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Reportable Deaths

The coroner is required to investigate a particular category of death called 'reportable deaths'. The court must be advised of a reportable death in order for a coroner to investigate.

A death is considered reportable if:

• the body is in Victoria; or
• the death occurred in Victoria; or
• the cause of the death occurred in Victoria; or
• the person ordinarily resided in Victoria at the time of death; and
• the death appears to have been unexpected, unnatural or violent or to have resulted, directly or indirectly, from an accident or injury; or
• the death occurred during a medical procedure; or following a medical procedure where the death is or may be causally related to the medical procedure and a registered medical practitioner would not, immediately before the procedure was undertaken, have reasonably expected the death to occur
• the identity of the person was not known
• a medical practitioner has not signed and is not likely to sign a death certificate certifying the cause of death
• a death has occurred at a place outside Victoria and the cause of death is not certified and or is unlikely to be certified
• the death of a person, who immediately before their death was a person place in 'custody or care'
• the death of a person who immediately before death was a patient within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1986; or
• the death of a person under the control, care or custody of the Secretary to the Department of Justice or a member of the police force; or
• the death of a person who is subject to a non-custodial supervision order under section 26 of the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997