Cause-of-death statements on death certificates capture the sequence of events leading todeath, plus the time interval between the onset of eachcondition and death.When a death occurs, a certifier must determinethe cause(s) of deathand accurately report it on the death certificate.
Guidelines for who can certify a death can vary by jurisdiction, but the certifier is typicallya physician, medical examiner, or coroner.This page contains generaland topic-specific guidance to helpmedical certifierscorrectly report the cause(s) ofdeath on the death certificate.
