[Fatal hospital cases from the viewpoint of the forensic medical expert]

The number of lethal cases in hospitals keeps decreasing from year to year, whereas the rate of omitted post-mortem examinations increases. The "control" role of autopsy decreases consequently. Autopsy is omitted even in cases that have been considered as possibly "extraordinary" at the beginning of the procedure and this may mean danger also from the viewpoint of criminology. According to the observations of the authors there are still uncertainties (irregularities?) concerning the tasks connected with the autopsy of those who died in hospitals, as legal injunctions are lacking. On the basis of their experiences the authors interpret the related legal measures and describe the essentials of the procedural practice considered by them correct.