). Occasionally the M.E. will take the case (at his/her discretion). Usually that only happened to trauma patients.

If a deceased person is not subject to the criteria for a M.E. exam, or if the M.E. passes on the opportunity and the family wants a post-mortem (and I believe you're obligated to ask the family-if available-of every deceased person), then the family can have it done (usually by the hospital's pathologist) at their cost.