manner of death
Manner of death is the categorical determination of how someone died. The determination is typically made by an official, such as a county coroner, and is recorded on a certificate of death. In the United States, the deaths are categorized as: natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined. Manner of death is a discretionary determination for the official who is tasked with reviewing the case.
A certificate of death is a legally binding record that someone has died, but the recorded manner of death is not a legally binding determination of how someone died. Rather, the manner of death is primarily collected for statistical usage. The manner of death may be changed after initial recording as new information becomes available. This is different from the cause of death, which is the specific event or series of events leading to the injury or disease that triggers an individual's death.
See: New York Laws CNT - County Article 17-A - Coroner, Coroner's Physician and Medical Examiner, Onondaga County Guide to Death Notification and Certification (page 7).
[Last reviewed in April of 2026 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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