When a loved one dies unexpectedly, knowing what happens next can make an unfamiliar process easier to navigate. This guide explains medical examiner review, funeral arrangements, private autopsy, and postmortem testing options.

This guide explains how the Washington, D.C. medical examiner process works, when OCME investigates a death, and what options remain if questions continue. Learn about private autopsy, forensic pathology consultation, postmortem testing, and DNA preservation.

Attorneys sometimes need additional medical clarification after a death investigation. Learn when a private autopsy or independent forensic review may provide valuable medical insight, what records to review, and how forensic pathology supports informed case evaluation.