Statistics

2007 Annual Statistics

The total number of deaths reported to the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office in 2007 was 1,643. This represents 29% of the 5,725 deaths that occurred in Pierce County in 2007. Each reported case received basic investigative review including review by a forensic pathologist. Jurisdiction was declined in 822 cases. Jurisdiction was assumed in the remaining 821 cases and further investigation was conducted. Postmortem examinations by forensic pathologists (autopsies and external examinations, including non-human remains) were conducted in 533 cases. The pathologist were able to certify the remaining cases following investigation and medical history review. The determination of manner of death is made by the Medical Examiner for death certification purposes based on the preponderance of available evidence.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office serves as a regional autopsy facility, available for use under contract to hospital based pathologists for medical (non-forensic) cases. Facility use autopsies were performed at the Medical Examiner's facility in 3 such natural death cases in 2007.

2007 Statistical Table

Manner of Death	Total	Autopsy	External Exam	Medical History	Private Signer	Case Review	Male	Female
Accident Drug	108	103	2	1	0	2	65	43
Accident Fall	79	9	7	35	2	26	35	44
Accident General	38	24	4	6	0	4	23	15
Accident Industrial	4	3	0	1	0	0	4	0
Accident Traffic	69	61	1	4	0	3	51	18
Facility Use Case	3	0	0	0	3	0	2	1
Homicide	35	33	1	0	1	0	28	7
Jurisdiction Declined	822	0	0	0	822	0	434	388
Natural	331	103	31	99	31	67	231	100
Non-Human Remains	24	0	24	0	0	0	0	0
Suicide	91	87	3	1	0	0	68	23
Undetermined	26	22	2	1	0	1	13	13
Undetermined Infant	13	13	0	0	0	0	6	7
TOTALS	1,643	458	75	148	859	103	960	659

	Other Statistical Information
533	Bodies transported to the office
0	Bodies unidentified after examination
462	Cases where toxicology was performed
0	Exhumations
1	Presumed death
1	Partial autopsies
9	Correctional facility related death
1	Law enforcement related death
458	Scene visits by Medical Examiner or Medical Investigator
100	Unclaimed bodies
62	Indigent cremation/burial cases