Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Coroners Act 1985 - SECT 13

PART 4 REPORTING OF DEATHS

Obligation to report death

13. Obligation to report death



(1) A person who has reasonable grounds to believe that a reportable death has
not been reported must report it as soon as possible to a coroner or the
officer in charge of a police station.

Penalty: 10 penalty units.

(2) The coroner or the officer must inform the State Coroner of the reported
death as soon as possible.

(3) A doctor who is present at or after the death of a person must report the
death as soon as possible to a coroner if-

   (a)  the death is a reportable death; or

   (b)  the doctor does not view the body; or

   (c)  the doctor is unable to determine the cause of death; or

   (d)  no doctor attended the person within 14 days before the death and the
        doctor who is present is unable to determine the cause of death from
        the deceased's immediate medical history.

Penalty: 10 penalty units.

(4) If more than one doctor is present at or after a death and one of them
reports it to a coroner, the other doctors need not report the death but must
give to the coroner investigating the death any information which may help the
investigation.





(5) The death of a person who was held in care immediately before death must
be reported as soon as possible to a coroner by the person under whose care
the deceased was held.

Penalty: 10 penalty units.